Translation commentary on Joshua 9:26 - 9:27

In verse 26 the use of a colon makes Good News Translation unnecessarily cumbersome. For economy of words it may be translated, “So Joshua protected the Gibeonites and did not allow the people of Israel to kill them.”

Once again the Gibeonites’ punishment is described: to cut wood and carry water for the people of Israel and for the LORD’s altar. In place of this infinitive clause, a new sentence may be more natural: “But at the same time he made them slaves. They had to cut wood….”

To this day refers to the time when the account was written, and the standard phrase the place where the LORD has chosen to be worshiped (see Deut 12.11, 14, 26; 15.20; 17.8; 31.11) is a way of speaking of Jerusalem, the city which the Lord chose as the place where his Temple would be built. In the place may be better expressed as “for the place.” The Gibeonites would have cut the wood before bringing it to the place where the Lord was worshiped, and they would have carried the water to the place.

Where the LORD has chosen to be worshiped may be otherwise formulated: “where the LORD has chosen for his people to worship him.” Or, if the author of the book does have in mind the Temple: “the place which the LORD has chosen for his sanctuary (or, Temple).”

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 11:5

All of these kings may cause some difficulty, since there are no kings mentioned in verse 3 for the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, and Hivites. Therefore in verse 3 it may be advisable to follow the pattern “To the Canaanite kings…” (see comment at verse 3.)

Merom Brook ran southward from the mountains of Galilee into the upper northwest corner of Lake Galilee.

This verse is short, but it can be divided into two segments: “All of these kings came together and set up camp at Merom Brook. There they joined forces to fight against 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 13:16

For the geographical data in verse 16, see comments on 12.2; for Medeba see 13.9.

It may be helpful to divide this verse into two or more sentences, and at the same time to identify the place-names by their geographical relationships.

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 15:11

Ekron, Shikkeron, and Jamnia should be identified as cities. In place of “Jabneel” (Revised Standard Version), Good News Translation uses the more current name, Jamnia.

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 17:12 - 17:13

Verses 12-13 indicate that the same thing happened in those cities that happened elsewhere (see verses 15.63 and 16.10): the Israelites were unable to drive out the native Canaanites from those places and reduced them to a slave class. In verse 12 it should be made clear that the people living in those cities and the Canaanites are the same people. To accomplish this it may be necessary to translate “… were not able to drive out the Canaanites who lived in those cities, so the Canaanites….”

In Hebrew the verb did not drive out (Revised Standard Version “did not utterly drive … out”) is emphatic, and so the verse may be translated, “Later the Israelites became stronger, and they forced the Canaanites to work for them. But they still did not drive all the Canaanites out of the 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 20:4

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 .

Translation commentary on Joshua 22:19

Now then (Revised Standard Version “But now”) indicates a logical transition in the argument. It is not to be confused with a marker of time sequence.

They propose to their fellow Israelites to come live among them, on the west side, if their land is not fit to worship in (Revised Standard Version “is unclean”). This may imply that the rebellion at Peor, on the east side, had defiled the whole area, making it ceremonially unfit for proper worship of the Lord. Or it may imply that it was the location of the Tent of the Lord’s presence which made the western region a fit place (“pure, clean”) for the worship of the Lord.

The clause if your land is not fit to worship in does not necessarily imply that this is the opinion of the tribal representatives from the western tribes. The meaning may also be “If you think your land is not fit to worship in.”

For the Lords Tent in Shiloh, see 18.1. Where his Tent is may be expressed as either “where his dwelling place is” or “where he has chosen to live.”

For some languages, Claim some land among us will require an indication of movement on the part of the eastern tribes: “Cross over to our territory and find a place where you can settle down.”

Don’t … make rebels out of us (Revised Standard Version “make us as rebels”) translates the Hebrew consonants with different vowels from those used in the Masoretic text, which has “don’t rebel against us” (King James Version, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). The majority of translations and commentators prefer the sense given by Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, but Hebrew Old Testament Text Project favors the Masoretic text, apparently on the grounds that it suits the context better.

Make rebels out of us may be translated “cause us to be rebels.” Perhaps the idea may better be expressed: “But don’t rebel against the Lord and make us guilty together with you.” The translation should make it clear, as Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation do not, that us is inclusive, that is, it includes both the speakers and the listeners.

By building an altar is a difficult construction for many readers. In its place it may be preferable to introduce a new sentence with a prohibition: “But don’t rebel against the LORD and make us guilty of your sins. Do not build an altar….”

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 24:5

In verses 5-7a it is noticed how the text alternates between “your ancestors” and “you” (plural) as participants in the events of the exodus and the deliverance at the Sea of Reeds (see Revised Standard Version). This is especially noticeable in verse 7. Some scholars may believe that the use of different sources accounts for these variations. But this may be also the author’s way of reminding the people of his day that they are personally related to the great redemptive event that the Lord accomplished for their ancestors in Egypt.

At the beginning of verse 5, Good News Translation has introduced Later in order to provide some sense of the lapse of time; Hebrew has simply “And I sent Moses…” (Revised Standard Version).

One may wish to introduce the persons to whom the Lord sent Moses and Aaron: “Later I sent Moses and Aaron to your ancestors in Egypt.”

And I brought great trouble on Egypt translates a Hebrew text which has some repetition: “and I plagued Egypt with what I did in the midst of it” (Revised Standard Version). Although the land of Egypt suffered under the plagues which the Lord sent, the people of Egypt are really the ones in focus. Therefore the clause may be translated, “and brought great trouble on the people of Egypt.”

The great trouble refers to the plagues.

But I led you out may require the complete form, “But I led you out of Egypt,” or even “… safely out of Egypt.”

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 .