The place of judgment was an open space inside the city, near the main gate; here all judicial matters were dealt with.

Explain … what happened is more literally “explain his case” (Revised Standard Version); it is quite possible that the literal form is a more natural way of expressing the meaning in some languages.

If the city leaders are convinced that the man is telling the truth then they allow him to live in the city, safe from the dead man’s avenging relative. The word translated leaders by Good News Translation is literally “elders” (Revised Standard Version), and it describes men who were respected because their years have proven them to be persons of wisdom and understanding. Similar expressions exist in a number of cultures.

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 .