The Hebrew text defines Adam as a “city,” and Good News Translation translates this part of the verse at Adam, the city beside Zarethan. In restructuring, however, it may be simpler not to follow the appositional form of Good News Translation; for example, “at the city of Adam, which is beside Zarethan” (see Revised Standard Version). In translation it may also be necessary to mark Zarethan as a city. In languages which differentiate sharply between “city,” “town,” and “village,” it is certainly inaccurate to speak of either of these places as a “city.” Probably “town” is closer to the meaning, though a generic expression such as “place” may even be better.
In verse 14 the people left the camp (Hebrew “their tents”), following behind the priests. The miracle occurred just as the priests stepped into the river: the water stopped flowing at Adam, which was far upstream.In verse 16 one form of the Masoretic text and some Hebrew manuscripts have “at Adam”; another form of the Masoretic text and the versions have “from Adam.” In terms of translation the difference in meaning is not significant; what is meant is that no water flowed downstream from Adam, since the flow was stopped there. Adam is about 30 kilometers north of Jericho; Zarethan is usually located about 20 kilometers farther north, but as Soggin points out, this makes it difficult to explain the events. In any case, The Hebrew text says that Adam was “beside, close to, near” Zarethan. It has been suggested by W. F. Albright (see reference in Bright) that the text is meant to say that the flow was blocked at Adam and the water backed up as far upstream as Zarethan.
The waters “stopped (stood) … (and) rose up in one heap” (verse 16); the same expression is used in verse 13.Commentators point out that there are substantiated reports of one occasion (in December 1267) when a landslide of the walls of the Jordan (which are of soft limestone) blocked the flow of the river for 16 hours; on another occasion (July 11, 1927) an earthquake interrupted the flow of the water for 21 1/2 hours. Here also one may render “stood up (or, piled up) like waters behind a dam.”
The flow … was completely cut off may be stated as an active clause: “No more water flowed downstream to the Dead Sea” or “The river completely stopped flowing downstream to the Dead Sea.” Since the Lord caused this to happen, it may be translated, “The LORD cut off the flow….”
The Dead Sea is in Hebrew called “the sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea” (Revised Standard Version). “Arabah” designates the extensive geological depression, a rift, in which the Jordan River and the Dead Sea are located, and which extends farther south. It is called “Salt Sea” because of the heavy concentration of minerals left by the evaporating water; no water flows out of the Dead Sea.
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 .