Translation commentary on 1 Maccabees 9:19

Translators may add a paragraph break here, as in Revised Standard Version.

Then Jonathan and Simon took Judas their brother and buried him in the tomb of their fathers at Modein: It is more natural in English, when speaking of burying the dead, to speak of a person’s body (so Good News Bible), rather than the person himself; and in some languages there will be special term such as “corpse.” For the tomb of their fathers at Modein, see the comments on 1Macc 2.70. Good News Bible does not name Judas here, but leaves it understood, trusting the reader to remember who Jonathan and Simon are. Contemporary English Version is clearer with “Jonathan and Simon took the body of their brother Judas back to Modein and buried him in the family tomb.”

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.