Word came to Judas concerning Nicanor’s invasion: Good News Bible‘s approach here works, but other possible models are “Judas learned of Nicanor’s plans to invade Judea” and “Judas learned that Nicanor was planning to invade Judea.”

And when he told his companions of the arrival of the army: The arrival of the army does not necessarily mean that Nicanor’s army had arrived, only that Judas was passing on the information that they would soon be facing this army. Up to this time they had engaged in guerrilla tactics, often at night, but now they were going to be against a disciplined army in open battle. This was a terrifying prospect to many. His companions refers to all the men who followed Judas, not to a few close friends. For the whole clause translators may say “so he told his men what was happening” (see also the model for the next verse which joins this clause to it).

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Maccabees. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.