Then Judas returned to plunder the camp: Good News Bible may be followed here, but it must be clear to the reader that Judas is returning with his men; Judas is not plundering the camp alone. Other possible models are “Judas and his men returned to plunder the enemy camp” and “Judas and his men then went back to the enemy camp and he let his soldiers take [or, seize] whatever they wanted.”

And they seized much gold and silver, and cloth dyed blue and sea purple, and great riches: Sea purple refers to a dye made from Mediterranean shellfish. It was scarce, and cloth dyed with it was expensive. There were different shades, but the most sought after is described as the dark color of congealed blood. Cloth dyed blue and sea purple may be rendered “cloth dyed with a blue color and with a dark blood color.” And great riches may be translated “and other rich plunder” (Good News Bible) or “and other expensive things.”

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.