5:6a
For: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as For can also be translated as “because.” It connects verse 5 to verse 6, and it gives an explanation for what is stated in verse 5. Many English versions do not translate this word, and the function is implied. You should use a connecting word that is natural in your language to connect these two verses.
the Israelites had wandered in the wilderness forty years: The Israelites walked from place to place in the wilderness. It took the Israelites forty years to reach Kadesh Barnea. Deuteronomy 1:2 states that they could have walked this distance in eleven days. The Israelites walked for forty years because they disobeyed Yahweh.
in the wilderness: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as wilderness refers to a place where no people live.
5:6b
until all the nation’s men of war: This phrase refers to men more than twenty years old and old enough to be soldiers.
Here is another way to translate this phrase:
until all the nation, that is, the men of war (New American Standard Bible)
In many languages it may be more natural to combine the two phrases or to delete all the nation’s. For example:
all their soldiers (God’s Word)
-or-
all the men who were old enough to fight in battle (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
the men in the army (Contemporary English Version)
who had come out of Egypt: It was stated in the previous verse that they came out of Egypt, so it may be more natural in some languages to leave this information implicit.
5:6c
since: The word since introduces the reason why all these men died in the wilderness.
they did not obey the LORD: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as obey is literally “listen.” This is an idiom. It means “obey.”
Here is another way to translate this phrase:
they did not obey what Yahweh had commanded
General Comment on 5:6a-c
It may be more natural in some languages to state the reason at the beginning of the sentence instead of at the end. You can reorder the verse so that 5:6c starts the verse. For example:
6c The Israelites did not obey Yahweh. Because they disobeyed him, 6a they had to walk in the wilderness for forty years 6b until all of Israel’s soldiers died.
5:6d
So the LORD vowed: The clause So the LORD vowed means that Yahweh made a promise to them. It may be more natural in some languages to put the indirect object in its normal order. For example:
the Lord had sworn to them (New International Version)
Use whatever order is most natural in your language.
5:6e
never to let them see the land: The clause never to let them see the land indicates that Yahweh did not let them live long enough to enter the land of Canaan.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
he would not let them enter the land ⌊of Canaan⌋
-or-
he would not let them live to see the land ⌊of Canaan⌋
5:6f
He had sworn: The phrase He had sworn means that Yahweh made a vow or a promise.
to their fathers: The phrase to their fathers refers to their actual fathers and also their ancestors.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
to their ancestors
-or-
to their fathers and grandfathers
to give us: There is implied information. The phrase to give us can also be translated as:
to give to us (incl.) ⌊Israelites⌋
The writer of the book of Joshua wrote this many years later. When he said to give us he wrote about himself and the Israelites in his own time. He said that they also received what God had promised to their ancestors.
Here is another way to translate this part of the verse:
Yahweh did not let them see the land which he promised to their ancestors, and which he said that he would give ⌊to them and⌋ to us (incl.)
5:6g
a land flowing with milk and honey: The phrase a land flowing with milk and honey is a Hebrew idiom. In this idiom the rivers flow with milk and honey instead of water. It means that the land was fertile and produced abundant crops. If possible, use vivid language or an idiom which conveys the same meaning in your own language.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
a very fertile land
-or-
a land which produces lots of crops
General Comment on 5:4–6
The structure of 5:4–6 is complex. Some English versions reorder these verses. If you find these verses difficult to translate, you might want to consider reordering them. For example:
4b When the people of Israel left Egypt, 5a all the males were already circumcised. 6a However, during the forty years the people spent crossing the desert, 5c none of the baby boys had been circumcised. 6b Also, by the end of that time all the men who were of fighting age when they left Egypt had died 6c because they had disobeyed the Lord. 6d Just as he had sworn, 6e they were not allowed to see 6g the rich and fertile land 6f that he had promised their ancestors. (Good News Translation)
If you follow the Good News Translation, you will need to look at how it translates 5:7. Verse 5:7 includes information that is implied at the beginning of the unit 5:4–6, specifically the statement about why these men had never been circumcised. Verse 5:7 in the Good News Translation reads:
The sons of these men had never been circumcised, and it was this new generation that Joshua circumcised. (Good News Translation)
You might also want to consider the Contemporary English Version, which reorders 5:4–7.
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