1:14a

and your livestock: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as livestock refers to cows and also to sheep and goats. Use a general word for domestic animals.

may remain in the land that Moses gave you: Joshua gave permission to the men of the two and a half tribes to let their families stay in the land east of the Jordan River. The men must cross the Jordan River to help the other Israelites.

on this side of the Jordan: The phrase on this side of the Jordan refers to the east side of the Jordan River. Joshua spoke as if he were already on the west side of the Jordan.

Here are some ways to translate this part of the verse:

Your wives, your children and your livestock may stay in the land that Moses gave you ⌊here⌋ on the east side of the Jordan River
-or-
Your wives and children and animals can stay here in the land Moses gave you (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
Moses gave you this land east of the Jordan River. Your wives, children and animals may stay here

1:14b

But: This word marks a contrast between the men and their families. The fighting men went with the other tribes across the Jordan River to fight alongside them. Their families remained where they had settled on the east side of the Jordan.

all your mighty men of valor must be armed for battle to cross over ahead of your brothers: The Hebrew clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as all your mighty men of valor must be armed for battle to cross over ahead of your brothers is more literally “but you shall cross over armed before your brothers, all the mighty men of strength.”

all your mighty men of valor: The phrase all your mighty men of valor refers to every Israelite man who was able to fight. The Israelites did not have a professional army. Every Israelite man who was over twenty years old and was fit to fight was considered a soldier. Avoid a term which will make your readers think that this refers to paid soldiers.

Here are some other ways to translate this phraseː

all the men who can fight
-or-
all the soldiers
-or-
all the fighting men

must be armed for battle to cross over: The phrase must be armed for battle to cross over indicates that the fighting men must cross the Jordan River carrying their weapons. They must be ready to fight.

ahead of your brothers: The phrase ahead of your brothers indicates that the fighting men of the tribes of Reuben and Gad and of half the tribe of Manasseh must cross the Jordan River in front of the other Israelites. All the Israelites were considered to be brothers, or relatives.

your fellow Israelites
-or-
your relatives

Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

But all your men who are able to fight must carry their weapons and cross the Jordan River in front of their fellow Israelites
-or-
but all your fighting men, ready for battle, must cross over ahead of your fellow Israelites (New International Version)
-or-
But your strong warriors, fully armed, must lead the other tribes across the Jordan (New Living Translation (2004))

1:14c

and help them: The clause help them indicates that the two and a half tribes must help the other Israelites to fight and conquer the land on the west side of the Jordan River.

Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

You must continue to help them fight
-or-
to help them conquer their territory. Stay with them (New Living Translation (2004))

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