They thanked them and exhorted them to be well disposed to their race in the future also: Judas and his men thanked the people of Scythopolis for treating the Jews who lived there well, and urged them to continue to do so. Their race refers to the Jews. Good News Bible provides a good model for this first half of the verse.

Then they went up to Jerusalem, as the feast of weeks was close at hand: Judas and his men did not destroy Scythopolis. They returned to Jerusalem instead. The feast of weeks (Good News Bible “the Harvest Festival”) is the name of a festival held in late May, fifty days after Passover. It is also called Pentecost, and this Greek name for it is used in verse 32. Translators may consult their own translation for the way the name is handled in Num 28.26 (see Tob 2.1). Good News Bible renders this sentence well. New English Bible is also good with“They returned to Jerusalem in time for the Feast of Weeks.”

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.