11:14a

The Israelites: The phrase The Israelites indicates the Israelite army.

took for themselves: The Hebrew verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as took for themselves is more literally “took” or “seized.”

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

The Israelites kept the animals and everything of value from these towns (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
The Israelites took for themselves all the animals and the other things from those towns

all the plunder and livestock of these cities: The phrase all the plunder and livestock of these cities refers to the things such as clothing or jewelry that a soldier might want to take. Yahweh allowed the Israelites to take these things for their own use. The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as plunder is the same word as was used in 8:27.

and livestock of these cities: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as livestock can refer to other kinds of animals as well as cattle. It is recommended that you use a more general term, such as “domestic animals.” The same Hebrew word was also used in 8:27.

11:14b

they put all the people to the sword: The phrase put all the people to the sword indicates that the Israelite army killed the people. This is a Hebrew idiom that was used in 10:32, and it is recommended that you translate it the same way in both places.

Here is another way to translate this Hebrew idiom:

they put every person to death (Good News Translation)

all the people: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as all the people refers to both men and women.

11:14c

until they had completely destroyed them: The clause until they had completely destroyed them indicates that the Israelite army completed the task that Yahweh had given them through Moses.

not sparing anyone who breathed: The clause not sparing anyone who breathed indicates that the army killed every single person. The Hebrew text states this information three times using different words to emphasize that the Israelites obeyed Yahweh’s command to completely destroy their enemies.

General Comment on verses 11:12–14

In each of these verses, the object comes before the subject and the verb. The Hebrew text uses this word order to emphasize the object. In some languages this order may be difficult to understand. Use the natural grammatical or lexical means in your language to indicate this emphasis.

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All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
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13:11a

also Gilead: The term Gilead indicates the mountainous region north of the Dead Sea. The Gilead Region stretched from the east side of the Jordan River to the desert.

The term Gilead occurred in 12:2 and you should translate it the same way in both places.

and the territory of the Geshurites: The term Geshurites indicates the people of the kingdom of Geshur. They were a small group who lived northeast of the Sea of Galilee.

The term Geshurites occurred in 12:5 and you should translate it the same way in both places.

and Maacathites: The term Maacathites indicates the people of Maacah. This was a small kingdom in modern Syria whose people continued to live in their land.

The term Maacathites occurred in 12:5 and you should translate it the same way in both places.

It may be more natural to begin a new sentence at the beginning of verse 11. Here is another way to translate it:

It also included Gilead Region, and the region where the Geshur people lived and the Maacath people lived

13:11b

all of Mount Hermon: The phrase all of Mount Hermon indicates Mount Hermon and its surrounding foothills. Mount Hermon was a high mountain that was the northern limit of Joshua’s conquests. It was in the northeast part of Israel. It formed the northwest limit of King Og’s kingdom.

The term Mount Hermon occurred in Joshua 11:3 and you should translate it the same way in both places.

and all Bashan: The territory of Bashan stretched south to the hills of northern Gilead, where Sihon’s territory began, and west to the Sea of Galilee. The east boundary of the Bashan territory was the desert.

The term Bashan occurred in Joshua 9:10| and you should translate it the same way in both places.

as far as Salecah: The name Salecah indicates a town on the east boundary of the territory of Bashan. Salecah was southeast of the Sea of Galilee.

The term Salecah occurred in 12:5 and you should translate it the same way in both places.

© 2001, 2011, 2020, 2022, 2023 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

Paragraph 14: 10-12

14:10a

Now behold: The Hebrew phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Now behold, is a literary device to call attention to what comes next. Use a natural expression in your language to call attention to what comes next. In some languages this expression may best be left implicit.

as the LORD promised, He has kept me alive: In Numbers 14:24-30 Yahweh promised that Caleb would live to inherit land in Canaan.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

Yahweh has let me live as he promised
-or-
Yahweh has caused me to live, as he said he would

14:10b

these forty-five years since He spoke this word to Moses: Caleb said that it had been forty-five years since Yahweh promised to give him the land that he had walked on in Canaan.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

It has been forty-five years since Yahweh said this to Moses
-or-
Yahweh said this to Moses forty-five years ago

14:10c

while Israel wandered in the wilderness: The name Israel refers to the descendants of Israel (who was also called Jacob). This is another way to say “Israelites.”

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

at that time the Israelites were walking through the wilderness
-or-
while the people of Israel were going through the wilderness

14:10d

So here I am: In the Berean Standard Bible, the phrase So here I am translates the same Hebrew words as occurred in verse 14:10a. This is a literary device to call attention to what comes next. You should translate this phrase in whatever way is natural to call attention to what comes next.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

Look at me! (Good News Translation)
-or-
Now here I am (New Century Version)

today, eighty-five years old: Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

Today I am eighty-five years old.
-or-
Now here I am, eighty-five years old today

General Comment on 14:10a-d

Some English versions translate this verse as one long sentence. In some languages it may be more natural to divide the verse into several sentences. For example:

But now, look. It has been forty-five years since the Lord said that to Moses. That was when Israel was going through the desert, and the Lord, as he promised, has kept me alive ever since. Look at me! I am eighty-five years old. (Good News Translation)

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Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

15:27

Hazar-gaddah, Heshmon, Beth-pelet:

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Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

15:59a

Maarath, Beth-anoth, and Eltekon:

15:59b

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

In all there were six towns, and there were villages that surrounded them
-or-
The number of these towns was six, with the villages that were near them

© 2001, 2011, 2020, 2022, 2023 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

17:18a

because the hill country will be yours as well: Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

You will be able to conquer the whole hill country
-or-
The mountain country will belong to you as well

17:18b

It is a forest; clear it, and its farthest limits will be yours: The Hebrew that the Berean Standard Bible translates as clear refers specifically to the act of cutting down trees and removing shrubs in a forest to create a place to live. Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

It is a forest, but you will cut down the trees and conquer all of it
-or-
Even though it is a forest area, you can clear it out and make all of it your own

17:18c

Although the Canaanites have iron chariots and although they are strong: Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

though they are strong and have chariots made of iron
-or-
even though they are powerful and have iron war carts

you can drive them out: Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

You will make the Canaanites leave
-or-
You will defeat the Canaan people

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Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

19:4

Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah: Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

the town of Eltolad, the town of Bethuel, the town of Hormah
-or-
Eltolad town and Bethul town and Hormah town

© 2001, 2011, 2020, 2022, 2023 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

19:36

Adamah, Ramah, Hazor: The town of Adamah was probably to the west of the sea of Galilee. The towns of Ramah and Hazor were in upper Galilee. The town of Hazor was mentioned in 11:1.

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

There were also Adamah ⌊town⌋ , Ramah ⌊town⌋ , Hazor ⌊town⌋
-or-
Adamah town and Ramah town and Hazor town

© 2001, 2011, 2020, 2022, 2023 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.