And they crossed the Jordan into the large plain before Beth-shan: And they crossed the Jordan may be expanded to “After leaving Ephron, they crossed the Jordan River.” Beth-shan (the Greek city of Scythopolis) was about 30 kilometers (18.5 miles) south of Lake Galilee near to the west bank of the Jordan River. South of the town the Jordan Valley extends westward into a broad plain. So an alternative model for this verse is:

• After leaving Ephron, they crossed the Jordan River into the wide plain south of [the town of] Beth Shan.

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.