Because in their bonds they were forcibly confined on every side: The pronouns their and they refer to the Jewish prisoners. On every side means “completely.” This clause may be rendered “since they were securely tied up, and there was no way for them to escape.”

But with tears and a voice hard to silence they all called upon … praying: A voice hard to silence does not mean anybody tried to silence the Jews. It means they cried out in an unrestrained way. They all called upon means “they all prayed.” We may render the beginning of this sentence as “But the Jews all prayed in tears; they prayed as loud as they could to….”

The Almighty Lord and Ruler of all power, their merciful God and Father may be expressed as “the Almighty Lord, the ruler who has all power, their merciful God and Father.”

We may render verses 6-7 as follows:

• 6 The Gentiles thought that the Jews were now completely helpless [or, that nothing could save them], 7 since they were tied up, and there was no way they could escape. But all the Jews prayed. They prayed in tears; they prayed as loud as they could. They prayed to the Almighty Lord, the ruler who has all power, their merciful God and Father.

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.