Then he saw that the money in the treasury was exhausted: There was no money left in the royal treasury after the soldiers were paid, and this could be made clear by saying “But in doing this, he used up all the money he had in the treasury” or simply “But soon he used up all the money.”

And that the revenues from the country were small: Revised Standard Version presents this as another clause dependent on the verb saw, but it is better interpreted as an independent clause representing the author’s comments rather than the king’s discovery. It may be rendered “Not much money was coming into the treasury from taxes.”

Because of the dissension and disaster which he had caused in the land: This clause gives the reason for the dwindling taxes. Good News Bible is clear and economical here. But another possible model is “because he had caused the people of the country [or, empire] to become so disturbed and troubled.”

By abolishing the laws that had existed from the earliest days: New English Bible renders laws as “laws and customs,” which fits the context well. The laws that had existed from the earliest days may be expressed as “the ancient laws and customs” or even “the laws and customs that the people had followed since ancient times.”

Alternative models for this verse are:

• But in doing this, he used up all the money he had in the treasury. Not much money was coming into the treasury from taxes, because he had caused disastrous disorder in the country [or, empire] by abolishing the ancient [or, traditional] laws and customs.

• … This was because he had caused the people of the country [or, empire] to become very disturbed and troubled when he abolished the ancient [or, traditional] laws and customs.

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.