About that time, as it happened, Antiochus had retreated in disorder from the region of Persia: About that time refers to the time of the events in chapter 8, so this phrase may be rendered “While Nicanor was fleeing Judea.” As it happened serves to point out the ironic coincidence that at the time Nicanor was fleeing Judea in disgrace, Antiochus himself was forced to retreat from Persia. This clause may be rendered “it just so happened that.” An alternative model for the beginning of this verse is “At the very same time that Nicanor was fleeing Judea….” Antiochus had retreated in disorder means his army was beaten back so badly that they were unable to stay together and function as an army while retreating. However, it is possible to interpret the Greek word rendered in disorder as “in disgrace” (New American Bible; similarly Goldstein). We recommend the latter sense, because it seems more consistent with the next verse. Antiochus’ opponents were townspeople inside the city of Persepolis. He was not being pursued, but the citizens of Persepolis had chased him and his soldiers out of the city. There was no reason for a disorderly retreat, but it would have been thought humiliating, disgraceful. Good News Bible joins this verse to the next one, and this works well. However, if translators feel this makes too long a sentence, they may certainly end a sentence with this verse, following Revised Standard Version. Here is an alternative model that does this:

• While Nicanor was fleeing Judea, it just so happened that King Antiochus and his soldiers were retreating in disgrace from the country of Persia.

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.