Translation commentary on Joshua 13:22

Among those whom of Good News Translation translates “also” (Revised Standard Version) of the Hebrew text. One may render “Together with these” or “In addition.”

The noun fortuneteller is made from a Hebrew verb which means “practice divination,” something that was generally done by consulting lots which had been cast.

For the fortuneteller Balaam, see Numbers chapters 22–24; his death (and that of the leaders of Midian) is reported also in Numbers 31.8.

The identifying noun phrase son of Beor makes restructuring into English somewhat awkward. Without this phrase one could translate “In addition the people of Israel also killed Balaam the fortuneteller.” In some languages son of Beor may be rendered following Balaam without this problem, since that is the formal way of indicating a person’s name, as, for example, “Ismael bin (son of) Hussain.” But for English readers “Balaam son of Beor the fortuneteller” would cause the reader (particularly the person who hears the scripture read) to understand Beor as the fortuneteller. If “son of Beor” is retained in the text, the verse may be translated as two sentences: “In addition the people of Israel killed Balaam the fortuneteller. He was the son of Beor.”

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 15:15

For Debir see 10.38-39.

The people living in Debir is almost a word-for-word repetition of the Hebrew text; see Revised Standard Version “the inhabitants of Debir.” The sentence may be formulated to say “From there he went to attack the city of Debir, which used to be called Kiriath Sepher.”

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 17:17 - 17:18

Joshua encourages the people of Ephraim and West Manasseh, telling them that they will be able to defeat the Canaanites, despite their superior armament.

In Hebrew There are indeed many of you is joined to you are very powerful by the conjunction and, as Good News Translation indicates. However, it is quite possible that the function of and in such a structure is to indicate that the clause which follows expresses either a cause or a result. In other words, Joshua says that the strength of the tribes of Ephraim and West Manasseh lies in the large number of people in their tribes. So one may translate “There are indeed many people in your tribes, and for that reason you are very powerful.”

You shall have more than one share. 18 The hill country will be yours may be translated, “I will give you more than one share. 18 I will give you the hill country as well.”

In order to avoid the Even though construction, the second sentence of verse 18 may be translated, “This land is a forest, but you will (be able to) take possession of it and clear it from one end to the other.” In this proposed restructuring it should be noticed that the verbs clear and take possession of are given in reverse order so as to indicate logical sequence.

As for the Canaanites, you will drive them out is a difficult structure which may be simplified: “You will drive out all the Canaanites, even though they do have iron chariots and are a strong people.” Or the two clauses may be reversed: “The Canaanites do indeed have iron chariots and they are a strong people. But you will (be able to) drive them out of their land.”

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 20:7 - 20:8

Six cities are chosen, three on each side of the Jordan. On the west side (verse 7): Kedesh in the north, Shechem in the center, and Hebron in the south; on the east side (verse 8): Bezer in the south, Ramoth in the center, and Golan in the north. All six cities are listed as levitical cities in chapter 21.

Verses 7-8 may be translated separately or they may be translated as a unit. But whatever is done, the pronoun they in both verses needs to be specified as “the people of Israel,” since they were last referred to in verse 2. (1) If the verses are translated separately: “So the people of Israel set apart (or, chose) three cities on the west side of the Jordan River. These cities were….” (2) If placed together, verses 7-8 may be translated:

• So the people of Israel set aside (or, chose) six cities, three on the west side of the Jordan River and three on the east side. The cities west of the Jordan River were: … The cities east of the Jordan River were:….

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 22:24

In verses 24-28, as the Revised Standard Version punctuation shows, there are several levels of direct discourse included in the direct address of the eastern tribes. Good News Translation has transformed some of it into indirect discourse so as to have only two levels of direct discourse. The translators must make sure that in all instances it is clear to the reader who the speakers are and to whom they are speaking: the eastern tribes speaking to the delegation from the western tribes; the descendants of the western tribes speaking to the descendants of the eastern tribes; and the descendants of the eastern tribes replying to the descendants of the western tribes.

No! We did it because we were afraid is more literally “If we did not do it from fear.” The function of the negative is to indicate the contrast between the assumption of the previous verse and its denial in the statement to follow. In many languages it will be more forceful not to use the negative form. For example, if the proposed restructuring of verses 22-23 is followed, it would seem better to omit the negation and proceed directly into verse 24.

What do you have to do with the LORD, the God of Israel? is a rhetorical question which may be phrased as a statement: “You have nothing to do with the LORD, the God of Israel!”

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 24:9 - 24:10

For the account of Balak and Balaam, see Numbers 22.1–24.25. The king of Moab, Balak son of Zippor may be translated as “King Balak of Moab” or “Balak, king of Moab,” without the modifier son of Zippor. As with so many of these “son of…” modifiers, so here also it gives information which was important for the Hebrew writer and his readers, but not for present-day readers, and it adds awkwardness to the text.

In verse 9 fought does not agree with the accounts in Numbers 22.6, 11; Deuteronomy 2.9; Judges 11.25, which specify that Balak, in fact, did not go to battle against the Israelites. So some commentators and translations propose “prepared to fight” as the meaning of the verb. It is possible to use the verb in a more general sense of “stood up against” or “opposed.” Some translations use the idiomatic “stood in your way” or “placed himself in your way.” It may be better to translate “opposed.”

Balaam son of Beor may be rendered, “Balaam” (see above comments on “son of Zippor”).

Asked him to put a curse on you may be translated as direct discourse: “asked him, ‘Put a curse on the people of Israel,’ ” The problem, however, is that this would make a third layer of discourse, a quotation within a quotation, which is difficult for many readers. A simpler solution would be to translate the two verb structures sent word and asked by a single verb: “He sent for the prophet Balaam to put a curse on you” or “He sent for the prophet Balaam to come and place a curse on you.”

But I would not listen to Balaam (so also Revised Standard Version) represents a literal rendering of the Hebrew text. The meaning may be expressed “But I would not allow Balaam to place a curse on you.”

So he blessed you may be expressed more fully, “Against his will, he blessed you.” It may also be translated, “Instead I caused him to pronounce a blessing on you.”

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 2:12

The Hebrew particle translated Now is used to strengthen the urgency of Rahab’s request; it is not a temporal marker.

By him is literally “by the LORD” (Revised Standard Version), but since the Lord has last been referred to by name at the end of the previous verse, it is more natural in English to follow with a pronominal reference as Good News Translation has done.

Now swear by him may be rendered “Now make me a (solemn) promise in the name of your God.”

Rahab gets the spies to promise that she and her family will be spared when the Israelites destroy Jericho. In verse 12 treat … kindly (Revised Standard Version “deal kindly”) translates the verb “do,” followed by a word which more often means “goodness, love, loyalty”; it is a word particularly appropriate in the context of an agreement, a pact, a covenant, and it characterizes the spirit of faithfulness and loyalty with which each party of the covenant will follow its stipulations.

It may be helpful to rearrange this verse in a somewhat chronological order, such as “I have shown kindness to you. Now swear by the LORD your God that you will treat my family with the same kindness.”

My family translates the Hebrew phrase “the house of my father.” The next verse defines the extent of Rahab’s “family”; in translation one should be careful not to use a term which might include merely the immediate family, since the extended family is obviously intended.

And give me some sign that I can trust you translates a passage which is lacking in the Septuagint; some commentators believe it is not original, but it is in the Hebrew text. The red cord in verse 18 is the sign (or signal).

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 4:9

Verse 9 deals with another set of twelve stones, which Joshua placed in the river exactly where the priests … had stood. The writer of the account added the note: “And they are there to this day”—that is, to the time when this comment was written.

Joshua also set up twelve stones must not be interpreted to mean that Joshua himself did this particular work. Joshua is the one responsible for having it done, but the implication is that he gave the orders and others did the work. One may need to translate “Joshua also commanded (or, caused) the men to set up twelve stones….” Or, if one assumes that the men who set up the stones in the middle of the Jordan were not the same as the ones who had carried the stones to the camping place, one may translate “Joshua also had some men to set up twelve stones….”

Good News Translation places the last sentence of this verse, (Those stones are still there), within parentheses in order to indicate that this is an added comment. The force of the parentheses may be lost on readers who are lacking a certain degree of sophistication, and most translations do not use parentheses here.

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 .