SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 2023 – Page 12

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 9:22

Paragraph 9:22–23

9:22a

Then Joshua summoned the Gibeonites: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as summoned indicates that Joshua ordered the Gibeonites to come see him. He wanted to tell them how the Israelites would respond to their trickery.

the Gibeonites: The phrase the Gibeonites refers to the leaders or representatives of the Gibeonites, not to the whole group of Gibeonites.

and said: Some English versions translate the word said as “asked” because it introduces a rhetorical question. For example:

Joshua ordered the people of Gibeon to be brought to him, and he asked them (Good News Translation)

9:22b

Why did you deceive us by telling us: This is the beginning of a rhetorical question. It functions as a strong statement that the Gibeonites should not have tricked the Israelites.

Here are two ways to translate this statement:

• Use a rhetorical question. For example:

Why did you trick us? (NET Bible)

• Use a strong statement. For example:

you should not have deceived us
-or-
you lied to us

Translate this strong statement in a way that is natural in your language.

9:22c

you live far away from us: The clause you live far away from us is Joshua’s paraphrase of what the Gibeonites told the Israelites.

Here is another way to translate this phrase:

We live in a far country

when in fact you live among us: The clause when…you live among us indicates that the Gibeonites lived nearby.

General Comment on 22b-c

Some other ways to translate the statements in 22b-c are:

You actually live close to us. Why did you lie and tell us that you live far away?
-or-
You lied to us and said that you live far away. But actually you live nearby.
-or-
Why did you deceive us and tell us that you were from far away, when you live right here? (Good News Translation)

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SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 10:27

10:27a

At sunset: The phrase At sunset refers to the time when the sun goes down. In some languages it may be more natural to begin a new sentence at this point. For example:

when the sun was setting

10:27b

Joshua ordered: It may be more natural in some languages to supply the direct object:

Joshua commanded his soldiers.

that they be taken down from the trees: The clause that they be taken down from the trees indicates that Joshua’s soldiers took the bodies of the kings down from the trees where they were hanging.

10:27c

and thrown into the cave in which they had hidden: The clause and thrown into the cave in which they had hidden indicates that Joshua’s soldiers threw the bodies of the dead kings into the same cave in which they first hid. It may be more natural in some languages to begin a new sentence here. It may also be helpful to make the subject and object explicit. For example:

Then ⌊the soldiers⌋ threw ⌊the bodies⌋ into the same cave where they had been hiding

10:27d

Then large stones were placed against the mouth of the cave: The clause Then large stones were placed against the mouth of the cave indicates that after the soldiers threw the dead bodies into the cave, they covered up the cave entrance again with large rocks. The place where the kings hid themselves to escape Joshua’s army became their tomb.

10:27e

and the stones are there to this day: In some languages it may be more natural to begin a new sentence at this point. For example:

The stones remain there until this day

to this day: The phrase to this day indicates that, at the time the author wrote the book of Joshua, the stones were still there.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 11:16

Section 11:16–23 The towns that the Israelites conquered

In this section there is a summary of the towns that the Israelites conquered in the land of Canaan.

Paragraph 11:16–20

11:16a

So Joshua took this entire region: The clause Joshua took this entire region indicates that Joshua conquered all the towns in the regions listed in 11:16–17. The places mentioned in 11:16 are similar to the places listed in 10:40. These places were mostly in the southern part of Canaan.

The Berean Standard Bible translates verse 16 and part of verse 17 as one continuous sentence. In some languages it may be more natural to translate 11:16a as one sentence and to begin a new sentence with verse 11:16b. For example:

So Joshua took all that land. He took the hill country…

11:16b

the hill country: The hill country indicates the central mountain range that extended from Ai and Gibeon in the north to Hebron and Debir in the south. This is the same phrase as in 9:1 and you should translate it the same way in both places.

all the Negev: The Negev indicates the southern wilderness area of Canaan. This term was used in 10:40 and you should translate it the same way in both places.

all the land of Goshen: Goshen refers to a town in the southern hill country of Canaan and the region around it. The exact location of Goshen is unknown.

Here is another way to translate this phrase:

the land around the town of Goshen

the western foothills: The phrase the western foothills refers to the western foothills that were between the mountains and the coastal plain. This word was used in 9:1 and you should translate it the same way in both places.

11:16c

the Arabah: The term Arabah indicates the Jordan River Valley, which is south of the Sea of Galilee and north of the Dead Sea. This word was used in 8:14 and you should translate it the same way in both places.

and the mountains of Israel and their foothills: The phrase the mountains of Israel and their foothills is a summary of the places that were mentioned previously in this verse. Translate this phrase so that the readers will understand that it does not refer to new places. It emphasizes that Joshua captured all the mountains and foothills of Israel. For example:

He ⌊Joshua⌋ controlled the mountains of Israel and all the hills near them. (New Century Version)
-or-
And so, Joshua conquered the highlands and lowlands of Israel.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 13:13

13:13a

but: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as but contrasts what follows with the information in 13:11a. Yahweh told the Israelites to conquer the land of the Geshurites and Maacathites, but they did not.

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

but (New International Version, NET Bible)
-or-
however (Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible)

the Israelites did not drive out the Geshurites or the Maacathites: The clause did not drive out indicates that the Israelite army did not defeat the Geshur people and the Maacah people and did not drive them out of their land.

13:13b

Geshur and Maacath: The terms Geshur and Maacath are another way to refer to the Geshurites and Maacathites.

dwell among the Israelites to this day: The clause dwell among the Israelites to this day indicates that the Geshur people and the Maacah people still lived among the Israelites.

to this day: The phrase this day indicates the time that the author was writing the book of Joshua.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 14:12

14:12a

Now therefore give me this hill country: The phrase hill country refers to a region that had mountains in it. In verses 13-15 Joshua gives the town of Hebron to Caleb. Hebron was in this mountainous area.

that the LORD promised me on that day: Numbers 14:24 tells how Yahweh promised to give Caleb the land that he had explored.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

So I’m asking you for the hill country that the Lord promised me that day (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
Now give me the mountain region which Yahweh told me then I will receive

14:12b

for you yourself heard then that the Anakim were there: When the twelve spies came back, they told Moses about people called Anakim who lived in that land. Joshua was there and heard the report.

Anakim: The term Anakim refers to people who were descended from Anak. They are mentioned in Joshua 11:21, and you should translate this word the same way in both places.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

You heard then that the descendants of Anak lived there
-or-
At that time you heard that the Anak people lived there

14:12c

with great and fortified cities: The phrase with great and fortified cities indicates that the Anak people lived in towns with strong walls and gates.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

they lived in large towns surrounded by walls
-or-
they have large walled towns

14:12d

Perhaps with the LORD’s help: The Hebrew phrase that the Berean Standard Bible has translated as Perhaps is more literally “perhaps, maybe.” This word in Hebrew expresses hope, not doubt.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

if Yahweh is with me
-or-
I know that Yahweh will help me

I will drive them out: The clause I will drive them out means that Caleb will force the Anak people to leave the land and he will be able to live there himself.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

I will force them to leave their land
-or-
I will take their land from them

14:12e

as the LORD has spoken: Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

as Yahweh promised
-or-
as Yahweh promised ⌊that I would do.⌋

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 15:29

15:29

Baalah, Iim, Ezem:

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 15:61

Paragraph: 15:61-62

This paragraph is a list of towns in the wilderness that were given to the tribe of Judah.

15:61

These were in the wilderness: Beth-arabah, Middin, Secacah: The phrase the wilderness refers to the area near the Dead Sea, on its west side. This was a desert area.

Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

The towns in the wilderness were Beth-arabah, Middin, Secacah,
-or-
The people of Judah also received towns in the wilderness ⌊near the Dead Sea⌋ . These were Beth-arabah, Middin, Secacah,

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 18:2

18:2

there were still seven tribes of Israel who had not yet received their inheritance: The clause who had not yet received their inheritance indicates that Joshua and Eleazar the priest had not yet divided land for the seven clans who remained.

Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

There were still seven clans of Israelite people to whom Joshua had not assigned a share of land ⌊as their inheritance⌋
-or-
Seven of the Israelite clans had not yet received their part of the land

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Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 2023

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 9:22

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 10:27

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 11:16

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 13:13

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 14:12

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 15:29

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 15:61

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 18:2

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