Paragraph 11:12–15

11:12a

Joshua captured all these kings and their cities: Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

Joshua captured all the cities where the enemy kings had ruled (Contemporary English Version)

Joshua captured: The clause Joshua captured indicates that Joshua and his soldiers defeated the kings and captured their towns. You should follow the word order that is natural in your language.

11:12b

and put them to the sword: The clause put them to the sword indicates that Joshua and his army killed the people in the towns and their kings. This is a Hebrew idiom that was used in 10:32. You should translate it in the same way in both places.

Here is another way to translate this Hebrew idiom:

putting everyone to death (Good News Translation)

He devoted them to destruction: This is the same word as in 11:11a, and you should translate it in the same way.

11:12c

as Moses the LORD’s servant had commanded: The title that is given to Moses the LORD’s servant is the same as in Joshua 1:1, and you should translate it in the same way.

had commanded: Moses commanded the Israelites to defeat and destroy all their enemies in Numbers 33:51–52 and in Deuteronomy 7:2. He did this because Yahweh commanded him to do so.

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