Translation commentary on Joshua 13:9 - 13:10

For the geographical data in verses 9-10, see comments on 12.2. Medeba is about 12 kilometers south of Heshbon, and Dibon is approximately another 22 kilometers further south. Ammon was the land east of the territory conquered by the Israelites.

In the translation of these two verses it may be useful to include some information regarding the geographical directions. For example:

• The territory of these tribes reached as far southeast as the city of Aroer on the edge of the Arnon Valley. It also included the city in the middle of the Arnon Valley, as well as all of the plateau from the town of Dibon in the south up to the town of Medeba. 10 Their territory went as far east as the border of Ammon. It also included all the cities that King Sihon, the Amorite king, had ruled over from the city of Heshbon.

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 .

Translation commentary on Joshua 15:7

Trouble Valley (Revised Standard Version “Valley of Achor”) translates the name, as in 7.24-26.

Gilgal is not the place northeast of Jericho (4.19), the first camping place of the Israelites upon entering Canaan. In 18.17 it is given the spelling Geliloth, and some think this is preferable also for the present verse. It should further be noted that Debir in not the same one as in 10.38-39; the location of this Debir is unknown.

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 .

Translation commentary on Joshua 17:7

Verse 7 gives the northwestern limit, the tribe of Asher; the southern limit was the city of Michmethath (see 16.6). At the end of the verse, Good News Translation translates the Hebrew text with its later traditional vowels as the people of Entappuah (also Revised Standard Version). By a change of vowels in the Hebrew text, Hebrew Old Testament Text Project understands it to mean “to Jashib-en-Tappuah”; Bible de Jérusalem, Jerusalem Bible have “to Yashib at the spring of Tappuah”; New English Bible “Jashub by Entappuah.” Whatever the precise meaning of the Hebrew phrase, the place is on the border with Ephraim (see 16.8).

The translation of this verse may be managed so as to indicate that reference is to the northern and southern borders of West Manasseh:

• In the northwest the territory of West Manasseh bordered on the territory of the tribe of Asher. The southern border ran from the city of Michmethath east of the city of Shechem and then south to the region where the people of Entappuah live.

To represent the alternative interpretation, one may translate “From the city of Shechem south to the city of Jashub (or, Jashib) near the spring of Tappuah.”

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 .

Translation commentary on Joshua 19:35 - 19:39

For the translation of verses 35-39, the two alternatives suggested for verses 18-23 will serve as a pattern.

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 .

Translation commentary on Joshua 22:13 - 22:14

The western tribes (always identified as the people of Israel) sent a delegation headed by Phinehas, the son of Eleazar the priest (for Eleazar see 14.1), and composed of one representative from each of the ten western tribes (Phinehas represented Levi).

Each one the head of a family among the clans (verse 14) may be taken to mean “Each one was a respected leader within his clan.”

It may be advisable to indicate at the beginning of verse 13 that a delegation (that is, a group of representatives) is being sent. And it is also important to translate so as to avoid the heavy appositional comment, one from each of the western tribes and each one the head of a family among the clans. The two verses may then be translated as a unit:

• Then the (people of the) ten western tribes sent a delegation to (the people of) the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh in the land of Gilead. They sent Phinehas, son of Eleazar the priest, together with a leader from each of their tribes. These ten tribal leaders were also respected leaders within their own clans.

Or:

• … They sent Phinehas, son of Eleazar the priest, together with a respected clan leader from each of their ten tribes.

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 .

Translation commentary on Joshua 24:1

Joshua summons all the Israelites, with all the elders, the leaders, the judges, and the officers (see 23.2), and they come to him at Shechem (see 8.30), gathering around the sanctuary or the Covenant Box (which is what is meant by the presence of God).

At initial glance the text seems simple enough, but it does cause some confusion because of the number of events listed: (1) Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel, (2) he called the elders and others, and (3) they came into the presence of God. Then event (4) is catalogued in verse 2: Joshua said to all the people. It is possible, of course, that the writer has used more than one source in the telling of the story. But the translator is concerned with how the text is to be understood as it stands now. Since the elders, the leaders, the judges, and the officers are representative of all the people of Israel, it is possible to join the text together as follows:

• Joshua told all the tribes of Israel to come together at the city of Shechem. When they got there, he called the elders, the leaders, the judges, and the officers to come and stand before the LORD’s Tent (or, the Covenant Box). 2 Then Joshua said to all the people….

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 .

Translation commentary on Joshua 2:2 - 2:3

The news of the arrival of the Israelite spies reached the king of Jericho. It is possible to render The king of Jericho heard … that night as “That same evening the king of Jericho heard….” The Hebrew word translated king is used in the general sense of ruler; Jericho was a city-state, an autonomous city. So the king sent word to Rahab to turn the spies over to him. In verse 3 the Hebrew text does not refer explicitly to the king’s messengers (or officers, or soldiers) who took the message to Rahab; it is in verse 5 that the text makes clear the presence of the royal messengers, who heed Rahab’s advice and set out to capture the Israelite spies (verse 7). On the basis of verses 5 and 7, sent word to Rahab may be translated “sent some men (or messengers, or soldiers) to say to Rahab.”

Since it is quite possible that more than two men were in Rahab’s house, The men in your house have come to spy out may be rendered either “There are two men in your house who have come to spy out” or “Two of the men in your house have come to spy out.”

Bring them out may imply accompaniment, and so the command may be translated “Send them out (to us)!”

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 .

Translation commentary on Joshua 3:16

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 .