Translation commentary on Joshua 9:21

They will have to cut wood and carry water for us puts into direct discourse what in Hebrew is part of the narrative (see Revised Standard Version, and see comments by Soggin). New English Bible is like Good News Translation. Similarly, the text may be translated, “They must take over the work of cutting wood and carrying water for all Israel.” In this proposed restructuring Let them live is deleted from verse 21, since it is unnecessary on the basis of its inclusion in verse 20.

“Hewers of wood and drawers of water” (the quaint King James Version language is still preserved in Revised Standard Version) may have been a picturesque way of describing the low social class of those who performed menial tasks (see Deut 29.11). But verses 23, 27 seem to take the expression quite literally, implying that these two tasks were performed particularly in connection with the Temple services.This terminology appears in the Canaanite Keret text of the 14th century B.C. as designation of the village pursuits of women. Smith believes it implies “that the Gibeonites are to disband their army and depend on Israel for their defense.” In any case, they are reduced to a servile status.

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 10:42 - 10:43

All this area was conquered in one campaign (verse 42; Revised Standard Version “at one time”) because the Lord was fighting for Israel. The impression is left that it was all done in a short period of time. Unless readers are familiar with military terminology, in one campaign may be unsatisfactory. If this phrase is rendered “at this time,” then verse 42 may be translated so as to follow immediately after the suggested restructuring of verse 41: “At this time Joshua conquered all these kings and their territory. He was able to do this because the LORD, the God of Israel, was fighting for his people.”

The campaign successfully accomplished, Joshua and his men returned to the Israelite camp at Gilgal. For verse 43, see comments at verse 15.

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 13:9 - 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 .