The king’s men left Jericho and went east toward the Jordan, and there they gave up the search. On the assumption that the messengers left immediately in pursuit of the spies, it is allowable to include the adverb “immediately” and to follow the order of the Hebrew text more closely by placing in final position the information about the closing of the gate: “The guards immediately took up pursuit and went as far as the place where the road crosses the Jordan River.” Also, on the assumption that the gate was closed following the departure of the spies and had to be opened a second time for the pursuers to get out, one may render “The city gate was again closed behind them.”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Newman, Barclay M. A Handbook on Joshua. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1983. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .