Israel (literally “the land of the descendants of Israel”) means the whole country and includes the same territory referred to as Judah and Israel in the previous verse. Therefore it would be less confusing not to mention Israel by name in this verse. Accordingly one may translate “He killed all of the Anakim who lived in the land, except for a few who lived in Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod.”

Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod were Philistine cities on the Mediterranean coastal plain.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Newman, Barclay M. A Handbook on Joshua. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1983. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .