4Transported with rage, he conceived the idea of turning upon the Jews the injury done by those who had put him to flight, so he ordered his charioteer to drive without stopping until he completed the journey. But the judgment of heaven rode with him! For in his arrogance he said, “When I get there I will make Jerusalem a cemetery of Jews.”
The Hebrew, Latin, Ge’ez, and Greek that is translated into English as “chariot” is translated into Anuak as “canoe pulled by horse.” “Canoe” is the general term for “vehicle” (source: Loren Bliese). Similarly it is translated in Lokạạ as ukwaa wạ nyanyang ntuuli or “canoe that is driven by horses.” (Source: J.A. Naudé, C.L. Miller Naudé, J.O. Obono in Acta Theologica 43/2, 2023, p. 129ff. )
Other translations include:
Chichicapan Zapotec: “ox cart” (in Acts 8) (ox carts are common vehicles for travel) (source: Loren Bliese)
Chichimeca-Jonaz, it is translated as “little house with two feet pulled by two horses” (source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
HausaCommon Language Bible as keken-doki or “cart of donkey” (source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)
In Malay, the pronoun beta for the royal “I” (or “my” or “me”) that is used by royals when speaking to people of lower rank, subordinates or commoners to refer to themselves in these verses. This reflects the “language of the court because the monarchy and sultanate in Malaysia are still alive and well. All oral and printed literature (including newspapers and magazines) preserve and glorify the language of the court. Considering that the language of the court is part of the Malaysian language, court language is used sparingly where appropriate, specifically with texts relating to palace life.” (Source: Daud Soesilo in The Bible Translator 2025, p. 263ff.)
The name that is transliterated as “Jerusalem” in English is signed in French Sign Language with a sign that depicts worshiping at the Western Wall in Jerusalem:
While a similar sign is also used in British Sign Language, another, more neutral sign that combines the sign “J” and the signs for “place” is used as well. (Source: Anna Smith)
“Jerusalem” in British Sign Language (source: Christian BSL, used with permission)
Transported with rage refers to Antiochus’ extreme anger. This clause may be rendered “He became hot with anger” or “He became very angry.” Before receiving the news regarding Nicanor and Timothy, he was already furious because of the embarrassing circumstances under which he had been forced to leave Persepolis. Now he became even more furious.
He conceived the idea of turning upon the Jews the injury done by those who had put him to flight: Antiochus decided to take his anger out on the Jews for what the people of Persepolis had done to him. Turning upon the Jews may be rendered “make the Jews pay” (Good News Bible) or “take revenge on our people” (Contemporary English Version). The people of Persepolis forced him to leave, but the Jews were going to pay for it. Good News Bible renders the injury done by those who put him to flight as “the defeat he had suffered.” This clause may also be translated “the defeat caused by the people of Persepolis” or “because the people of Persepolis had made him and his soldiers flee.”
So he ordered his charioteer to drive without stopping until he completed the journey: A charioteer is the person who stands in a chariot driving the horses. For “chariot” see the comments on 1Macc 1.17. Since it is clear from Antiochus’ words at the end of this verse that he was on his way to Jerusalem, it makes sense to follow Good News Bible in specifying Jerusalem as his destination in this sentence. In languages that must use direct speech here, translators may say “So he commanded his chariot driver, ‘Drive straight through to Jerusalem without stopping.’”
But the judgment of heaven rode with him!: This sentence means that God had already judged Antiochus and passed a sentence. By going toward Jerusalem he was not going to get away from God’s judgment. Heaven may be rendered “God” (Good News Bible). Good News Bible expresses this sentence well, saying “But he did not know that he was heading straight for God’s judgment.” We may also say “But God was going to punish him before he reached Jerusalem,” “But God had already decided his fate [or, to punish him],” or even “But Antiochus did not know [or, realize] that God was about to punish him.” We recommend that this sentence be moved to the end of the verse, as in Good News Bible. By doing this, Good News Bible was able to make this sentence the first sentence of a new paragraph. Many translators will like this, but others will want to start a new paragraph at the beginning of verse 5 (so Revised Standard Version).
For in his arrogance he said may be rendered “With great arrogance he said” (Good News Bible) or even “He was full of arrogance when he said.” The connector For introduces the reason why God was judging Nicanor. This connector may be left implied.
When I get there I will make Jerusalem a cemetery of Jews: In translation this statement of Antiochus should sound vicious and threatening. Good News Bible does well here, saying “I will turn Jerusalem into a graveyard full of Jews.” Other options are “When I get there, I will fill Jerusalem with dead Jews” and “When I finish with Jerusalem, it will be nothing but a Jewish graveyard.”
An alternative model for this verse is:
• Antiochus became furious [or, very angry], and he decided to take revenge on the Jews because the people of Persepolis had made him and his soldiers flee. So he said to the driver of his chariot, “Drive straight through to Jerusalem without stopping.” He then became very arrogant and said, “When I get there, I will fill Jerusalem with dead Jews.” But God had already decided to punish him.
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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