Καὶ τοῖς περὶ Τιμόθεον καὶ Βακχίδην συνερίσαντες ὑπὲρ τοὺς δισμυρίους αὐτῶν ἀνεῖλον καὶ ὀχυρωμάτων ὑψηλῶν εὖ μάλα ἐγκρατεῖς ἐγένοντο καὶ λάφυρα πλείονα ἐμερίσαντο ἰσομοίρους αὑτοῖς καὶ τοῖς ᾐκισμένοις καὶ ὀρφανοῖς καὶ χήραις, ἔτι δὲ καὶ πρεσβυτέροις ποιήσαντες.
Judas Defeats Timothy and Bacchides
30In encounters with the forces of Timothy and Bacchides they killed more than twenty thousand of them and got possession of some exceedingly high strongholds, and they divided a very large amount of plunder, giving to those who had been tortured and to the orphans and widows and also to the aged, shares equal to their own.
The Hebrew, Latin and Greek that is translated as “orphan” in English is translated in Enlhet as “those who are gone past.” (Source: Jacob Loewen in The Bible Translator 1969, p. 24ff. )
For other constructs with “go past” see in abundance, rich, faithful.
The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “widow” in English is translated in West Kewa as ona wasa or “woman shadow.” (Source: Karl J. Franklin in Notes on Translation 70/1978, pp. 13ff.)
The etymological meaning of the Hebrew almanah (אַלְמָנָה) is likely “pain, ache,” the Greek chéra (χήρα) is likely “to leave behind,” “abandon,” and the English widow (as well as related terms in languages such as Dutch, German, Sanskrit, Welsh, or Persian) is “to separate,” “divide” (source: Wiktionary).
See also widows.
Following the suggestion in the introduction to this section, verses 30-33 may be placed within parentheses. However, in languages that do not use parentheses, translators may begin verse 30 with “Judas and his men fought other battles with the armies of….”
In encounters with the forces of Timothy and Bacchides they killed more than twenty thousand of them: Judas battled a Timothy in 1Macc 5.6-44. But in 2Maccabees there is a Timothy who died in 10.24-37, but in 12.10-25 a Timothy escaped death. We seem to be dealing with more than one man named Timothy, and there is no way to be sure which, if any, of them is in view in this verse. Bacchides is never mentioned again in this book, but he is an important figure in 1Maccabees (see 7.8-20; 9.1-73).
And got possession of some exceedingly high strongholds: Strongholds refers to forts or fortified cities with strong high walls (see the comments on 1Macc 1.2); exceedingly high strongholds are such places located on high ground, making them strategically important. Contemporary English Version has “strong hill fortresses.” We may also say “strong forts located on hills.”
And they divided very much plunder: Plunder is the same as “spoils” in verses 27-28, referring to valuable possessions of the enemy that Judas’ soldiers had taken by force. Good News Bible says “loot.”
Giving to those who had been tortured and to the orphans and widows, and also to the aged, shares equal to their own: Compare verse 28. The aged is added to the list here. Good News Bible has “old men,” but it is better to say “old people.” Shares equal to their own may be expressed as “the soldiers gave shares to everyone that were the same as their own.”
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.
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