Joshua’s question implies that the Israelites have not shown the determination needed to claim the territory that the Lord had already given them.

The Hebrew verb translated to wait means “be inactive” (New English Bible “neglect”; An American Translation “put off”; Jerusalem Bible “How much more time will you waste before…”). Since Joshua’s question does not expect an answer, it may be represented as a statement: “Do not wait any longer before you go in….”

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 .

This verse may be translated as a complete sentence, expressing a strong denial: “We did build an altar, but we did not build it to use for burning sacrifices or making offerings.”

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 .

As you advanced again represents the Hebrew “from your faces” (Revised Standard Version “before you”). It will not be necessary to express this in translation, if this meaning is clearly enough understood apart from an explicit statement of it.

Panic translates a Hebrew word which some have understood to mean “hornet” (see Revised Standard Version), used figuratively. As Soggin explains, it “is not the ‘wasp’ or ‘hornet’ … but ‘dismay,’ a typical consequence of divine intervention in the course of holy war” (see 2.11; and see the use of the word in Exo 23.28; Deut 7.20). I threw them into panic may be translated either “I caused them to panic” or “I caused them to fear and tremble.” It is highly probable that an acceptable idiomatic expression of the proper level may be found in many languages.

The two Amorite kings are Sihon king of Heshbon and Og king of Bashan (see 2.26–3.11), whose territory was on the east side of the Jordan, not on the west side, in Canaan proper. This phrase seems misplaced (see Bright), and New American Bible shifts it back to verse 8, where it is more fitting; but there is no manuscript evidence to support this.

The last part of verse 12 and verse 13 emphasize again that the victories won by the Israelites were not the result of their skill and valor as fighters, but were due to the Lord’s power. Your swords and bows had nothing to do with it may be translated without naming the specific weapons: “Your weapons and strength had nothing to do with it.” It is possible also to translate by both a positive and negative statement: “I defeated them for you. It was not your own strength and weapons that did it.”

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 .

The answer the Israelites give to Rahab’s request is difficult to understand. In Hebrew it is literally “Our lives for yours (plural) to death.” As Soggin says, this is “a self-cursing formula which guarantees the promise that they make.” So Good News Translation has May God take our lives if we don’t do as we say! But the alternative translation in the footnote is also possible, though less likely. The clause if we don’t do as we say may also be phrased, “if anything happens to one of you.” To avoid two consecutive “if” clauses, the second may be rendered, “But you must not tell anyone that we were here.” The next clause may then be rendered, “Then when the LORD gives us this land, we will keep our promise to treat you and your family well.”

The only condition they impose is that Rahab keep strict silence about their activities. We will treat you well translates the verb “we will do” followed by two Hebrew words which may be translated “loyalty and constancy” (or, “faithfulness”). New English Bible has “we will deal honestly and faithfully by you”; An American Translation “we will deal kindly and honestly with 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 .

Verses 12-13 report the fulfillment of the agreement described in 1.12-15 (see also Deut 3.18-20). Verse 12 of Good News Translation has a complex structure. As Moses had told them to do represents a flashback which in some languages may be better introduced at the beginning of the verse. For example, “Moses had told the men of the tribes of Reuben and Gad and of the half tribe of Manasseh to cross ahead of the rest of the people. So they did this. They got themselves ready for battle and crossed ahead of the rest of the people.” For ready for battle see the similar expression in 1.14.

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 .

The city and everything in it must be totally destroyed may require the shift to an active construction, identifying the persons who are to destroy the city: “You must totally destroy the city and everything in it. In this way you will dedicate it to the LORD.” Or “… In this way you will show that it is an offering to the LORD.” The reader may find it difficult to reconcile the giving of the city to the people by the Lord with the requirement to give it to him as an offering. Therefore it would help at the end of verse 16 to translate “The LORD will let you conquer the city” or “The LORD has placed the city in your power.”

The noun everything may also be misunderstood to include only inanimate objects. But the word is intended to be comprehensive, to include buildings, people, and animals. It may then be translated, “Destroy every building in the city, and kill all its people and their animals.” Or “Completely destroy the city, and kill every living thing in it, people and animals alike.”

Must be totally destroyed as an offering translates the Hebrew expression “shall be a dedicated offering” (Revised Standard Version “shall be devoted … for destruction”); the Hebrew noun “dedicated offering” qualifies an object (or a person) that has been dedicated exclusively to the Lord’s use; and since it cannot be used for ordinary purposes it can only be completely destroyed (see Lev 27.28-29). So all the inhabitants and all the animals in Jericho are killed (verse 21), with the exception of Rahab and her family (verses 17b, 22-25).

The last sentence of this verse may need to be inverted and her household made explicit: “But remember that the prostitute Rahab hid our spies. So we promised to spare her and everyone who is in her house.”

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 .

In place of And Joshua said, it may be better to translate “When they got there, Joshua said.”

Why have you brought such trouble on us? may be more effective if rendered as a statement and combined with the following statement: “You have brought trouble on us, and now the LORD will bring trouble on you!”

Although the Hebrew does not state that the people burned Achan after stoning him, it is implicit and should be clearly indicated: “So all the people stoned Achan and his family to death. Then the people burned up the bodies together with all Achan’s possessions.”

The Hebrew text has two different verbs for “to stone”; first, “they stoned Achan” and then “they burned them with fire” and then (another verb) “they stoned them with stones.” Many scholars believe that the writer used two different sources, in one of which only Achan was stoned, and the other in which all his family were stoned. It is unlikely that the Israelites first burned them (the people and the animals) to death and then stoned them (as the Revised Standard Version literal translation of the Hebrew says). New English Bible, New American Bible, following the Septuagint, omit “they burned them with fire and stoned them with stones.” The Hebrew Old Testament Text Project retains the Hebrew, but it translates the second verb as “heap stones upon.”The Masoretic text is literally “and all Israel stoned (verb ragam) him with stones, and they burned them with fire, and they stoned (verb tsaqal) them with stones.” Hebrew Old Testament Text Project says that ragam means “throw stones at,” “stone,” and that tsaqal means “heap stones upon.” This distinction can hardly be maintained. The verb tsaqal occurs twenty times in the Old Testament; twice (Isa 5.2; 62.10) it means “to clear of stones,” as the context makes perfectly clear; in all seventeen other instances (besides the present passage) it means “to throw stones at” in order to kill someone; see K-B, BDB, Holladay. The verb ragam occurs fifteen times in the Old Testament; in every place it also means “to throw stones at” in order to kill someone. It is most unlikely that in this one passage, Joshua 7.25, tsaqal means something different from the other places in which it is used. In all instances which describe stones being piled on a dead body, other expressions are used (as in the following verse). Hebrew Old Testament Text Project also says that “him” (singular) in “stoned him” refers to Achan and his family, whereas the “them” in the second “and they stoned them” refers to the objects which Achan had stolen and to his own property. This may be so, but it is difficult to see on what basis Hebrew Old Testament Text Project decides that “him” refers to Achan and his family. Therefore many scholars believe that the text combines two different traditions. This may be correct but does not relieve the text of difficulties, since the following verse begins “and they also placed a heap of stones on them.” Bright would omit the first “they stoned him,” so that the text would mean that Achan, his family, animals, and belongings were all destroyed by fire, after which a huge pile of stones was heaped over the charred remains.

Whereas Good News Translation interprets them to mean “Achan’s family and possessions,” it is possible also to limit it to his family: “All Israel stoned Achan and his relatives to death, and then they burned their bodies.” Either this translation or that of Good News Translation may be followed.

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 .