So Hermon suffered an unexpected and dangerous threat: Hermon was astounded to hear these unexpected words from the king, and to realize that he could be in danger, with the king behaving so irrationally. This clause may be rendered “When Hermon heard the king make such an unexpected and severe [or, dangerous] threat” or “This unexpected and severe threat by the king made Hermon.”

And his eyes wavered and his face fell is literally “and he was lowered in sight and in face.” This is another example of the author saying the same thing twice. The translator can speak of Hermon’s eyes and face, but this clause may be satisfactorily rendered “he had an astounded [or, panic-stricken] look on his face.”

Alternative models for this verse are:

• Hermon looked panic-stricken to hear the king make such an unexpected and severe threat.

• When Hermon heard the king make this unexpected and severe threat, he looked panic-stricken.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 3-4 Maccabees. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2018. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.