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 15:48 - 15:51

SIXTH DISTRICT: cities in the highlands.

In verse 49 Good News Translation has Kiriath Sepher instead of Hebrew Kiriath-Sannah (see Revised Standard Version), in keeping with its principle of using the better known form of a name when a person or place is called by two or more different names (see 15.15-16; Judges 1.11-12). The same applies in verse 50 to Eshtemoa (see Josh 21.14; 1 Sam 20.28; 1 Chr 6.57) instead of the Hebrew Eshtemoh, which occurs only here.

In verse 51 Goshen is to be understood as the capital city of the region of Goshen (see 10.41).

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 18:14

The border then went in another direction … Kiriath Jearim may be translated, “The border then turned south from the western side of this mountain and went to the city of Kiriath Baal, which is also called Kiriath Jearim.” The last clause of this sentence may then be translated as an independent sentence: “This city belongs to the tribe of Judah.”

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 21:20 - 21:22

Four cities are in the tribe of Ephraim, one of which, Shechem, was a city of refuge (see 20.7).

Since all four of the cities mentioned in verses 20-22 are in the territory of Ephraim, it is possible to translate the verses as a unit. Moreover, since the summary in verse 26 indicates that they also received the pasture land around the cities, it may not be necessary to mention that information at this time. One may then translate:

• The rest of the clan of Levi was given four cities in the territory of Ephraim. The cities were Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, Gezer, Kibzaim, and Beth Horon. Shechem was also one of the cities of refuge.

Or, “… One of these cities was Shechem. It was located in the hill country, and it was also one of the cities of refuge. The other three cities 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 22:33

The people of the western tribes were satisfied; they praised God (Revised Standard Version “blessed God”) and gave up all ideas of going to war against the eastern tribes.

In place of beginning this verse with The Israelites were satisfied, some languages will require a link with the preceding events: “When the Israelites heard what Phinehas and the ten men told them, they were satisfied.” It is also possible to translate “The Israelites were satisfied with what Phinehas the priest and their ten leaders reported to them.”

And praised God may take the form of direct discourse: “and they said, ‘Let us praise God.’ ” If the word “praise” requires the reason for praise, one may be supplied: “And they said, ‘Let us praise God for what has happened.’ ” In this context the verb “praise” is equivalent to “give thanks to.”

They no longer talked about … had settled may also need to be formulated as direct discourse: “They no longer said, ‘Let’s make war against the people of Reuben and Gad and destroy 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 .