SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 2023 – Page 61

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 20:2

20:2a

Tell the Israelites: The phrase Tell the Israelites is a command from Yahweh to Joshua. This command is in direct speech. In some languages it may be more natural to report this command in indirect speech. For example,

⌊Then Yahweh told Joshua⌋ to say to the people of Israel

20:2b

to designate the cities of refuge: The Hebrew phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as designate is more literally “give to yourselves” or “set for yourselves.” In this context it indicates that the Israelites must choose some towns.

cities of refuge: A refuge is a place where someone can be safe. The cities of refuge were towns to which people who were in trouble could run and be safe.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

safe towns
-or-
towns to be safe
-or-
towns of safety

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

Choose for yourselves towns where people can run and be safe
-or-
that they should select safe towns

20:2c

as I instructed you through Moses: The Hebrew clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as as I instructed you through Moses is more literally “which I spoke to you by the hand of Moses.” Yahweh had spoken to Moses and told him to tell the Israelites to select these towns after they had crossed the Jordan River. This is reported in Numbers 35:9–29 and in Deuteronomy 19:1–13.

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

I commanded Moses to speak to you about them.
-or-

⌊long ago⌋ I told Moses to speak to you about these towns

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SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 21:25

21:25

And: The Hebrew conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as And indicates the next event in the story. It may be more natural in some languages to omit this conjunction.

from the half-tribe of Manasseh: The half-tribe of Manasseh refers to the part of the clan of Manasseh that lived west of the Jordan River.

Taanach: The town of Taanach was mentioned in 12:21. It was on the border of the lands that belonged to the clans of Issachar and Manasseh.

Gath-rimmon: There is a textual issue with the name of this town:

(1) The name of the town is Jibleam.

New Jerusalem Bible, Contemporary English Version

(2) The name of the town is Gath-rimmon.

Berean Standard Bible, Revised Standard Version, English Standard Version, New International Version, NET Bible, New American Standard Bible, God’s Word, Revised English Bible, Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures, New American Bible, Revised Edition, Good News Translation, New Living Translation (2004), King James Version

It is recommended that you follow option (1). This is not the word in the Hebrew text, but it is supported by one ancient Greek manuscript and by the parallel passage in I Chronicles 6:70. This is the recommendation of most commentaries and also of the Hebrew Old Testament Text Project (Hebrew Old Testament Text Project). These commentaries think we should not translate it as “Gath-rimmon,” because the town of Gath-rimmon was assigned to the clan of Dan in verse 21:24.

two cities: The phrase two cities refers to the towns that the half-clan of Manasseh gave to the Kohath families.

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

From the half of the clan of Manasseh ⌊that lived west of the Jordan River⌋ they received Taanach and the grazing lands around it, and Jibleam and the grazing lands around it. The total was two towns.
-or-
The part of the Manasseh clan that lived west of the Jordan River gave them Taanach town and its grasslands and Jibleam town and its grasslands. They received two towns from that clan.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 22:12

22:12a

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

when: The Hebrew text does not have a word that is equivalent to when. The Berean Standard Bible has added the word when to make the meaning clear in English.

they heard this: The Hebrew text does not have the word this. The Berean Standard Bible has added this to make the meaning clear in English.

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

The rest of the people of Israel heard about this
-or-
When the other Israelite clans heard of that

22:12b

the whole congregation of Israel: This phrase refers to the clans of Israel who had received their land on the west side of the Jordan River. It may be clearer in some languages to translate this phrase as “the people of the western clans.”

assembled at Shiloh: Verse 9 stated that the two and a half clans had left the other Israelites at Shiloh to return to their land east of the Jordan River. Now the other clans came together at Shiloh to discuss the report that they heard.

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

all the men of the western clans came together at Shiloh town
-or-
All the Israel people ⌊on the west side of the river⌋ gathered together at the town of Shiloh

22:12c

to go to war against them: The Hebrew phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as to go to war against them is more literally “to go up against them for war.”

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

to make war against them
-or-

⌊to get ready⌋ to attack them

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 23:10

23:10a

One of you can put a thousand to flight: The Hebrew clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as One of you can put a thousand to flight is more literally “One man of you chases a thousand.” This indicates that one Israelite soldier can make a thousand enemy soldiers run away.

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

One of you ⌊is able to⌋ chase away one thousand ⌊of the enemy⌋ .
-or-
One of you will make a thousand ⌊of them⌋ run away

23:10b

because: The Hebrew conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as because can also be translated “since.” It introduces the reason why one Israelite soldier was able to make one thousand enemy soldiers run away.

the LORD your God fights for you: This clause uses the same words as verse 23:3b. The Berean Standard Bible translated the Hebrew participle “the one who fights” in the past tense in that verse (23:3) because the context referred to what had already happened. It is translated in the present tense here because it refers to the pattern of how God operates. Use the tense or aspect that is natural in your language.

just as He promised: This clause uses similar words as verse 23:5c.

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

because Yahweh your God is the one fighting on your behalf, as he told you he would do
-or-
because Yahweh your God helps you to defeat your enemies. He promised that he would do this for you

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 24:26

24:26a

Joshua recorded these things: The phrase these things refers to the statues and ordinances that are mentioned in the previous verse.

in the Book of the Law of God: The Book of the Law of God refers to the book, or scroll, in which Joshua wrote down the laws that he received from God for them. The people of that time wrote things on scrolls rather than in books. Some English versions use the word scroll. For example:

Joshua wrote these words in the Law Scroll of God (NET Bible)

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

Then Joshua wrote down all these words in the book that contained God’s laws.
-or-
Then Joshua wrote these things in the book of God’s teachings ⌊for them⌋ .

24:26b

Then he took a large stone and set it up there under the oak: In many languages it may be more natural to begin a new sentence here. The clause set it up indicates that Joshua stood the large stone up on its end.

He erected a big stone
-or-
He stood a big stone on its end

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

oak: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as oak is found only in this verse. It refers to a kind of tree, but scholars do not agree on what kind of tree it was. Some English versions translate this word as “terebinth,” which is a tree in the cashew family.

Here are some ways to translate this word:

oak (Berean Standard Bible, Revised Standard Version, NET Bible, New American Standard Bible, New International Version, God’s Word, Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures, Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, New Century Version, New Jerusalem Bible, King James Version)
-or-
terebinth (English Standard Version, New American Bible, Revised Edition, New Living Translation (2004), Revised English Bible)

near the sanctuary of the LORD: This sanctuary was a place where Yahweh was worshiped. The tree was probably close to this place.

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

He took a large stone and set it up under the oak tree near the holy place of Yahweh.
-or-
He set a large stone on its end under the oak tree, near the place that was set apart to worship Yahweh.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 1:10

Section 1:10–18 Joshua told the Israelites to get ready to cross the Jordan River

In this section Joshua told the Israelites to get ready and prepare food to cross the Jordan River. He reminded the men of Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh that they would cross the Jordan River with the rest of the Israelites.

Here are some other possible sections headings:

Preparing to cross the Jordan River

Paragraph 1:10-11

Joshua told the Israelites that they will soon cross the Jordan River. They must get food ready to take with them.

1:10

Then: The Hebrew conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Then is used to show that the next action in the story will take place. Use a connection that is appropriate in your language for the beginning of a new section.

Here are some other ways to translate this wordː

And
-or-
So

Joshua commanded the officers of the people: In some languages it may be necessary to say that Joshua summoned the officers before he spoke to them.

officers of the people: The phrase officers of the people refers to the leaders of each Israelite tribe. Choose a word that indicates a position of responsibility and leadership but not of command over all the Israelites.

Here is another way to translate this phraseː

the leaders of the tribes of Israel

Here are some other ways to translate this verse:

Then Joshua commanded the leaders of the people of Israel (Translation for Translators)
-or-
Joshua ordered the tribal leaders (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
Then Joshua called the leaders of the Israelites together and told them

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 2:24

2:24a

The Hebrew conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible leaves untranslated but many English versions translate as “and” indicates the next event in the story.

In this part of the verse the two Israelite men use similar words to those that Rahab did in verse 2:9.

The LORD has surely delivered: The Hebrew verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as has…delivered is in the perfect aspect. The perfect aspect expresses a completed action. They said that the land already belongs to the Israelites because Yahweh will give it to them. It is as if the action has already been done. The Berean Standard Bible translates the Hebrew perfect aspect with an English present perfect tense. If this is not natural in your language, you can translate the verb as a future tense. For example:

Yahweh will certainly hand over all this land to us

surely: The Hebrew conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as surely indicates an emphatic assertion.

the entire land: The phrase the entire land refers to the entire land of Canaan.

into our hands: The phrase into our hands is a figure of speech. The words our hands indicates that the land will be under the control of the Israelites.

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

Yahweh has indeed given us power over all this land
-or-
Yahweh will certainly give us this land

2:24b

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

Then they said to him
-or-
They told Joshua

2:24c

Indeed: The Hebrew adverb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Indeed is used for emphasis.

Here are some other ways to translate this Hebrew adverb:

and also (English Standard Version)
-or-
for (New Living Translation (2004))

Some English versions leave this adverb untranslated. For example:

all the people are melting in fear because of us (New International Version)

all who dwell in the land: The phrase all who dwell in the land refers to the people who live in the land of Canaan.

are melting in fear: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as are melting in fear is the same Hebrew verb used in 2:9d. If possible, you should use the same expression here as you did there.

of us: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as of us is more literally “from before us.” It indicates that the people of Canaan were afraid of the Israelites.

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

Indeed, everyone who lives in this country is terrified of us.
-or-
All the people of this land even shake with fear because of us.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 4:15

Paragraph 4:15–18

4:15

Then: The word Then indicates that the next action in the story is about to take place.

the LORD said to Joshua: It may be more natural in some languages to use a word such as:

Yahweh ordered Joshua
-or-
Yahweh commanded Joshua

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Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 2023