SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 2023 – Page 23

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 22:13

Paragraph: 22:13–14

22:13a

There is a Hebrew conjunction at the beginning of this verse that the Berean Standard Bible leaves implicit. This conjunction is often translated as “and.” It introduces the next event in the storyline. Translate this in a natural way in your language. It may be clearer to include some implied information. For example:

⌊Before they went to war⌋
-or-

⌊The first thing they did was to⌋ send a group of people…

The Israelites: The phrase The Israelites refer to the clans of Israel who lived on the west side of the Jordan River.

sent Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest: This is the first time that Phinehas has been mentioned in the book of Joshua. He was mentioned in Numbers 25:7.

sent Phinehas: The people of the western clans sent some of their leaders along with Phinehas to talk to the people of the eastern clans. It may be clearer to state this explicitly, for example:

Then the people of Israel sent Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest with a group of people to talk

22:13b

to the land of Gilead: The phrase the land of Gilead refers to a region on the east side of the Jordan River. The eastern clans built their altar on the west side of the river. Then they crossed the river to join their families on the east side. Phinehas also had to cross the river when he went to talk to them.

General Comment on Joshua 22:13

It may be more natural in some languages to reorder the parts of this verse. For example:

First, the people of Israel sent Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest to the land of Gilead, to ⌊talk with⌋ the clans of Reuben, Gad and the half clan of Manasseh

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SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 23:11

23:11

Therefore: The Hebrew conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Therefore is the Hebrew conjunction that occurs at the beginning of clauses to connect them.

Here is another way to translate this conjunction:

Some English versions leave this conjunction untranslated. Use the connecting word that is natural in your language.

watch yourselves carefully: The Hebrew verb phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as watch yourselves carefully can also be translated “Be on your guard,” or “Be attentive.”

that you love the LORD your God: In some languages it may be more natural to translate “Yahweh our God” because Yahweh is also the God of Joshua.

Here are some other ways to translate this verse:

So be careful to love Yahweh your God
-or-
Be sure to love Yahweh our God.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 24:27

Paragraph 24:27–28

24:27a

And: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as And introduces the next event in the storyline. Introduce the next event in a way that is natural in your language.

24:27b

You see: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as You see calls attention to the next statement. Some languages may have grammatical markers that fulfill this function.

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

Look
-or-
Look at this stone

this stone. It will be a witness against us: In verse 24:22 Joshua told the Israelites that they would be witnesses against themselves in the future. In this verse he told them that the stone he had set up would also be a witness. He said it was a witness against us because he was including himself with the other Israelites.

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

Look. This stone will be a witness against us (incl.)
-or-
Look at this stone. It will give evidence against us.
-or-
Look at this stone. ⌊If it could speak⌋ it would testify against us.

24:27c

for it has heard all the words the LORD has spoken to us: Yahweh had spoken to the people of Israel through Joshua, and the stone had been a witness to all the words he said.

This does not mean that the stone had magical powers, or that there were spirits who lived in the stone. If it sounds strange in your language to have a stone be able to hear, you could use a simile.

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

because it has heard all the words that Yahweh spoke to us
-or-

⌊It is as though⌋ it has heard all the words that Yahweh has spoken to us.

24:27d

and: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as and connects sentences. Many English versions do not translate this word here. Use a connecting word if there is a natural one in your language.

it will be a witness against you: This sentence uses almost the same words as in part b of this verse. Joshua repeated his statement to emphasize it. However, in this part of the verse he used the pronoun you instead of “us.”

if you ever deny your God: The Hebrew verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as deny can also be translated “betray” or “be unfaithful.”

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

So it will be a witness against you (plur.), if you are not faithful to your God.
-or-
It could give evidence against you if you betray God.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 2:14

2:14a

The Hebrew conjunction that some English versions translate as “And” indicates the next event in the story. Use a connecting word that is natural in your language to indicate this. Some English versions, like the Berean Standard Bible, do not translate this connecting word.

Our lives for your lives: The Hebrew clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Our lives for your lives is more literally “Our lives instead of you (plur.) to die.” The two spies promised to protect Rahab and her family even if it means that they must die themselves.

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

We offer our own lives as a guarantee for your safety (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
We(dual)(excl.) will give our lives to protect your lives

2:14b

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

So the two men answered her
-or-
The men told her

2:14c

If: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as If introduces the condition on which the Israelites will keep Rahab’s family safe.

you do not report: The Hebrew inflection that the Berean Standard Bible translates as you is second person plural. It refers to Rahab and her family.

our mission: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as mission can refer to any kind of matter or happening. In this context it refers to the men’s exploring the land so that the Israelites could attack it.

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

If you do not tell anyone what we have been doing (Good News Translation)
-or-
If you do not tell anyone about this matter of ours

2:14d

This verse part starts with a Hebrew conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible leaves untranslated. This conjunction introduces result. It explains what the men promised to do if Rahab did what they asked her to do. (They asked her not to tell anybody about them). One way to translate this transition would be as the Revised Standard Version does:

Then (Revised Standard Version)

we will show you kindness and faithfulness: The Hebrew sentence that the Berean Standard Bible translates as we will show you kindness and faithfulness is more literally, “we will do with you loyalty and faithfulness.” This phrase describes acts that are done because people have made a covenant, or agreement, between each other. For example, it is used in Genesis 24:27.

The term kindness translates the Hebrew word ḥesed that was used in verse 2:12 (12b and 12c). You should translate it the same way in each place. The term faithfulness indicates that the two men would be trustworthy in their relationship with Rahab.

you: The pronoun you is singular. The men referred only to Rahab.

when the LORD gives us the land: The clause when the LORD gives us the land refers to the time when Yahweh will help the Israelites to conquer the land of Canaan.

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

Then we (excl.) will act with kindness and faithfulness towards you (sing.) when Yahweh gives us this land.
-or-
We will be loyal and true to you when Yahweh helps us to take over the land.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 4:16

4:16a

Command the priests who carry the ark of the Testimony: The phrase the priests who carry the ark refers to the priests who carried the ark into the middle of the Jordan River.

the ark of the Testimony: The Testimony refers to the stone tablets on which Moses had written the Ten Commandments. The ark of the Testimony and the “ark of the covenant” refer to the same box.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

the ark of the covenantal laws (NET Bible)
-or-
the box with the Ten Commandments in it

Some English versions translate this phrase in the same way that they translate “ark of the covenant.”

4:16b

to come up from the Jordan: The phrase come up from the Jordan means that the priests should carry the ark from the middle of the riverbed where they were standing, across to the other side of the Jordan River.

In some languages, it might be more natural to change the indirect quote into a direct quote. For example, you could say:

Command the priests, “Come up out of the Jordan.”

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 6:9

6:9a

While the horns continued to sound: This indicates that the priests blew the trumpets continually.

6:9b

the armed troops: The phrase the armed troops refers to the group of soldiers mentioned in verse 6:7c.

marched ahead of the priests: These soldiers walked ahead of the priests. The priests walked behind the soldiers and blew the trumpets.

6:9c

and the rear guard: There was also a group of soldiers who walked behind the ark of Yahweh. This is the first time the rear guard has been mentioned. This is a characteristic of Hebrew narrative style, which adds new information bit by bit as the story progresses. If this method of adding new information is not natural in your language, it may be better to combine verses 8 and 9 and add the information in logical order, as the Good News Translation does. See the General Comment on 6:8–9.

followed the ark: The soldiers walked behind the priests who carried the ark. There is implied information here. The Hebrew text does not mention that there were priests who carried the ark. It may be helpful to make this information explicit in some languages. For example:

and the rear guard came after the priests who were carrying the ark

General Comment on 6:8–9

It may be more natural in some languages to rearrange the information in verses 8–9 and mention the groups of people who are walking in their order. In this case, verses 8–9 may be combined, as Good News Translation as done:

8a So, just as Joshua had ordered, 9b,8b,8c an advance guard started out ahead of the priests who were blowing trumpets; 8d behind these came the priests who were carrying the Covenant Box, 9c followed by a rear guard. 9a All this time the trumpets were sounding. (Good News Translation)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 7:14

Paragraph 7:14–15

God gave Joshua further instructions about what should happen the next day.

7:14

tribe by tribe…clan by clan…family by family: There are three Hebrew words in this verse that you should think about.

The Hebrew word שֵׁבֶט shebet that the Berean Standard Bible translates as tribe refers to the descendants of Jacob. Jacob had twelve sons. The twelve sons became the ancestors of twelve groups of people. All twelve groups in Israel spoke Hebrew. They did not speak twelve different languages. For this reason the word shebet is translated in the display as “clan.” Choose a word in your language that refers to a group of people descended from a common ancestor.

The Hebrew word מִשְׁפָּחָה mishpahah that the Berean Standard Bible translates as clan refers to a part of a clan. Each clan had several sub-clans. Each of Jacob’s sons had their own sons, and the sub-clans were named after these grandsons of Jacob. The word mishpahah is translated in the display as “sub-clan.”

The Hebrew word בַּיִת bet that the Berean Standard Bible translates as family refers to a family or an extended family. The families do not have names. The word bet is translated in the display as “family.”

Here are some ways that these three terms are translated in English versions:

tribe…family…household (Revised Standard Version, God’s Word, New American Standard Bible, King James Version)
-or-
tribe…clan…family (Berean Standard Bible, NET Bible, New International Version, New American Bible, Revised Edition, New Living Translation (2004), Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version)
-or-
tribe…clan…household (English Standard Version)
-or-
tribe…clan…ancestral house (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)
-or-
clan…sub-clan…family (in the TN Display)

7:14a

This verse begins with a Hebrew word that is often translated as “and.” This word makes a connection between the sin that the Israelites did and what Yahweh does next. There may be an appropriate word in some languages to show this connection, or no connecting word may be necessary. The Berean Standard Bible and many English versions leave the connection as implied information.

In the morning: The phrase In the morning can also be translated:

tomorrow morning

you must present yourselves: The people went near to Yahweh so that Yahweh could choose the guilty person. They stood in front of the Tent of Meeting, the place where Yahweh meets with his people. The Tent of Meeting is not mentioned in the Hebrew text or the Berean Standard Bible, but it may be clearer to make it explicit in some languages.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

you must approach (NET Bible)
-or-
you will come forward (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
you must come near ⌊to Yahweh at the Tent of Meeting⌋

tribe by tribe: The phrase tribe by tribe means that the Israelite people must come in twelve groups before Yahweh, with one tribe in each group.

tribe: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as tribe refers to the people who descended from one of the twelve sons of Jacob. Each of Jacob’s sons had children and grandchildren, and those descendants were part of his tribe. Choose a word that is appropriate for a group of people descended from a common ancestor.

7:14b

The tribe that the LORD selects: It is not certain how Yahweh told them which tribe he chose. Probably they cast lots, throwing small pebbles to determine the choice.

shall come forward clan by clan: When Yahweh chose one of the tribes, then each family in that tribe came before Yahweh.

clan: There were twelve tribes in the nation of Israel, named after the twelve sons of Jacob. Each tribe had several “clans.” A clan includes many families.

Here are some other ways to translate the word clan :

clan (Berean Standard Bible, NET Bible, English Standard Version, New International Version, Good News Translation, New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
sub-clan (used in the TN Display)
-or-
family group
-or-
branch (of a tribe)

7:14c

and the clan that the LORD selects shall come forward family by family: When Yahweh chose a clan, the people within that clan must come forward, one family at a time.

family: This refers to a group of relatives who live in the same house. Sometimes a family consisted of extended families who lived in several houses.

7:14d

and the family that the LORD selects shall come forward man by man: After Yahweh chose one household, then the men of that household came forward one person at a time.

man by man: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as man refers to a male adult. Some English versions (New Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, New Living Translation (2004)) use a general word such as “person by person.” Translate this so that it is clear that the male adults came forward.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 8:20

8:20a

When the men of Ai turned and looked back: The soldiers of Ai were chasing the Israelite soldiers. At some point, they turned around and looked back towards their town. The story does not say why they looked back. Perhaps they heard noise coming from the direction of the town.

8:20b

The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible leaves untranslated but some English versions translate as “behold” is used to emphasize what happens next. You may have a word or particle in your language that is used for emphasis. Many English versions do not translate this word. It may be more natural to leave this word implicit.

the smoke of the city was rising into the sky: The clause the smoke of the city was rising into the sky indicates that the sky was filled with smoke because the town was burning.

8:20c

They could not escape in any direction: The clause They could not escape in any direction indicates that the soldiers of Ai were surrounded, and so could not escape. They were caught between the two parts of the Israelite army.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

There was no way for them to escape (Good News Translation)
-or-
they had no chance to escape in any direction (New International Version)
-or-
they had nowhere to go (New Living Translation (2004))

They could not escape: The Hebrew phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as They could not implies a loss of courage. Some English versions make this explicit. For example:

None of them had the courage to run (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
were so shocked they were unable to flee (NET Bible)

8:20d

and the troops who had fled to the wilderness now became the pursuers: The clause and the troops who had fled to the wilderness refers to Joshua and the Israelite soldiers who had pretended to run away. These are the same people referred to in 8:15.

now became the pursuers: The phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as became the pursuers is translated as “turned back against the pursuers” in most English versions. With either interpretation, the Israelite soldiers who had run away from the town now turned around and fought with the soldiers of Ai.

the pursuers: According to the Berean Standard Bible interpretation, the phrase the pursuers refers to Joshua and the Israelite soldiers who had pretended to run away. However, most English versions indicate that the pursuers refers to the soldiers of Ai.

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Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 2023

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 22:13

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 23:11

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 24:27

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 2:14

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 4:16

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 6:9

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 7:14

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 8:20

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