Translation commentary on 1 Maccabees 1:50

And whoever does not obey the command of the king shall die: In Greek this verse is presented as if it is a direct quotation from the king’s orders. Most versions do not attempt to represent it as such, and it is perfectly acceptable to follow Good News Bible in this. However, it may be more effective to follow Revised Standard Version in presenting it as a quotation, but if so, it requires some introduction. A model that does this is:

• The king’s orders ended with [or, contained] these words: “Anyone who disobeys the king’s [or, my] decree will be put to death.”

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.

Translation commentary on 1 Maccabees 1:51

In such words he wrote to his whole kingdom: We recommend making this sentence the conclusion of the paragraph, rather than the beginning of a new paragraph. It may be rendered simply “This was the message he sent to every part of his kingdom.”

And he appointed inspectors over all the people and commanded the cities of Judah to offer sacrifice, city by city: These clauses begin a new paragraph. Antiochus chose inspectors to carry out his decree that all the Jews make pagan sacrifices. To make it clear that the inspectors were to enforce the royal decree, it might be helpful to reverse the clauses here as follows: “The king commanded the people of every town in Judah to offer pagan sacrifices [or, sacrifices to foreign gods], and he appointed officials to see that everyone obeyed.”

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.

Translation commentary on 1 Maccabees 1:52

Many of the people, every one who forsook the law, joined them: This verse refers to the renegade Jews. New English Bible has a good approach here, saying “People thronged to their side in large numbers, every one of them a traitor to the law.” Revised English Bible is similar with “Those of the people who were ready to betray the law all thronged to their side in large numbers.” Either of these models is more satisfying than the one in Good News Bible. Another possible model is “Many of the people obeyed King Antiochus and stopped obeying the Law [of Moses].”

And they did evil in the land: Evil is literally “evil things.” Good News Bible introduces a difficult concept, “defiled the land,” in an attempt to deal with the phrase in the land. (Where else would they do this evil?) But the writer is speaking of the Holy Land, the Promised Land; to the original readers the phrase was not repetitive. It may not be going too far actually to translate the whole clause as “and they did evil things in the Holy Land [or, the land of the One in Heaven].” New English Bible has an interesting solution; it joins this clause to the next verse: “Their wicked conduct throughout the land 53 drove Israel into hiding….” But this may be stated more simply as “The evil things they did in the Holy Land 53 forced true Israelites to hide….”

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.

Translation commentary on 1 Maccabees 1:53

They drove Israel into hiding: It is not clear whether the pronoun they refers to the outsiders enforcing the royal decree or to the Jews who were willing to go along with it. It is easier to take it as the latter (so Good News Bible, Contemporary English Version). Israel here refers to those Jews who were unwilling to abandon God’s Law. Good News Bible says “true Israelites,” and Contemporary English Version has “faithful Jews.”

In every place of refuge they had: Well over 100 man-made caves have been discovered in the hills south of Jerusalem. Jews hid in these caves not only during the Jewish wars of the first and second centuries a.d., but in this time as well.

An alternative model for this verse is:

• and forced loyal [or, faithful] Israelites to go into hiding anywhere they could find safety.

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.

Translation commentary on 1 Maccabees 1:54

The writer now starts talking about what Antiochus did in Jerusalem, and translators may begin a new paragraph at this point.

Now on the fifteenth day of Chislev, in the one hundred and forty-fifth year: Chislev is the name of one of the Jewish months. Good News Bible spells it “Kislev,” which we prefer. The fifteenth day of Chislev corresponds to December 7. The one hundred and forty-fifth year of the Seleucid kingdom in Syria is the year 167 b.c. It is possible to begin this verse with “On the seventh day of December [or, Early in December] of the year 145 of the Syrian Kingdom,” but it will involve problems later on. In verse 59 something is dated to the twenty-fifth day of the month, and we cannot be certain at that point if the reference is to ten days after the event here, or to a monthly occurrence. The best solution is probably to follow Good News Bible, which has “On the fifteenth day of the month Kislev in the year 145.” The following footnote could be added: “This corresponds to a date in early December (perhaps December 7) in 167 b.c.”

They erected a desolating sacrilege upon the altar of burnt offering: Instead of they erected, The printed Greek texts read “he erected,” so Good News Bible translates “King Antiochus set up.” However, most manuscripts read “they erected,” which might refer to the renegade Jews, but more likely the king’s officials (see the comments on verse 58). In Greek the next sentence certainly has the subject pronoun “they” (They also built …), so it seems best to read it here also as in Revised Standard Version. New English Bible uses the passive voice in this sentence as well as the next one; it is a neat solution, and those who are able to do this may certainly choose to do so. However, in languages that do not have a passive voice, translators may use the pronoun “they” or the phrase “the king’s officials.” The desolating sacrilege (New English Bible “abomination of desolation”) is also referred to in Dan 9.27; 11.31; and 12.11 (compare Matt 24.15; Mark 13.14). Most scholars interpret this to refer to the altar mentioned in verse 59, an altar built over the Temple’s sacrificial altar, and dedicated to Zeus, chief of the Greek gods (compare 2Macc 6.2). Other scholars see it as an idol. Whatever its identity, it was an “Awful Horror” (Good News Bible) or “Horrible Thing” (Contemporary English Version) to faithful Jews—something unspeakably insulting and offensive to their faith. Translators would do well to check their translation of the phrase in Daniel and the Gospels, and use here the same phrase used there, if appropriate. Upon the altar of burnt offering may be expressed as “on the altar for burnt offerings in front of the Temple.”

They also built altars in the surrounding cities of Judah: Here Good News Bible resorts to the passive voice, since it understood the pronoun “he” as subject of the preceding sentence. If translators follow the Handbook’s preference for a plural subject in the preceding sentence, the subject here can be simply They. Good News Bible renders altars as “pagan altars” to make it clear that these were altars where pagan gods were worshiped. Another possible model is “altars dedicated to foreign gods.” For in the surrounding cities of Judah, Good News Bible provides a helpful model with “in the towns throughout Judea” (Good News Bible). New English Bible is similar with “throughout the towns of Judaea.”

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.

Translation commentary on 1 Maccabees 1:55

And burned incense at the doors of the houses and in the streets: The subject here continues to be Antiochus’ officials. The Greek verb rendered burned incense is literally “made smoke,” but it can be taken to mean “offered illicit sacrifices” (Goldstein). However, sacrifices would normally be offered on altars. Incense can be burned anywhere. Perhaps smoking fat from the sacrifices was carried through the streets to emphasize to the Jewish population that their towns were now dedicated to the Greek gods. Unless translators can find an expression in their language more equivalent to the Greek word for “made smoke,” it is probably best to say burned incense. Incense was any aromatic substance burned for its pleasing aroma. Here it was burned to worship pagan gods. It may be rendered “sweet-smelling herbs.” At the doors of the houses may be translated “in front of their houses” (Contemporary English Version).

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.

Translation commentary on 1 Maccabees 1:56

The books of the law which they found they tore to pieces: The books of the law refers to the five books of Moses (the Torah) and may be translated “Any copies of the books of the Law of Moses.” New English Bible has “All scrolls of the law,” and Goldstein says “Whatever scrolls of the Torah.” The pronoun they still refers to King Antiochus’ officials.

And burned with fire: In many languages it will not be necessary to use the phrase with fire, since the verb burned implies it (so Good News Bible).

An alternative model for this verse is:

• The king’s officials [or, They] also tore up and burned any copies of the books of the Law of Moses that they found.

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.

Translation commentary on 1 Maccabees 1:57

Where the book of the covenant was found in the possession of any one: The book of the covenant also refers to the books of the Torah. The book is literally “a book.” It may refer to any one of the books of the Torah, or to the whole of it. The covenant refers to God’s agreement with his people (compare verse 11). Good News Bible renders the book of the covenant as “a copy of the sacred books,” which is a good translation. We could also say “any of the sacred books.” An alternative model for the whole clause is “If they found [or, caught] anyone with a copy of the sacred books” (similarly Good News Bible).

Or if any one adhered to the law may be rendered “or if they found anyone obeying the Law of Moses.” New English Bible has “or conforming to the law.”

The decree of the king condemned him to death may be expressed as “according to the command of the king they were to be killed.”

The verse has only one sentence and it is rather complex. Good News Bible offers a reasonable translation, but even that may be too complicated for many translators. Possible alternative models are:

• They [or, The king’s officials] obeyed the king and killed anyone who owned a copy of the sacred books, or who [even] observed [or, kept] the Law of Moses.

• The king’s order meant that anyone who owned a copy of the sacred books or who observed [or, kept] the Law of Moses was put to death.

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.