Translation commentary on 3 Maccabees 5:41

As a result the city is in a tumult because of its expectation; it is crowded with masses of people, and also in constant danger of being plundered: The king’s guests report that the people of Alexandria, along with crowds of other people who have poured into the city, are puzzled and perhaps on the verge of a riot, since they keep waiting for the Jews to be killed, and each time they expect it to happen the king takes his orders back. An alternative model for this verse is:

• The people in the city have been waiting for you to have the Jews killed. Also, other people are crowding into the city, and a riot could break out at any time [or, they could begin rioting at any time].”

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.