SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 2023 – Page 37

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 7:21

7:21a

When I saw among the spoils: The phrase the spoils refers to the things that were taken by the Israelite soldiers when they conquered Jericho.

Here are some other ways to translate the word spoils :

Among the plunder I saw (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
among the booty I saw (Revised English Bible)
-or-
Among the things we seized I saw (Good News Translation)

a beautiful cloak: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as a cloak refers to the outer garment that an important person wears.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

a beautiful robe
-or-
a beautiful cloak

from Shinar: Shinar is another name for the country of Babylon. You may want to use the more common name, Babylon, in your translation. For example:

a beautiful robe from Babylon (New Living Translation (2004))

In English the adjective form of Babylon is “Babylonian.” Thus, the Good News Translation says:

a beautiful Babylonian cloak (Good News Translation)

7:21b

two hundred shekels of silver: A “shekel” is a measure of weight. It is not a coin. In the time of Joshua there was not yet any coined money. two hundred shekels of silver was about five pounds of silver, or more than two kilograms. The exact weight of a shekel was varied, so these weights are approximations. You can translate this using the standard measure of weight used in your country.

and a bar of gold: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as bar is literally “tongue.” The gold was probably in a lump similar in shape to the tongue. Use an expression for a large piece of gold that is natural in your language.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

a gold bar (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
a wedge of gold (New International Version)

weighing fifty shekels: The weight, fifty shekels, was a little over one pound or about one-half kilogram. Translate this weight using the standard measure for precious metals in your country.

7:21c

I coveted them: The phrase I coveted them means that Achan wanted to have these things very much. The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as coveted is the same word used in the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:17.

Here are some other ways to translate the word coveted :

I wanted these things very much for myself (New Century Version)
-or-
I wanted them so much (Good News Translation)
-or-
I wanted them (NET Bible)

and: The Hebrew prefix that the Berean Standard Bible translates as and indicates the next event in the storyline.

took them: The things that Achan took belonged to Yahweh. It may be more appropriate in some languages to translate the word took as “stole.” This is how Yahweh describes Achan’s action in 7:11d.

7:21d

The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible leaves untranslated but some English versions translate as “behold” emphasizes the following word or clause. In this case, it adds emphasis to “They are hidden.” You may have a word or grammatical particle in your language that performs the same function. Many English versions leave this word untranslated.

They are hidden in the ground inside my tent: Achan took the things and buried them in a hole in the ground under his tent. In some languages an active verb may be necessary. For example:

I dug a hole under my tent and hid the silver, the gold, and the robe. (Contemporary English Version)
-or-

I hid them in the earth inside my tent

7:21e

with the silver underneath: Achan buried the silver at the bottom of the hole, with the gold and the robe on top of it.

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SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 8:27

8:27a

Israel took for themselves only the cattle and plunder of that city: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as only marks a contrast. They killed the people of Ai, but they took the cattle. Another way to mark this contrast is with the word “but.” For example:

But the Israelites took the animals and other possessions of the people of Ai (Contemporary English Version)

Israel: The word Israel refers to the soldiers of Israel.

took for themselves: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as took for themselves is more literally “take.”

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

The Israelites kept for themselves the livestock and goods (Good News Translation)
-or-
Israel did carry off for themselves the livestock and plunder (New International Version)

the cattle: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as cattle is more literally “livestock.” It refer to cattle and to other domestic animals such as sheep and goats.

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

animals
-or-
domestic animals

plunder: The word plunder refers to the things in the town that were not burned when the army set fire to the town.

8:27b

as the LORD had commanded Joshua: This clause is a reminder about verse 8:2. At that time Yahweh told Joshua that the Israelites could take the goods and animals of Ai for themselves.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 9:24

Paragraph 9:24–25

9:24a

The Gibeonites answered: The phrase The Gibeonites refers to the Gibeonite leaders who met with Joshua. It may be necessary to make this clear in your translation.

9:24b

Your servants were told clearly: The phrase were told is passive. In some languages it may be clearer to make this an active phrase.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

we learned (Good News Translation)
-or-
We heard (New Century Version)
-or-
people told us

Your servants: The Gibeonites called themselves Your servants to show respect to Joshua. Many languages have pronouns or other vocabulary for showing respect. Use whatever means is natural to indicate this.

were told clearly: The phrase told clearly translates an emphatic form of the Hebrew verb “told.” The Gibeonites emphasized that they heard a sure and certain report that the God of the Israelites was powerful. Use whatever means is natural to show that there is no doubt that the Gibeonites heard these things.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

your servants were clearly told (New International Version)
-or-
we learned that it was really true (Good News Translation)

9:24c

that the LORD your God had commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land: It may be more natural to divided this long clause into two or more clauses. For example:

we heard that Yahweh your God had made a promise to his servant Moses. Yahweh promised Moses that he would help the Israelites conquer this land
-or-
we heard about the promise that Yahweh your God gave to Moses, who served him. Yahweh told Moses that the Israelites would take this land

9:24d

and wipe out all its inhabitants: It may be more natural in some languages to begin a new sentence. For example:

We heard that they will kill all the people who live in the land

before you: The phrase before you indicates that the Israelites will advance into the land, and kill the people living there wherever they find them.

9:24e

So we greatly feared for our lives because of you: The clause we greatly feared for our lives indicates that the Gibeonites were afraid the Israelites would kill them.

and that is why we have done this: The word this refers to the lie that the Gibeonites told the Israelites.

General Comment on 9:24

It may be more natural in some languages to rearrange the parts of this verse of the Gibeonites’ answer to Joshua. For example:

24a They answered, 24e “We did it, sir, 24b because we learned that it was really true 24c that the Lord your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you the whole land 24d and to kill the people living in it as you advanced. 24e We did it because we were terrified of you; we were in fear of our lives. (Good News Translation)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 10:29

10:29a

Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Makkedah: The clause Then Joshua…moved on from Makkedah indicates that Joshua left the town of Makkedah.

and all Israel with him: The phrase and all Israel with him indicates that the whole Israelite army went with him. The terms “Joshua” and all Israel are both the subjects of this sentence. In some languages it may be more natural to put them together. For example:

Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Makkedah to Libnah (New International Version)
-or-
Then Joshua, along with his whole army, left Makkedah and went to fight against Libnah.

to Libnah: The town of Libnah was about 11 kilometers southwest of Makkedah.

10:29b

and fought against Libnah: The clause fought against Libnah indicates that Joshua and his army attacked the town of Libnah.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 11:18

11:18

Joshua waged war against all these kings for a long period of time: The clause Joshua waged war against all these kings for a long period of time indicates that it took a long time for Joshua and his army to defeat the enemy kings and kill them.Some commentators believe this was about seven years.

This verse adds more information to the summary statements of verses 16–17. In some languages it may be clearer to combine verses 17 and 18. For example:

Joshua was at war with the kings of this territory for a long time, but he captured them all and put them to death. (Good News Translation)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 13:15

Paragraph 13:15-23

13:15

This verse begins with a Hebrew word that is often translated as “and.” This word introduces the next event in the story. Many English versions do not translate this word.

This is what Moses had given to the clans of the tribe of Reuben: The Hebrew text is more literally “Moses gave to the tribe of the sons of Reuben.” The phrase This is what is not in the Hebrew text. The Berean Standard Bible has supplied this phrase to make clear what Moses gave to the tribe of Reuben. Moses assigned land to the tribe of Reuben in Numbers 32.

to the clans: The phrase to the clans indicates that each clan or group of families within the tribe of Reuben received their own portion of land. See how you translated the words “clan” and “family” in Joshua 7:14.

Here are some other ways to translate this verse:

Moses had given each family group from the tribe of Reuben some land. (New Century Version)
-or-
Moses had assigned the following area to the clans of the tribe of Reuben. (New Living Translation (2004))

the tribe of Reuben: The phrase the tribe of Reuben indicates the people who were descended from Reuben, one of the sons of Jacob.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 14:14

14:14a

Therefore Hebron belongs to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite as an inheritance to this day: There is some implied information here. Caleb conquered the town of Hebron.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

The town of Hebron became the possession of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the son of Kenaz up to today
-or-
So Caleb ⌊conquered⌋ the town of Hebron, and it still belongs to his descendants

14:14b

because he wholly followed the LORD, the God of Israel: The expression wholly followed translates the same Hebrew words as were found in verses 14:8c (“remained loyal” in the Berean Standard Bible) and 14:9d (“wholly followed” in the Berean Standard Bible). Translate this expression the same way as you did in those verses.

the LORD, the God of Israel: The phrase the LORD, the God of Israel is slightly different from the way that God was referred to in verses 8c and 9d. There the phrase “the LORD, my God” was used.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

because he was completely loyal to Yahweh the God of Israel
-or-
because Caleb followed Yahweh the God of Israel with all his heart

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 15:31

15:31

Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah:

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Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 2023

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 7:21

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 8:27

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 9:24

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 10:29

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 11:18

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 13:15

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 14:14

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 15:31

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