In the translation of verses 11-14, Good News Translation has fairly well marked out the directions of movement; however, attention should be given to the need for marking each of the place-names as a city.

In addition, the three participial phrases (touching, verse 11; turning, verse 13; ending, verse 14) as well as then to Daberath and up to Japhia (verse 12) may need drastic restructuring. That is, the participial phrases presuppose a subject (“the border”), while the “then” clause of verse 12 presupposes both subject (“the border”) and verb (“went”).

Finally, some languages may find it appropriate to divide the text into sentences at places other than where this is done in Good News Translation.

In verse 13 Gath Hepher (5 kilometers northeast of Nazareth) is identified as the birthplace of the prophet Jonah (2 Kgs 14.25).

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 .