But after the previously mentioned interval of time: The previously mentioned interval of time is the forty-day period of verse 15. Contemporary English Version says simply “Meanwhile,” which is not correct. This clause may be rendered “But after the forty days were over.”

The scribes declared to the king that they were no longer able to take the census of the Jews because of their innumerable multitude: The scribes confessed that there were just too many Jews to count. The next verse seems to say that the Jews were being brought in faster than the scribes could write their names down. For scribes see the comments on verse 14.

We suggest this model for the verse:

• But when the forty days were over, the scribes told the king that there were too many Jews for them to register.

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.