10:20a
So Joshua and the Israelites: The phrase Joshua and the Israelites refers to Joshua and the Israelite army.
continued to inflict a terrible slaughter: The clause continued to inflict a terrible slaughter is a Hebrew idiom. It indicates that the Israelite army killed many of the Amorite soldiers.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
Joshua and the Israelites destroyed them completely (New International Version)
-or-
Joshua and the men of Israel slaughtered them (Good News Translation)
10:20b
until they had finished them off: The clause until they had finished them off indicates that the Israelite army killed almost all the Amorite soldiers. This clause restates the information in 10:20a. It emphasizes how completely the Israelites defeated the Amorites. If repetition is not a natural way to show emphasis, it may be more natural to combine 20a and b. For example,
So Joshua and the Israelites killed the enemy (New Century Version)
-or-
Joshua and the Israelites defeated them decisively, almost destroying them (God’s Word)
In some languages there may be grammatical particles or other means that you can use to emphasize this important information in the story.
10:20c
and: It may be more natural in many languages to begin a new sentence and to leave the word and untranslated.
the remaining survivors: The phrase the remaining survivors indicates that a few Amorite soldiers were still alive.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
and when the survivors (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
but the few who were left (New International Version)
retreated to the fortified cities: The clause retreated to the fortified cities indicates that a few Amorite soldiers who remained alive escaped into their own towns. These towns had walls to protect them.
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