2:9a
and said to them: Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:
She said to them,
-or-
She told them,
2:9b
I know that the LORD has given you this land: The Hebrew verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as has given is in the perfect aspect. The perfect aspect expresses a completed action. Rahab said that the land already belonged to the Israelites, because Yahweh will give it to them. It is as if the action had already been done. Many English versions translate the Hebrew perfect aspect with a present perfect tense to show this. If this is not natural in your language, you can translate the verb using a future tense.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
I know the Lord is handing this land over to you (NET Bible)
-or-
I know that Yahweh is giving you (plur.) this land
-or-
I know that Yahweh will give our land to you Israelites
you: The pronoun you is plural and refers to all the Israelites.
this land: The phrase this land refers to the land of Canaan.
2:9c
and that the fear of you has fallen on us: The clause the fear of you has fallen on us is an idiom which means “we are afraid of you.”
you: The Hebrew pronoun that the Berean Standard Bible translates as you is plural. It refers to all the Israelite people, not only to the two spies.
us: The pronoun us refers to Rahab and the people of Jericho.
Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:
and that we (excl.) are very afraid of you (plur.)
-or-
Everyone in the country is terrified of you (Good News Translation)
2:9d
so that all who dwell in the land are melting in fear of you: The Hebrew verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as melting can also be translated “shake.” This is an idiom which means that the Canaanites were afraid of the Israelites. Many languages have idioms to express the idea of fear. These may be used here and in 2:9c.
in fear of you: The Hebrew words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as in fear of you indicate that the people of the land were afraid of the Israelites.
Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:
Everyone who lives in this country is terrified of you
-or-
All the people of this land shake with fear because of you
General Comment on 2:9c-d
In some languages it is not natural to use two parallel expressions as the Hebrew text does. If that is true in your language, you could combine these two phrases into one phrase that expresses strong fear, as the Good News Translation does:
Everyone in the country is terrified of you. (Good News Translation)
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