It is not clear where the forests in the land of the Perizzites and the Rephaim are to be located. The Rephaim are the race of giants (see 12.4), usually located east of the Jordan, but also west of the river (see 15.8 Rephaim Valley near Jerusalem).

Since the geographical references are unknown, it will be impossible to indicate in translation the directions in which Joshua told the people to move. It is possible, however, to divide his answer into more than one sentence:

• “It may be true that the hill country of Ephraim is too small for the large number of people in your tribes. Then go into the forests which belong to the Perizzites and the Rephaim, and clear ground for yourselves there.”

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 .