3:16a
the flowing water: The phrase the flowing water was first used in verse 3:13d. You should translate it the same way in both places.
Here is another way to translate this phrase:
the water that was flowing down toward them
stood still: The Hebrew verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as stood still can also be translated “stopped moving.” It indicates that the river water stopped flowing down from above. This corresponds to the event described in verse 3:13c.
Here is another way to translate this verb:
stopped flowing
It backed up: The clause It backed up is similar in meaning to the clause “will stand up in a heap” in verse 3:13d. In this verse the narrator used a different verb, but you may be able to use the same verb in both verses.
Here is another way to translate this phrase:
It rose up like a dam (God’s Word)
-or-
it piled up
3:16b
far upstream: Here is another way to translate this phrase:
a long distance away
-or-
far off (Revised Standard Version)
Adam: The town of Adam was about 18 miles north of Jericho.
a city in the area of Zarethan: The location of the town of Zarethan is uncertain.
city: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as city refers to a permanent settlement of houses with a wall around it for protection. These cities were not large places. The largest of the cities mentioned in Joshua may have had a population of two or three thousand people. Most of them were much smaller.
The Hebrew language does not distinguish between “city” and “town.” It does distinguish between a city/town and a village. Because they were small cities, some English versions translate the Hebrew word as “town” rather than city. In these Notes we follow those versions and use the word “town.”
Consider the word in your language that is appropriate for a small permanent settlement with a wall around it.
Here is another way to translate this part of the verse:
at the town of Adam, which was near the town of Zarethan
3:16c
while the water flowing: The phrase while the water flowing refers to the water that continued to flow downstream from where the people crossed.
toward the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea): The names Sea of the Arabah and Salt Sea both refer to the same lake. This is the lake that the Jordan River flows into. This lake is very salty and no fish can live in it. In Hebrew it is usually called the Salt Sea. In English it is called the Dead Sea.
The name Sea of the Arabah refers to its location. The Hebrew term Arabah refers to the valley of the Jordan River.
In English this lake is called the Dead Sea. If your language has a name other than Salt Sea there are two ways you can translate it.
• Translate it literally as Salt Sea. For example:
Salt Sea (English Standard Version)
• Translate it with its common name in your language. For example:
Dead Sea (New Living Translation (2004))
If you translate it literally you may want to have a footnote. For example:
FOOTNOTE: This refers to the lake that in our language we call the Dead Sea
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
the Dead Sea (the sea of the Jordan River valley)
-or-
the Salt Sea (the sea near the Arabah)
was completely cut off: The Hebrew verb phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as completely cut off is more literally “they were complete, they were cut off.” The water downstream from the Israelites was separated from the heap of water that was upstream. No more water flowed downstream to the Dead Sea.
Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:
no more water flowed down to the Salt Sea (also called the sea of the Arabah)
-or-
the water flowing down to the Dead Sea completely stopped
3:16d
So the people crossed over: The clause the people crossed over indicates that the Israelites crossed the river.
opposite Jericho: Jericho was a town on the west side of the Jordan River. Here is another way to translate this phrase:
near the town of Jericho
Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:
The people crossed the river opposite Jericho
-or-
⌊When the water was all gone⌋ , the Israelites crossed the Jordan River near Jericho
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