It happened also that seven brothers and their mother were arrested: This verse introduces another example of Jews dying for their faith. Good News Bible renders It happened also that as “On another occasion,” which is helpful (see the comments on 2Macc 6.11). For seven brothers and their mother, Good News Bible has “a Jewish mother and her seven sons,” and Contemporary English Version is similar with “seven Jewish brothers and their mother.” The word “Jewish” is not in the Greek text, but some translators will find it helpful to insert it here to make it clear from the beginning of the chapter that these people were Jews. However, other translators may not find it necessary. Were arrested means that they were taken captive by local authorities. Just who the local authorities were is not said, but King Antiochus was the one who gave the order for arresting them. For languages that do not have the passive voice, the beginning of this verse may be rendered “On another occasion King Antiochus had a Jewish mother and her seven sons arrested.”

And were being compelled by the king may be translated “and he tried to force them.”

Under torture with whips and cords: A whip was an instrument consisting of either a single or multiple thongs with or without weighted tips on the ends. They were used to make animals move faster or, as in this case, to punish human beings. The cords may be the flexible thongs of the whips, or perhaps long thin lengths of leather or animal sinew used for lashing people. The whips and cords were used to torture the woman and her sons by slicing into their skin rather than by beating on it. The two terms may be combined into one by rendering this whole phrase as “had them lashed [or, whipped] with heavy whips.” Good News Bible says simply “having them beaten,” which is not quite right.

To partake of unlawful swine’s flesh: Unlawful swine’s flesh refers to the fact that all pork was considered unclean in Jewish law (not that some was lawful and some was not).

Here is an alternative model for this verse:

• On another occasion King Antiochus had a [Jewish] mother and her seven sons arrested and tortured with heavy whips. He was trying to force them to eat pork, which was against Jewish law.

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.