Then the Jews, since they had escaped the appointed hour … : The Jews realized that the time when they were supposed to be killed by the elephants had passed. We may begin this verse with “When the Jews realized that it was past the time when they were to be killed…,” “The time set aside to kill the Jews had now passed, so…” (Contemporary English Version), or even “The time that Philopator had set for the elephants to kill the Jews had now passed, so….”

Praised their holy God: For holy God, see the comments on 3 Macc 2.2.

And again begged him who is easily reconciled to show the might of his all-powerful hand to the arrogant Gentiles: The Jews believed that God had answered their prayer to escape death, since God is easily reconciled, that is, “quick to respond in mercy” (Anderson). They now prayed that he would punish the Gentiles for even trying to carry out such a presumptuous, arrogant plan. Contemporary English Version omits the adverb again, but it should be kept. The might of his all-powerful hand is a figurative expression that may be rendered “all of his might/power.” For Gentiles see 3 Macc 4.1. We may translate again begged him … to show the might of his all-powerful hand to the arrogant Gentiles as “They again begged him to use all of his tremendous power to punish the arrogant Gentiles” or “They again asked him to show the arrogant Gentiles his tremendous power.”

Here are alternative models for this verse:

• When the Jews realized that it was past the time when they were to be killed, they praised their holy God for showing them such mercy. They once again begged him to use all of his tremendous power to punish the arrogant Gentiles.

• The time that King Philopator had set for the Jews to be killed [or, for the elephants to kill the Jews] had now passed. So they praised their holy God….

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.