SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 2023 – Page 36

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 20:8

20:8a

And: The Hebrew conjunction And makes this sentence a continuous sentence with the previous verse. In some languages it may be more natural to begin a new sentence here.

beyond the Jordan: The phrase beyond the Jordan indicates that the next towns were on the east side of the Jordan River.

east of Jericho: The phrase east of Jericho indicates that the next towns in the list were east of the town of Jericho.

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

On the east side of the Jordan River, across from Jericho town
-or-
Across the Jordan River, to the east of the town of Jericho

20:8b

they designated Bezer: The town of Bezer was in the south part of Israel and east of the Jordan River.

on the wilderness plateau: The phrase the wilderness plateau indicates that Bezer was in a flat, uncultivated area. The term plateau refers to a flat plain.

from the tribe of Reuben: The phrase from the tribe of Reuben indicates that the town of Bezer was in the area that belonged to the clan of Reuben. The land that Moses assigned to the clan of Reuben is described in 13:15-23.

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

the people of Israel chose the town of Bezer. It was in the wilderness on the plain that belonged to the clan of Reuben.
-or-
They also designated Bezer town, on the wilderness plateau that belonged to the Reuben clan.

20:8c

Ramoth in Gilead: The town of Ramoth was north of the modern town of Amman in Jordan. It was in the middle region of Israel’s land on the east side of the Jordan River. Gilead was a mountainous area north of the Dead Sea and east of the Jordan River. This area is now in the country of Jordan.

from the tribe of Gad: The phrase the tribe of Gad indicates that Moses had assigned the town of Ramoth in the region of Gilead to the clans of Gad.

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

They also chose Ramoth town in the region of Gilead, which belonged to the people of Gad.
-or-
They also designated the town of Ramoth in Gilead region, where the Gad clans lived.

20:8d

and Golan in Bashan: The town of Golan was in the region of Bashan, which is a high plateau in the northeast part of the land of Israel.

from the tribe of Manasseh: The phrase the tribe of Manasseh indicates that the town of Golan was in land that belonged to the clans of Manasseh.

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

and Golan town in the Bashan region, which belonged to the people of Manasseh
-or-
They also designated the town of Golan in the Bashan region, where the Manasseh people lived.

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SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 21:31

21:31

Helkath: The town of Helkath was mentioned in 19:25. Its location is uncertain.

and Rehob: The town of Rehob was mentioned in 19:28. It location is uncertain.

four cities: The total number of towns that the clan of Asher gave to the Kohath clans was four cities.

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

the town of Helkath and the grazing lands around it and the town of Rehob and the grazing lands around it. They gave four towns in all.
-or-
Helkath town and its grasslands, and Rehob town and its grasslands. The total was four towns.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 22:18

22:18a

And now, would you turn away from the LORD?: This expression was used in verse 22:16. You should translate it the same way as you did in that verse.

The plural pronoun you is emphatic. Some ways to show this emphasis are:

and you (plur.) also are turning back today from following Yahweh
-or-
Yet today you too are not being faithful to Yahweh

22:18b

If you rebel today against the LORD: The Hebrew clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as If you rebel today against the LORD is more literally “and it will be, today you, you are rebelling against Yahweh.” The plural pronoun you is repeated to make it emphatic. It contrasts with “the whole congregation” in the next part of the verse.

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

Today it is you who are rebelling against Yahweh
-or-
If you act against Yahweh’s command today,

22:18c

tomorrow He will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel: The leaders of the other Israelite clans remembered what had happened when Achan sinned. Many other people also died because of his sin. This event is recorded in Joshua chapter 7.

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

That will cause him to be angry with the whole assembly of Israel tomorrow.
-or-
he will be angry with all the people of Israel tomorrow

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 23:16

23:16a

Some English versions continue the sentence from verse 23:15a. It is a very long sentence. You may find that it is more natural to begin a new sentence here like the Berean Standard Bible.

If you transgress the covenant of the LORD your God: The Hebrew phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as transgress the covenant indicates that someone has not obeyed the covenant. The term covenant was first mentioned in the book of Joshua in 3:3. Look to see how you translated this term in that verse.

which He commanded you: Yahweh had commanded the Israelites to obey the covenant that he had made with them. It may be more natural to include implicit information:

which he commanded you ⌊to obey⌋

In some languages it may be more natural to have two sentences. For example,

Yahweh your God commanded you to obey his covenant. If you disobey it,

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

This will happen if you do not obey the covenant of Yahweh your God, which he commanded you to follow,
-or-
Yahweh your God commanded you to obey the laws of the agreement he made with you. If you do not,

23:16b

and go and serve other gods: The Hebrew verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as serve indicates that the Israelites might worship other gods and honor them.

and bow down to them: This indicates that someone is bowing down in worship.

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

and you serve and bow down ⌊in worship⌋ to other gods,
-or-
and you honor and worship other gods,

23:16c

then: The Hebrew conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as then is the Hebrew conjunction that connects sentences. In this context it indicates the result. This is what will happen if the Israelites follow other gods instead of Yahweh. Use a connecting word that is natural in your language to indicate a result.

the anger of the LORD will burn against you: This is more literally “the anger of Yahweh will burn in you.” It is a Hebrew idiom which indicates that Yahweh will be angry with the Israelites.

Here is another way to translate this part of the verse:

then Yahweh will be angry with you

23:16d

and you will quickly perish from this good land He has given you: This is the same phrase as verse 23:13c, except that the word quickly is added. It may be helpful to add implicit information here. The Israelites would die quickly because Yahweh would punish them. For example:

then in his anger he will punish you, and soon none of you will be left in this good land that he has given you (Good News Translation)

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

until you have all quickly died and you no longer live in the good land that Yahweh your God has given you
-or-
Then none of you will be left in this good land that Yahweh your God has given you. You will all soon be dead.

General Comment on 23:16

Although some English versions begin a sentence at verse 16c, the Berean Standard Bible and many English versions start the sentence at the beginning of verse 16. For example:

If you violate the covenant of the Lord your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them, the Lord ʼs anger will burn against you, and you will quickly perish from the good land he has given you. (New International Version)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 24:32

24:32a

And the bones of Joseph, which the Israelites had brought up out of Egypt, were buried at Shechem: In Genesis 50:25 Joseph had made the Israelites promise to bring his bones with them when they left Egypt.

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

The people of Israel had brought Joseph’s bones with them when they left Egypt. They buried them at the town of Shechem.
-or-
The Israelites buried Joseph’s bones at Shechem town. They had brought the bones with them when they came out of Egypt.

24:32b

in the plot of land that Jacob had purchased from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for a hundred pieces of silver: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as pieces of silver is found in only two other places in the Old Testament: Genesis 33:19 and Job 42:11. It was an ancient weight, but it is not certain how heavy it was.

Avoid using the word “coins.” Coins had not been invented at this time. They used pieces of silver in a wedge shape with a standard weight.

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

Jacob had bought a plot of land there from the sons of Hamor, who was Shechem’s father. Jacob had paid one hundred pieces of silver for it.
-or-

⌊They buried them⌋ in the plot of land that Jacob had bought for one hundred silver pieces from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem.

24:32c

So it became an inheritance for Joseph’s descendants: Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

That land was in the area that belonged to the descendants of Joseph.
-or-
Joseph’s descendants now own that land.

General Comment on verse 24:32

In some languages it may be more natural to reorder the parts of this verse so that they are in chronological order. For example:

⌊Many years ago⌋ Jacob had bought a piece of land from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem for one hundred pieces of silver. When the Israelites left Egypt they carried Joseph’s bones with them. ⌊Now, years later,⌋ they buried his bones in that piece of land that Jacob had bought in Shechem.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 1:16

Paragraph 1:16-18

The tribes who lived on the east side of the Jordan River said that they will obey Joshua.

1:16a

So: The Hebrew connector that the Berean Standard Bible has translated as So introduces the next event in time. Another way to translate it is:

Then

Translate this connector in a way that is natural to introduce a consecutive event.

they answered Joshua: The word they refers to the people of Reuben and Gad and half the tribe of Manasseh. This list of names was last given in 1:12. It may be necessary in some languages to specify these names clearly. If you need to do this, you could either repeat the list or use an expression like “those people.” Use whatever is most natural in your language.

Joshua: In Hebrew, the name of a main character is repeated often. In some languages it will be more natural to use a pronoun after the first occurrence.

Here is another way to translate this name:

him

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

The people answered him
-or-
Then the men of the tribes of Reuben and Gad and half the tribe of Manasseh answered Joshua. They said

1:16b

Everything you have commanded us we will do: The Berean Standard Bible translated this sentence following the Hebrew order. In Hebrew, the object is placed first for emphasis. Use whatever order is most natural in your language.

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

Anything you command us to do, we will do (New Century Version)
-or-
We will do everything you have told us (Good News Translation)

1:16c

and everywhere you send us we will go: Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

Any place you send us, we will go (New Century Version)
-or-
and will go anywhere you send us (Good News Translation)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 3:6

Paragraph 3:6

Joshua told the priests to carry the covenant box and go ahead of the people. They did what Joshua told them to do.

3:6a

And: The Hebrew conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as And indicates the next event in the story.

he said to the priests: In verse 3:5 Joshua told the people that Yahweh will do wonders “tomorrow.” The events of verse 3:6 took place on the next day. It may be helpful to make this explicit. For example:

⌊The next day,⌋ Joshua said to the priests

3:6b

Take the ark of the covenant: The clause Take the ark of the covenant indicates that the priests were to put the covenant box on the carrying poles and carry it. Some languages have a special verb to indicate this method of carrying.

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

Pick up the covenant box ⌊on poles on your shoulders⌋
-or-
Lift the holy chest to carry it ⌊on poles on your shoulders⌋

3:6c

and: the Hebrew conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as and indicates the next event in the story.

go on ahead of the people: Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

go ahead of the people
-or-
walk in front of the people

3:6d

So: The Hebrew conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as So indicates the next event in the story.

they carried the ark of the covenant: Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

Then the priests carried the covenant box ⌊on poles on their shoulders⌋
-or-
So the priests lifted the holy chest

3:6e

and: The Hebrew conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as and indicates the next action in the story.

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

the priests walked ahead of the people
-or-
the priests went leading the people

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 4:21

4:21a

Then Joshua said to the Israelites: Joshua spoke to all the people of Israel. Earlier in 4:6 he spoke only to the twelve chosen men.

4:21b

In the future, when your children ask their fathers: The word when creates a subordinate clause. In some languages, it may be more natural to use an independent clause. For example:

Years from now your children will ask you why these rocks are here. (Contemporary English Version)

your children: The phrase your children refers to the present and future generations of Israelite children.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

your descendants
-or-
your children and grandchildren

ask their fathers: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as fathers can refer to both mothers and fathers.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

When your children ask their fathers (English Standard Version)
-or-
When your children ask their parents (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
In the future your children will ask (New Living Translation (2004))

4:21c

What is the meaning of these stones?: The children will ask the question What is the meaning of these stones? because they want to know why the stones are there. The children of future generations will see the stones and wonder why they are arranged as a memorial in that place.

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Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 2023

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 20:8

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 21:31

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 22:18

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 23:16

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 24:32

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 1:16

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 3:6

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 4:21

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