We also have ordered each and every one to return to his own home: Philopator does not mean he spoke to each Jew and ordered them to return, but rather he “gave orders that each Jew should return home.”

With no one in any place doing them harm at all: As the Revised Standard Version footnote indicates, there is a textual problem here. Instead of in any place, some manuscripts have “in any manner,” which in Greek is the difference of only one letter. Rahlfs’ text has “in any place” (so Anderson, Emmet, Hadas). Hanhardt’s text has “in any manner” (so Contemporary English Version). We cannot decide this problem with any confidence, and translators can feel free to accept either reading.

Or reproaching them for the irrational things that have happened refers to the unreasonable punishment that the Jews had suffered. The Jews should not be reproached, or blamed for what had happened, since it was in no way their fault. Irrational is rendered in the model below as “There was no justification [or, reason] for what happened,” and we suggest putting this clause at the beginning of the verse as follows:

• There was no justification [or, reason] for what happened, and I have given orders that every Jew return home, and that no one should harm them or blame them in any way.*
* in any way; some manuscripts have anywhere along their way.

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.