Among other things, we made known to all our amnesty toward their compatriots here: The king says that he publicized how gracious and kind he had been toward the Jews in Egypt. It is not clear from the Greek whether all refers only to Jews or to people in general. It is probably safest to take it in the latter sense. We may render this clause as “I let people everywhere know about these favors [or, the kindness] that I showed the Jews.”

Both because of their alliance with us and the myriad affairs liberally entrusted to them from the beginning: The king gives two reasons for his kindness toward the Jews of Egypt: (a) there was some sort of agreement (alliance) or understanding between the Jews and the government, and (b) Egyptian Jews had long been trusted with responsibility in the nation. There is archaeological evidence that Jewish troops had been entrusted with guarding Egypt’s southern border. The Greek word for myriad is literally the number 10,000, but here simply means “great many.” We may alternatively translate these phrases as “because for a long time we had an understanding [or, a treaty] with them, and we had trusted them with a great many responsibilities.”

And we ventured to make a change may be rendered “I decided to even give them higher honors” or “I even offered the Jews the opportunity.” The change is in the status of the Jews as citizens.

By deciding both to deem them worthy of Alexandrian citizenship and to make them participants in our regular religious rites: The king claims that he honored the Jews in two ways: giving them equal rights with other citizens, and making them participate in the state religion (see 3 Macc 2.30). The Jews, of course, did not think of being forced to participate in the worship of Dionysus as an honor. As the Revised Standard Version footnote indicates, there is a textual problem with make them participants in our regular religious rites. This reading is found in only one Greek manuscript. Other manuscripts have (by the addition of only one letter to one word) “make them partners with our regular priests.” The one manuscript seems to be correct; its reading fits in with the narrative but the reading of the others does not.

An alternative model for this verse is:

• Look at all I did for them. For a long time we had an understanding [or, treaty] with them, and we had trusted them with a great many responsibilities. I let people everywhere know about all these favors [or, kindness] that I showed them. I even decided to give them higher honors, by making them full citizens of Alexandria, and by having them take part in our customary religious ceremonies.*
* Probable text having them … ceremonies; other manuscripts making them partners with our regular priests.

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.