SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 2023 – Page 2

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 12:5

12:5a

He ruled over Mount Hermon, Salecah: Mount Hermon is a high mountain that was the northern limit of Joshua’s conquests. It formed the northwest end of King Og’s kingdom.

Salecah: The town of Salecah was on the eastern boundary of the territory of Bashan. It was southeast of the Sea of Galilee.

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

He ruled a territory stretching from Mount Hermon and Salecah in the north (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
His kingdom stretched north to Mount Hermon, east to the town of Salecah, (Contemporary English Version)

12:5b

all of Bashan up to the border of the Geshurites: The term Geshurites can also be translated “Geshur people.” They were a small group who lived northeast of the Sea of Galilee. Joshua and the Israelites were not able to conquer them.

and Maacathites: The term Maacathites can also be translated “Maacah people.” This was a small kingdom in modern Syria whose people continued to live in their land. Joshua and the Israelites failed to drive them out.

12:5c

and half of Gilead: King Og ruled over the northern half of Gilead. King Sihon ruled over the southern half of Gilead. You should translate the word Gilead the same way you did in 12:2d.

to the border of Sihon king of Heshbon: King Og’s territory extended south to the area that King Sihon ruled.

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SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 13:25

13:25a

The territory of Jazer: The term Jazer indicates a town east of the Jordan River. Jazer was part of the kingdom of King Sihon. Its location is uncertain.

all the cities of Gilead: The phrase cities of Gilead indicates the towns in the region of Gilead that were near to Jazer. This was the southern part of Gilead. In verse 13:31 it says that the northern part of Gilead was assigned to the half-tribe of Manasseh.

The name Gilead appeared in Joshua 12:2 and you should translate it the same way in both places.

13:25b

and half the land of the Ammonites: The phrase half the land of the Ammonites indicates the western half of the land controlled by the Ammon people. This area was between the Arnon River and Jabbok River.

the Ammonites: The term Ammonites refers to the Ammon people. It was used in Joshua 12:2 and you should translate it the same way in both places.

13:25c

as far as Aroer, near Rabbah: The term Aroer indicates a town that was part of the kingdom of King Sihon. The town named Aroer in this verse is not the same as the Aroer mentioned in verse 16 which was assigned to Reuben. The location of the Aroer in this verse is not known.

near: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as near is more literally “on the face of.” There are three ways to interpret this word.

(1) It means near. For example:

near Rabbah (Berean Standard Bible)

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, New Century Version, NET Bible, Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures, God’s Word, New Jerusalem Bible)

(2) It means east. For example:

east of Rabbah (Good News Translation)

(Good News Translation, Revised Standard Version, English Standard Version, Revised English Bible)

(3) It means west. For example:

west of Rabbah (Contemporary English Version)

(Contemporary English Version, New Living Translation (2004))

It is recommended that you choose interpretation (1). We do not know for certain which direction Aroer town was in relation to Rabbah town. It is best to translate it using a word that means “near” or “close to.”

Here are some other ways that English versions translate this word:

by (God’s Word)
-or-
facing (New Jerusalem Bible)

Rabbah: The term Rabbah indicates the capital city of the Ammon people. Today it is the city of Amman, Jordan and it is 22 miles east of the Jordan River.

General Comment on 13:25

It may be more natural in some languages to translate this list of cites using more than one sentence. For example:

Their territory included the town of Jazer and all the towns of the ⌊southern⌋ Gilead Region. It also included half the land of the Ammonites. It extended as far as Aroer, which was close to Rabbah.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 15:9

15:9a

From the hilltop the border curved: Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

From the peak of that mountain the border went downward ⌊northwest⌋
-or-
Then the border turned from the mountain top to go down

15:9b

to the spring of the Waters of Nephtoah: The phrase the spring of the Waters of Nephtoah refers to a spring northwest of Jerusalem.

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

to the spring of Nephtoah
-or-
to the Nephtoah Spring

15:9c

proceeded to the cities of Mount Ephron: Mount Ephron was west of Jerusalem, but its exact location is uncertain.

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

The border continued to the towns around Mount Ephron
-or-
The border went from there to the towns near Ephron Mountain

15:9d

and then bent around toward Baalah (that is, Kiriath-jearim): The town of Kiriath-jearim is mentioned in Joshua 9:17. It is at a lower elevation than the towns around Mount Ephron.

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

Then it turned ⌊west⌋ toward the town of Baalah. That town is called Kiriath-jearim today
-or-
Then the border continued down to Baalah, which is now called Kiriath-jearim

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 15:41

15:41a

Gederoth, Beth-dagon, Naamah, and Makkedah:

15:41b

sixteen cities, along with their villages: Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

in all there were sixteen towns, and there were villages that surrounded them
-or-
the number of these towns was sixteen, and there were villages that were near them

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 16:10

16:10a

But they did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer: Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

but they did not conquer the Canaanite people who lived in the town of Gezer
-or-
but the Ephraim people did not force the Canaan people to leave Gezer

16:10b

So the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites to this day: This clause indicates that the people of Canaan still lived alongside the people of the clan of Ephraim.

to this day: The phrase to this day indicates that they still lived there when the book of Joshua was written.

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

so the Canaan people still live among the Ephraim people up to this time
-or-
that is why the people of Canaan still live along with the clan of Ephraim

16:10c

but they are forced laborers: Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

but they work as slaves to the Ephraim people
-or-
but they are slaves to the clan of Ephraim and have to work hard for them

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 18:14

18:14a

On the west side the border curved southward: Verses 12–13 described the north side of Benjamin’s land. Verse 14 describes the west side of their land. On the west side the boundary turns toward the south.

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

The boundary then changed direction. On the west side the boundary went southward
-or-
At that point it turned south and became the western border (Contemporary English Version)

18:14b

from the hill facing Beth-horon on the south: The hill facing Beth-horon on the south marks the beginning of the western border. The town of Beth-horon was on a mountain. Across the valley to the south was another mountain that marked the border. It is the same mountain as was mentioned in verse 13 (that the Berean Standard Bible translates as “hill”).

Note that Joshua 16:5 mentioned the town of Upper Beth-horon. Joshua 18:13 mentioned Lower Beth-horon. In this verse Upper Beth-horon and Lower Beth-horon are spoken of as one place.

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

The western boundary started at the mountain that was across from the town of Beth-horon
-or-
It began at the mountain which was opposite the town of Beth-horon, to the south

18:14c

and came out at Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim): The names Kiriath-baal and Kiriath-jearim are two names for the same town.

Here are some ways that English versions spell these names:

Kiriath-baal, Kiriath-jearim (Berean Standard Bible, Revised Standard Version, English Standard Version, New American Bible, Revised Edition, New American Standard Bible, New Living Translation (2004), King James Version)
-or-
Kiriath Baal, Kiriath Jearim (NET Bible, New International Version, God’s Word, Good News Translation)

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

The western border ended at the town of Kiriath-baal. That town is also called Kiriath-jearim
-or-
That side of the border ended by the town of Kiriath-baal, which was also named Kiriath-jearim

18:14d

a city of the sons of Judah: Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

That town was in land that belonged to the Judah clan
-or-
People of the clan of Judah lived in the town of Kiriath-baal

18:14e

This was the western side: Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

This was the western boundary of the clan of Benjamin
-or-
That described the western border

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 19:18

19:18

Their territory included Jezreel, Chesulloth, Shunem: The terms Jezreel, Chesulloth, Shunem refer to towns. These towns were in the plain of Jezreel.

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

Their land included the cities of Jezreel, Chesulloth, Shunem (Translation for Translators)
-or-
They received Jezreel and Chesulloth and Shunem

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 19:50

19:50a

as the LORD had commanded. They gave him the city of Timnath-serah in the hill country of Ephraim, as he requested: The command that is referred to here is not recorded anywhere in the book of Joshua.

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

Yahweh had said that Joshua could have whatever town he wanted. So, they gave him the town that he chose
-or-
Yahweh had commanded them to give Joshua whatever town he chose

the city of Timnath-serah in the hill country of Ephraim: The town of Timnath-serah was southwest of the town of Shechem.

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

which was Timnath-serah in the mountain country that belonged to the clan of Ephraim
-or-
He chose the town of Timnath-serah which was in the hill country that belonged to the clan of Ephraim

19:50b

He rebuilt the city and settled in it: Archaeology shows that the town of Timnath-serah was abandoned at the time that Joshua settled there. That is why he rebuilt the town.

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

Joshua rebuilt that town and lived in it
-or-
He built up the town and lived there

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Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 2023

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 12:5

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 13:25

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 15:9

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 15:41

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 16:10

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 18:14

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 19:18

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 19:50

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