Thus there was great distress in Israel … may be expressed as “It was a time of great trouble for Israel” (Good News Bible) or “Throughout Israel people suffered more than….”

Such as had not been since the time that prophets ceased to appear among them: Jews at that time believed that the age of prophecy had come to an end with Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. They saw themselves as living in an age without prophets, but expected prophecy to begin again someday (see the comments on 1Macc 4.46).

Good News Bible provides a good model for this verse, but here is another:

• Throughout Israel people suffered more than at any time since the last of the prophets were living.

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.