The king investigated the matter: It is left unsaid, but apparently after the Persian emperor investigated what had happened concerning the oily liquid, he determined that what he had heard was true. For this reason Good News Bible inserts “and found out that this was true.” Contemporary English Version provides a helpful model here, saying “After the king had carefully checked on this story.”

And enclosed the place and made it sacred: The Greek verb for enclosed does not specify the type of enclosure here, but presumably it was a wall rather than a fence (so Good News Bible). Contemporary English Version makes this clear with “surrounded … with a high wall.” The text is not clear, but the place must refer to the place where the fire was hidden and the liquid recovered, namely, the cistern. It could hardly refer to the Temple area; the writer would not speak of the Persian emperor enclosing it and making it sacred. It was already enclosed and already sacred. But the Persians worshiped fire, and this impressive event caused the emperor to declare this a sacred place (Good News Bible “shrine”).

An alternative model for this verse is:

• After the emperor had investigated the story, he determined that it was true. He then had people build a wall around the area [or, the cistern], and made it into [or, declared that it was] a holy place.

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.