SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 2023 – Page 40

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 13:16

13:16a

The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible that other versions translate as “and” or “so” leaves untranslated introduces the details about the land that was given to Reuben. Use whatever connecting word or particle is appropriate in your language.

The territory from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Valley: The Hebrew words of this clause are almost identical to the words in 13:9a, and you should translate it in the same way.

13:16b

along with the city in the middle of the valley, to the whole plateau beyond Medeba: The Hebrew words of this clause are almost identical to the words in 13:9b-c, and you should translate it in the same way.

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SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 14:15

14:15a-b

(Hebron used to be called Kiriath-arba, after Arba, the greatest man among the Anakim.): The Hebrew word that begins this verse is often translated as “Now” and introduces an explanation about the name of Hebron. The Berean Standard Bible indicates this by putting it in parentheses. Introduce this explanation in a way that is natural in your language.

14:15a

Hebron used to be called Kiriath-arba: The town of Kiriath-arba is mentioned in Genesis 23:2. The word “Kiriath” means “town” in Hebrew. Arba is the name of one of the Anak people.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

The town of Hebron used to be called Kiriath-arba
-or-
In the past times, the name of Hebron was Kiriath-arba
-or-
Before that time, the town of Hebron was called Arba

14:15b

after Arba, the greatest man among the Anakim: Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

because Arba was the most important man of the Anak people
-or-
It was named after Arba, the greatest man among the people of Anak

14:15c

Then the land had rest from war: The clause the land had rest from war translates the same Hebrew words as are found in verse 11:23. You should translate this sentence in the same way that you translated verse 11:23.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

Then there was peace in the land.
-or-
Then there was no war in the land

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 15:32

15:32a

Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon:

15:32b

twenty-nine cities in all, along with their villages: Most towns in the time of Joshua were very small. They had a wall for protection and a ruler of their own. Outside the walls of the town, there were villages that depended on that town for protection.

The list of town names in verses 15:21-32 adds up to thirty-six towns. It is not clear why the author says twenty-nine. It is possible that seven of the towns were small settlements that did not have villages attached to them. It is recommended that you translate this as twenty-nine.

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

The total was twenty-nine towns and the villages that surrounded them
-or-
In all there were 29 towns, with the villages around them

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 16:1

Section 16:1–17:18 The clans of Ephraim and Manasseh received their land

This section describes the boundaries of the land given to Ephraim and to Manasseh, and the towns within each of their lands.

Paragraph 16:1–4

16:1a

The allotment for the descendants of Joseph: The Hebrew phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as The allotment is more literally “the lot went out.” There is a similar phrase in Joshua 15:1. It is recommended that you translate this phrase in a similar way in both places.

the descendants of Joseph: The Hebrew phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the descendants of Joseph is more literally “the sons of Joseph.” Joseph had two sons: Ephraim and Manasseh. Their descendants became the clans of Ephraim and Manasseh.

Here are some ways to translate this phrase:

the descendants of Joseph (Berean Standard Bible, Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, New Living Translation (2004), NET Bible)
-or-
the people of Joseph (English Standard Version)
-or-
Joseph (New International Version, God’s Word)
-or-
the children of Joseph (King James Version)

extended from the Jordan at Jericho: The clause extended from the Jordan at Jericho describes the starting point of the southern border of the land given to Ephraim and Manasseh. The eastern point of the border was at the Jordan River near the town of Jericho.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

The land that the descendants of Joseph received began at the Jordan River, near Jericho
-or-
The ⌊south border of⌋ the land given to the descendants of Joseph started at the Jordan River, near the town of Jericho

16:1b

to the waters of Jericho on the east: The phrase waters of Jericho refers to springs that were north of the town of Jericho.

through the wilderness: The phrase through the wilderness indicates that the border then continued west into the wilderness.

wilderness: A wilderness is an uncultivated and uninhabited area. In this verse it refers to the Judean wilderness. The Judean wilderness is between the Judean mountains and the valley of the Dead Sea. This wilderness is a rocky place that descends steeply from the mountains into the valley. It consists of flat plateaus, rounded hills, deep canyons, and cliffs. It receives little rainfall and no crops can grow there. It is not a typical desert with large areas of sand. Many languages may have a term for an uncultivated area or an uninhabited place.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

It then went to the east of the springs of Jericho and continued west into the wilderness
-or-
The border began to the east of the springs at the town of Jericho and went west into the wilderness

16:1c

that goes up from Jericho into the hill country of Bethel: The clause goes up from Jericho indicates that the border ascended in elevation as it went through the wilderness, into the hill country to the town of Bethel.

hill country: The term hill country refers to the central mountain range which runs from the north to the south of Israel. This area receives a lot of rain and farmers plant crops in terraces along the hillsides. See how you translated this phrase in Joshua 9:1.

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

The border went from Jericho up into the hill country to the town of Bethel
-or-
From Jericho it went up into the mountains as far as Bethel

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 18:5

18:5a

and divide the land into seven portions: This indicates that the men should divide the remaining land into seven parts, one for each of the clans that had still not received a share of land.

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

They must divide ⌊the remaining land⌋ into seven parts among themselves
-or-
They will divide it into seven areas of land

18:5b

Judah shall remain in their territory in the south: Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

The clan of Judah will remain in the land they have received in the south
-or-
The clan of Judah will stay in their land to the south

18:5c

and the house of Joseph shall remain in their territory in the north: Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

The descendants of Joseph will remain in the land they have received in the north
-or-
The family of Joseph will stay in their land to the north

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 19:9

19:9a

The inheritance of the Simeonites was taken from the territory of Judah: The information in verse 9a was already stated in verse 1c.

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

The people of the Simeon clan received land within the boundaries of the clan of Judah
-or-
The land that the clan of Simeon received as their permanent possession was inside the land of the clan of Judah

19:9b

because the share for Judah’s descendants was too large for them: Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

because the clan of Judah did not need all the land that it had received
-or-
Judah had received too much land for the number of people in its tribe (Contemporary English Version)

19:9c

So the Simeonites received an inheritance within Judah’s portion: This restates information from verse 9a. The repetition emphasizes that the clan of Simeon did not receive their own separate land. This repetition may not be natural in some languages. A way to avoid this repetition is suggested below.

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

So the inheritance of the clan of Simeon was within the boundaries of the inheritance of the clan of Judah
-or-
Therefore the clan of Simeon received their share of land inside the land that belonged to the clan of Judah

General Comment on verse 19:9

In some languages it may be more natural to combine the information in this verse so that there is less repetition. For example:

Simeon’s tribal land was actually inside Judah’s territory. Judah had received too much land for the number of people in its tribe, so part of Judah’s land was given to Simeon. (Contemporary English Version)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 19:41

19:41

The territory of their inheritance included Zorah, Eshtaol, Ir-shemesh: The clan of Dan received the towns of Zorah and Eshtaol from the clan of Judah. These towns are mentioned in chapter 15:33. The town of Ir-shemesh was also called Beth-shemesh and was listed as a border town of the clan of Judah in chapter 15:10.

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

Their land included the towns of Zorah, Eshtaol, Ir-shemesh
-or-
The land that they received had the following towns: Zorah and Eshtaol and Ir-shemesh

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 21:13

21:13a

So: This verse repeats information which was stated in verse 21:10-11. Some English versions translate this Hebrew conjunction as So, as “thus” or “and.” Use the connecting word that is natural in your language.

to the descendants of Aaron the priest they gave these cities, together with their pasturelands: Hebron, a city of refuge for the manslayer: In this verse Aaron is given the title of Aaron the priest, which is slightly different from verse 21:10. The Hebrew sentence puts the object of the sentence first to emphasize it. Use the sentence order that is natural in your language.

together with their pasturelands: The phrase together with their pasturelands refers to the land around Hebron where livestock could eat grass.

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

So the people of Israel gave Hebron town with its pasturelands to the descendants of Aaron the priest. Hebron was a town of safety for those who had killed someone by mistake.

a city of refuge for the manslayer: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as manslayer is the same Hebrew word that occurred in 20:3. In that verse the Berean Standard Bible translated it as “anyone who kills another.” It is recommended that you translate this term the same way as you did in verse 20:3.

21:13b

Libnah: The town of Libnah was southwest of Jerusalem.

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

⌊They also gave them⌋ Libnah and the grazing lands around it,
-or-
Libnah town and the grasslands around it,

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Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 2023

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 13:16

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 14:15

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 15:32

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 16:1

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 18:5

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 19:9

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 19:41

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 21:13

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