He appointed his brothers also, Simon and Joseph and Jonathan, each to command a division, putting fifteen hundred men under each: Joseph is not named in the list of Judas’ brothers in 1Macc 2.25. Most scholars suppose he is identical with John in 1Macc 2.2. The word division has the same problem as Good News Bible‘s use of it in the previous verse. The next verse tells us that Judas himself led one unit. Some translators may wish to put that information in this verse; for example, Contemporary English Version renders verses 21b-22 as “Judas now divided his army into four groups 22~of fifteen hundred soldiers each. He and his brothers Simon, Joseph, and Jonathan each took command of one group.”

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.