Then, as soon as the cock had crowed in the early morning: The cock, or rooster, crows early in the morning. Contemporary English Version translates this clause as “Early the next morning, just after the roosters started crowing,” which is a good model. Roosters should be mentioned since it adds a touch of color to the story, with the sound of the roosters being a signal that the day of danger had begun.

Hermon, having equipped the beasts, began to move them along in the great colonnade: It is not clear what having equipped the beasts refers to; the Greek verb here means “to arm, prepare for battle,” but the elephants did not need weapons (see verse 45, where a different verb for “equipped” is used). Contemporary English Version supposes that this clause refers to giving the elephants the frankincense and wine again. This is possible, but a strange verb has been used to indicate this. Anderson seems to imagine the animals being covered with some kind of ceremonial material by saying “set the beasts in all their paraphernalia,” and Hadas is similar with “accoutered the beasts.” Emmet translates “harnessed the beasts.” We suggest saying “got the elephants ready.” The great colonnade is a structure involving a row of columns. This is evidently something through which the elephants would have to pass to enter the stadium where the Jews were being held. The adjective great suggests that it was a well-known place.

Here is an alternative model for this verse:

• Early the next morning, after the roosters had begun crowing, Hermon got the elephants ready and started moving them along through the rows of great columns toward the stadium [or, race track].

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.