So, committing the decision to the Creator of the world: For the Creator of the world, see 2Macc 7.23. This clause may be rendered as a separate sentence by saying “He decided to let the Creator of the world decide the winner [or, who would win the battle].”

And exhorting his men to fight nobly to the death for the laws, temple, city, country, and commonwealth: The Greek verb rendered exhorting is the same one used in verse 12 (see the comments there). For to fight nobly to the death, Good News Bible has “to fight bravely and to be willing to die,” which is helpful. The Greek word for commonwealth is better rendered “their whole way of life” (Good News Bible) or “our Jewish way of life” (Contemporary English Version).

He pitched his camp near Modein: Modein was a village in the hill country of Palestine, about 27 kilometers (17 miles) northwest of Jerusalem. According to 1Macc 2, it was the hometown of the Maccabees, and the place where their rebellion first began. We suggest placing this clause earlier in the verse (see the models below).

Alternative models for this verse are:

• He decided to let the Creator of the world determine who would win the battle. When he and his soldiers made camp [or, set up their tents], near the town of Modein, he addressed his men asking them to fight bravely, and be willing even to die in order to save their laws, the Temple, Jerusalem, their country, and their whole way of life.

• … When he and his soldiers had set up their tents near the town of Modein, Judas exhorted his men, saying, “Fight bravely, even to the death, to save our laws, the Temple, Jerusalem, our country, and our Jewish way of life.”

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.