16:4

So Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph, received their inheritance: This verse is the conclusion to the paragraph. It may be helpful to add a conjunction or a phrase which shows that this is a conclusion, like the Berean Standard Bible does with So. For another example:

The people of Joseph, namely Manasseh and Ephraim, received their land according to the boundary lines given above

Ephraim and Manasseh: It may be helpful to state that the clans of Ephraim and Manasseh are the descendants of Joseph. For example:

the descendants of Joseph, that is, the clans of Ephraim and Manasseh

Manasseh: Manasseh was the first son of Joseph so he is listed first in the Hebrew. In the paragraph that follows, the land that Ephraim received is described before that of Manasseh. This reflects the story in Genesis 48, in which Joseph blessed Ephraim before he blessed Manasseh.

© 2001, 2011, 2020, 2022, 2023 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

18:8a

As the men got up to go out: The Hebrew phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as got up to go out is more literally “the men arose and they went.” This is a Hebrew idiom that is used to indicate the beginning of an action. Translate this in a way that is natural in your language to indicate the beginning of an action.

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

So the men started to go
-or-
The men went on their journey

18:8b

Joshua commanded them to map out the land, saying: The English word commanded can also be translated as “charged” or “told.”

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

Joshua instructed them (New International Version)
-or-
Joshua repeated their orders (Contemporary English Version)

18:8c

Go and survey the land, map it out: The words in 18:8c are similar to 18:4b–c. You should translate these verses in a similar way.

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

Walk all around the land and write a report about it
-or-
Go through the land and draw a map of it. The map will show the boundaries of the land.

18:8d

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

Then come back to me
-or-
Then return to me

18:8e

Then I will cast lots for you here in Shiloh in the presence of the LORD: This verse is like verse 18:6c except that the words in Shiloh are added.

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

Here in Shiloh town I will throw lots for you in the presence of Yahweh
-or-
I will throw marked stones here in Shiloh town to let Yahweh decide how to divide the land among you

© 2001, 2011, 2020, 2022, 2023 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

19:12a

From Sarid it turned eastward: The description of the border returns to the starting point at the town of Sarid. The southern border is described as it went northeast along the foothills near Nazareth.

it turned eastward: Although the Hebrew phrase is literally “eastward toward the sunrise,” in some languages it may be redundant to include both the term eastward and the phrase “toward the sunrise.” One of these terms may be left as implicit information. For example:

From Sarid it turned eastward to the territory of Kisloth Tabor (NET Bible)

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

From the other side of the town of Sarid it turned east toward the sunrise
-or-
Beginning again at Sarid town the border went toward the sunrise

19:12b

along the border of Chisloth-tabor: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as border also has the meaning of “territory.” Some English versions translate this term as “territory.” It is recommended that you translate this term as “boundary” or border.

Chisloth-tabor: The term Chisloth-tabor refers to a town. It was southeast of the town of Nazareth.

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

up to the border of Chisloth-tabor
-or-
and reached the boundary of the town of Chisloth-tabor

19:12c

and went on to Daberath and up to Japhia: The town of Daberath is northeast of Chisloth-tabor. The town of Japhia is southeast of the town of Nazareth.

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

From there the border went on to Daberath town and then on to Japhia town
-or-
Then the boundary line continued to the town of Daberath and up to the town of Japhia

© 2001, 2011, 2020, 2022, 2023 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

19:44

Eltekeh, Gibbethon: These two towns were southeast of the town of Joppa.

Baalath: The location of this town is uncertain.

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

Eltekeh town and Gibbethon town and Baalath town

© 2001, 2011, 2020, 2022, 2023 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

21:16

Ain: The town of Ain was mentioned in 15:32. It was allotted to both the clan of Judah and the clan of Simeon. It was in the south part of the land that was given to these clans.

Juttah: The town of Juttah was mentioned in 15:55. It was south of Hebron.

Beth-shemesh: The town of Beth-shemesh was mentioned in chapter 15:10. It was on the north boundary of the land that belonged to the clan of Judah, to the west of Jerusalem.

nine cities from these two tribes: The phrase nine cities from these two tribes indicates that the descendants of Aaron were given a total of nine towns from the clans of Judah and Simeon.

Here are some other ways to translate this verse:

Ain and the grazing lands around it, Juttah and the grazing lands around it, and Beth-shemesh with the grazing lands around it. Nine towns in all were given from these two clans.
-or-
and the town of Ain with its grasslands, the town of Juttah with its grasslands, and the town of Beth-shemesh with its grasslands. The clans of Judah and Simeon gave nine towns to the descendants of Aaron.

© 2001, 2011, 2020, 2022, 2023 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

Section 23:1–16

Joshua warned the Israelites to continue to obey Yahweh

Joshua gave this farewell speech to the Israelites when he was near the end of his life. This section connects back to Joshua 13:1 which says that Joshua was very old, and to Joshua 21:44 which says that God had given the Israelites rest. The text does not say where Joshua gave this farewell speech, but it may have taken place at Shiloh.

Here is another possible section heading:

Joshua’s farewell speech to the Israelites

Paragraph 23:1–5

23:1a

A long time after: The Hebrew phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as A long time after is more literally “from many days.” There is an interpretation issue with this phrase.

(1) It means that a long time passed after Israel was at peace. For example:

A long time passed after the Lord made Israel secure from all their enemies (NET Bible)

(NET Bible, Revised English Bible, New Century Version, Contemporary English Version, King James Version)

(2) It means that a long time passed, and then Israel was at peace. For example:

Much later the Lord gave Israel security from their enemies around them (Good News Translation)

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

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). This is followed by many English versions and Bible commentaries.

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

A long time went by
-or-
Many years later

23:1b

the LORD had given Israel rest from all the enemies around them: Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

after Yahweh had given peace to the Israelites
-or-
after Yahweh had made the Israelites secure from their enemies

23:1c

when Joshua was old and well along in years: This Hebrew idiom is more literally “Joshua was old and had come in days.” The same Hebrew idiom was used in 13:1. If you have an idiom in your language for old age you could use it here.

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

Joshua was an old man.
-or-
Joshua had grown old

© 2001, 2011, 2020, 2022, 2023 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

24:17a

For: The Hebrew conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates For introduces a reason. Here the people explained the reason why they would be faithful to Yahweh.

the LORD our God brought us and our fathers out of the land of Egypt: The Hebrew construction puts emphasis on the words “Yahweh our God.” This emphasizes the role of Yahweh as the one who saved them.

brought us and our fathers out: The word fathers refers to the parents and grandparents of the people who were standing there with Joshua.

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

Because Yahweh our God is the one who brought us (incl.) and our fathers up from the land of Egypt.
-or-
This is because of Yahweh our God. He himself led us and our parents and grandparents out of the land of Egypt.

24:17b

out of the house of slavery: The term house of slavery is a Hebrew idiom. It refers to the time when the Israelites were slaves in Egypt.

Here are some other ways to translate this idiom:

from that land of slavery (New International Version)
-or-
from where we were slaves in Egypt

and performed these great signs before our eyes: This indicates that the people saw the miracles that Yahweh did for them. Most of the people standing there were not yet born when the Israelites left Egypt. But the whole group identified with what God had done by bringing them out of Egypt.

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

He took us from the place where we (incl.) were slaves and he did great miracles before our eyes.
-or-
We were slaves there, but he rescued us and did great things for us to see.

24:17c

He also protected us: The Hebrew verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as protected can also be translated “he protected us” or “he watched over us.”

throughout our journey: The phrase throughout our journey indicates that Yahweh took care of them all the time they were walking from Egypt to Canaan.

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

He watched over us wherever we went.
-or-
He protected us through our whole journey,

24:17d

and among all the nations through which we traveled: Yahweh protected them as they walked through the territory of other nations.

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

⌊He guarded us⌋ while we traveled through the lands of other nations
-or-
through all the nations that we passed through

© 2001, 2011, 2020, 2022, 2023 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.