SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 2023 – Page 34

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 7:4

7:4a

So: The Berean Standard Bible inserts the word So, which is not found in the Hebrew text. This introduces the result of the advice in 7:3d. Many English versions introduce this result with the word “so.”

Consider what is the most natural way in your language to indicate a result connection.

about three thousand men went up: This clause implies that Joshua sent the three thousand men to Ai, as the spies suggested. In some languages it may be more natural to make this explicit. For example:

Joshua sent about three thousand soldiers to attack Ai (Contemporary English Version)

Notice that the Contemporary English Version included the reason why the men went to Ai, that is, to attack. It may be helpful to make that clear in your translation in some way.

men: The word men indicates “from among the Israelite army.” Only three thousand Israelite soldiers went to Ai. Some English versions omit this phrase because it is implied by the context.

went up: The town of Ai was at a higher elevation than the Israelite camp at Gilgal. The Hebrew language keeps track of elevation, and thus has the word up.

7:4b

but: The Hebrew prefix that the Berean Standard Bible translates as but introduces the next event in the storyline. Mark this next event in a way that is most natural in your language.

Many English versions use a contrastive connector such as but or “however” to show that what happened next is contrary-to-expectation. For example:

but they were routed by the men of Ai (New International Version)

Translate this contrary-to-expectation relation in a way that is most natural in your language.

they fled before the men of Ai: The Hebrew text implies that the Israelites attacked Ai. The men of Ai defeated the Israelites so that the Israelites ran away from the battle. In some languages it may be helpful to make some of this information explicit. For example:

⌊When the soldiers arrived at Ai, they attacked the town. The men of Ai defeated them and⌋ they ran from the battle

they: The word they refers to the three thousand Israelite men.

fled: The word fled indicates that the Israelite army had to run away from the people who were defending Ai.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

they turned back
-or-
they ran away

the men of Ai: This phrase refers to the men who lived in Ai and were defending it against the Israelites. Because they were fighting a battle they could be called:

the soldiers of Ai

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SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 8:10

Paragraph 8:10–13

8:10a

The Hebrew connector that the Berean Standard Bible leaves untranslated but many English versions translate as “and” indicates the next event of the storyline.

Joshua got up early the next morning: This indicates that Joshua woke up early.

and mobilized his men: The clause mobilized his men indicates that Joshua assembled the rest of his army and got them ready to go to Ai.

mobilized: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as mobilized can also be translated as:

assembled
-or-
gathered together

8:10b

and he and the elders of Israel marched before them up to Ai: Joshua and the elders of Israel led the way as the army went up to Ai.

the elders of Israel: the elders of Israel were the leaders of the Israelite community. They were heads of tribes and families.

marched before them up: The Hebrew text says marched…up because Ai was higher than the Israelite camp. If your language does not keep track of elevation in the same way that Hebrew does, you can translate this as:

went

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 9:7

9:7a

But the men of Israel: The Hebrew phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as men of Israel is more literally “man of Israel.” This is a collective term that is frequently used for the Israelite army. The phrase men of Israel probably refers to the leaders of the Israelites.

said to the Hivites: The Gibeonites were one part of the “Hivite” nation. God ordered Israel to destroy this nation in 3:10. This group of people was also mentioned in 9:1. You should translate the word Hivites the same way you translated it earlier.

9:7b

Perhaps you dwell near us. How can we make a treaty with you?: In Deuteronomy 7:1–7 Yahweh told the Israelites that they must not make any treaties with the people who lived in the land of Canaan. This question shows that the Israelites were suspicious of the Gibeonites’ statement that they came from a far away country. The Israelites wanted to make sure it was true. It may be more natural in some languages to translate this question as a statement. For example:

But maybe you really live near us. We can’t make a peace treaty with you if you live nearby. (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
We (excl.) want to know for sure that you (plur.) do not live near us. We cannot make a treaty with any one who lives in the land of Canaan.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 10:12

Paragraph 10:12–15

10:12a

On the day that the LORD gave the Amorites over to the Israelites: This is the same day as the events referred to in 10:10–11. In 10:12–15, the author told the story of the battle of Gibeon again from another perspective and added new information to what he had already said. It may be clearer in some languages to translate the clause the day that the LORD gave the Amorites over to the Israelites as an independent sentence. For example, you could say:

Yahweh gave the Israelites victory over the Amorites on that day. On that same day Joshua spoke to Yahweh…

the LORD gave the Amorites over to the Israelites: The clause the LORD gave the Amorites over to the Israelites is a Hebrew idiom. It indicates that Yahweh helped the Israelites to defeat the Amorites. For example:

the Lord gave the men of Israel victory over the Amorites (Good News Translation)

10:12b

Joshua spoke to the LORD: Some English versions follow the Hebrew word order, “spoke Joshua to the LORD.” It puts the verb before the subject. The natural English word order is Joshua spoke as in the Berean Standard Bible. Translate this phrase in a way that is natural in your language.

Joshua spoke: In some languages it may be more natural to translate the word spoke as “prayed.” For example:

on that same day Joshua prayed to Yahweh while the Israelites watched him

10:12c

in the presence of Israel: The phrase in the presence of Israel indicates that the Israelites who fought the battle watched while Joshua prayed to Yahweh.

10:12d

O sun, stand still over Gibeon: The expression, O sun, stand still over Gibeon is a kind of figurative language called personification. Personification gives human characteristics to non-human things for poetic effect. In 12b Joshua spoke to Yahweh. In 12d Joshua spoke to the sun. If the reader does not understand that this is figurative language, it is good to make this clear. One way to clarify this is to include some implicit information:

Joshua asked Yahweh ⌊to make the sun and the moon stand still.⌋ He said, “Sun, stay still at Gibeon. And moon, stay still in the valley of Aijalon.”

O sun, stand still: The command sun, stand still may not be natural in some languages. The sun does not have legs and it may not be possible to say that the sun can stand.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

Sun, stop moving in the sky
-or-
Sun, stay in one place

over Gibeon: It may be more natural to translate the phrase over Gibeon as “at Gibeon,” or “above Gibeon.” The sun shone in the sky over the town of Gibeon. Use a preposition that is natural in your language.

O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon: The expression O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon is an example of personification. Personification gives human characteristics to non-human things for poetic effect.

the Valley of Aijalon: The phrase Valley of Aijalon refers to the valley where the town of Aijalon was, seven to ten miles west of Gibeon. The Amorites fled from Gibeon as far as Azekah (10:10d). Aijalon was between Gibeon and Azekah.

Here are some ways to translate 10:12c-d:

Joshua prayed to the Lord in front of all the people of Israel. He said, “Let the sun stand still over Gibeon, and the moon over the valley of Aijalon.” (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
In the presence of the people of Israel, Joshua said, “Yahweh, cause the sun to stop moving over Gibeon and cause the moon to stop moving over the valley of Aijalon.”

General Comment on 10:12d

In the ancient Near East many people believed that natural objects such as the sun and the moon had a soul or a spirit. The Bible does not teach this. Joshua did not actually speak to the sun or the moon, and he did not expect them to respond to his command. The language Joshua used is a figure of speech called “personification.” Personification gives human characteristics to non-human things. It is used to add emotional impact to the story. As you translate this verse, keep in mind that this response by the sun and moon to Joshua’s command is poetic language. It should not be understood literally.

A miracle of God’s power took place when he lengthened the day. It was God, responding to the prayer of Joshua, who caused the miracle. The sun and moon did not actually do anything. God made them stand still.

Joshua spoke to both the sun and the moon. Biblical scholars do not agree on why he addressed both the sun and the moon. One possibility is that Joshua prayed this prayer in the early morning when the sun was rising in the east and the moon was setting in the west.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 11:1

Section 11:1–15 The Israelites conquered the towns of northern Canaan

King Jabin, the king of Hazor, brought together the kings of the towns in Northern Canaan to fight against Israel. With the help of Yahweh, Joshua and the Israelites fought and defeated all these towns and killed their kings and their people.

Here is another possible section heading:

Israel defeated the northern towns

Paragraph 11:1–6

11:1a

Now when Jabin king of Hazor heard about these things: The clause when Jabin king of Hazor heard about these things has the same structure as the clause that began 10:1. It is recommended that you translate it in a similar way.

Hazor: The town of Hazor was a large town about 14 kilometers north of the Sea of Galilee.

about these things: The phrase about these things refers to Joshua’s victories over the kings in Southern Canaan.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

King Jabin of Hazor heard about Joshua’s victories (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
King Jabin of Hazor heard what had happened (God’s Word)

11:1b

he sent word to Jobab king of Madon: In the list of kings that follows, King Jobab is the only king listed by name. This indicates that he was Jabin’s most powerful neighbor.

Here is another way to translate this clause:

he sent ⌊messengers⌋ to King Jobab of Madon ⌊to ask for his help to fight against the Israelites⌋

Madon: The town of Madon was 30 kilometers southeast of Hazor.

to the kings of Shimron: The exact location of the town of Shimron is unknown. In Joshua 19:15, it is listed as part of the territory of Zebulun.

and Achshaph: The exact location of the town of Achshaph is uncertain. It is listed as part of the territory of Asher in Joshua 19:25.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 12:22

12:22

Jokneam in Carmel: The phrase in Carmel indicates that the town of Jokneam mentioned here was at the northern border of the territory of the tribe of Manasseh, near Mount Carmel. There was another town named Jokneam that was in the territory of the tribe of Ephraim.

Here is another way to translate this name:

Jokneam on Mount Carmel (Contemporary English Version)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 13:30

13:30a

The territory from Mahanaim: The town of Mahanaim was on the south border of the tribes of Gad and Manasseh. Its exact location is uncertain. The town of Mahanaim was mentioned in 13:26 and you should translate it the same way in both places.

Here is another way to translate this phrase:

their land extended north from the town of Mahanaim

13:30b

through all Bashan—all the kingdom of Og king of Bashan: The phrase through all Bashan contains the same information as the next phrase, all the kingdom of Og king of Bashan.

Here is another way to translate this clause:

it included the country of Bashan, which was ruled by King Og

Bashan: The term Bashan indicates a country or a region that was on a high and fertile plateau north of Gilead. The country of Bashan was mentioned in Joshua 9:10 and you should translate it the same way in both places.

13:30c

including all the towns of Jair that are in Bashan: The phrase all the towns of Jair that are in Bashan indicates that the towns that Jair captured were included in the territory of Manasseh. Jair was a descendant of Manasseh. The story of how he captured these towns is found in Numbers 32:41.

sixty cities: In some languages it may be more natural to include the words sixty cities as part of the preceding phrase. For example:

It included all the sixty cities which Jair, ⌊a descendant of Manasseh,⌋ captured in Bashan

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 15:14

15:14a

And Caleb drove out from there the three sons of Anak: The clause Caleb drove out from there indicates that Caleb attacked the three sons of Anak and made them leave Hebron.

the three sons of Anak: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as sons can refer to a group of descendants. In this verse it is likely that the three sons of Anak refers to three tribes of the descendants of Anak.

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

Caleb forced three tribes of Anak people to leave there
-or-
Caleb attacked the three tribes of Anak people who lived in Hebron and made them leave

15:14b

the descendants of Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak: The names Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai refer to three tribes. Anak was their forefather. These tribes are also mentioned in Numbers 13:22 and Judges 1:10.

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

Those were the tribes of Sheshai, Ahiman and Talmai, all descended from Anak
-or-
These were the descendants of Sheshai, Ahiman and Talmai, who were descended from Anak

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Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 2023