SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 2023 – Page 70

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 21:1

Section Joshua 21:1–45 The clan of Levi received towns to live in

Paragraph 21:1–3

21:1a

Now: The Hebrew conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Now indicates the next event in the story. This begins a new section. Use a connecting word that is appropriate in your language to begin a new section.

the family heads of the Levites: The phrase the family heads of the Levites refers to the leaders of the Levite clan. This same phrase was used in 14:1. Translate it in a similar way to how you did in that verse.

approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun: Yahweh had told Moses in Numbers 34:16–17 that Eleazar and Joshua would assign land to all the clans of Israel. Yahweh had also told Moses in Numbers 35:1–8 to give the Levites towns to live in and pasturelands around the towns.

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

Then the heads of the families in the clan of Levi came to Eleazar the priest and to Joshua the son of Nun
-or-
After that, the leaders of the families of the Levi clan went to Eleazar the priest and to Joshua son of Nun

21:1b

and the heads of the other tribes of Israel: In verse 21:1a the leaders were those of the Levi clan. They approached the leaders from all the other clans of Israel.

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

and to the heads of the other Israel clans
-or-
and to the leaders of all the other clans of Israel

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SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 21:33

21:33

In all, thirteen cities, together with their pasturelands, were given to the Gershonite clans: This verse is like verses 21:19 and 21:26. It is a concluding statement for this paragraph.

Here are some other ways to translate this verse:

The Gershon families received a total of thirteen towns and the grazing lands around them.
-or-
The family groups of the Gershon people were given thirteen towns and their grasslands.

Paragraph: 21:34–40

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 22:20

22:20a

Was not Achan son of Zerah unfaithful regarding what was set apart for destruction: This is a rhetorical question. It functions as a warning. There are two ways to translate this question:

• As a question. For example:

Achan son of Zerah acted unfaithfully concerning the things that belonged to Yahweh, didn’t he?

• As a statement. For example:

Remember how Achan son of Zerah refused to obey the command about things that must be destroyed. (English Easy-to-Read Version)

Achan son of Zerah: This person was first mentioned in 7:1.

unfaithful: The Hebrew words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as unfaithful are the same words that occurred in verse 22:16 that the Berean Standard Bible translated as “breach of faith.” It means to act disloyally or unfaithfully. Achan did not keep the promise he made to Yahweh to obey his commands.

regarding what was set apart for destruction: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as what was set apart was first used in 6:17-18. Yahweh said that these things belonged to him. The Israelites must not keep them. In 7:1 Achan stole some of these things and hid them. He and his family died because of that sin. It is recommended that you translate this Hebrew word in a similar way to how it was translated in 6:17 and 7:1.

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

Did not Achan the son of Zerah disobey the command concerning the things that belonged to Yahweh?
-or-
Achan the son of Zerah acted disloyally toward Yahweh regarding the things that must be destroyed

22:20b

bringing wrath upon the whole congregation of Israel: The clause bringing wrath upon the whole congregation of Israel indicates that Yahweh was angry with all the Israelite people.

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

Yahweh was angry with all the people of Israel ⌊because of what Achan did⌋
-or-
Yahweh became angry with the entire community of Israel

22:20c

Yet it was not only Achan who perished because of his sin: The clause not only Achan who perished because of his sin indicates that Achan was not the only person who died because of what he had done. His whole family also died. The Israel people were concerned that they would die because of the sin of the eastern clans.

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

He was not the only person who died because of his sin.
-or-
Other people also died because he had sinned.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 24:2

24:2a

And: The Hebrew conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as And introduces the next event in the storyline. Introduce this next event in a way that is natural in your language.

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

Then Joshua told all the people
-or-
Then Joshua said to everyone

24:2b

This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: This part of the verse indicates that what Joshua was going to tell them was a message that had God’s authority.

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

This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel says:
-or-
Yahweh, the God of Israel, says this:

24:2c

your fathers: The phrase your fathers refers to the ancestors of the Israelite people.

Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor: Terah was an important ancestor of the Israelite people. He was the father of Abraham, whom God called to leave his country and form a new nation.

lived beyond the Euphrates: The word lived indicates that these people lived a long time ago.

beyond the Euphrates: Their ancestors lived on the east side of the Euphrates River. Joshua and the people were now far away from the Euphrates River on its west side.

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

Long ago your ancestors lived on the east side of the Euphrates River.
-or-
A long time ago your ancestors lived ⌊way over there⌋ on the other side of the Euphrates River.

and worshiped other gods: The clause and worshiped other gods indicates that Terah as well as other ancestors of the Israelites did not worship Yahweh. They worshiped other, different, gods.

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

This included Terah, who was the father of Abraham and Nahor. They worshiped other gods.
-or-
including Terah who was the father of Abraham and Nahor. They worshiped foreign gods.

General Comment on 24:2

In some languages it may be more natural to reorder the parts of this verse. For example:

Then Joshua told everyone to listen to this message from the Lord, the God of Israel: Long ago your ancestors lived on the other side of the Euphrates River, and they worshiped other gods. This continued until the time of your ancestor Terah and his two sons, Abraham and Nahor. (Contemporary English Version)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 1:7

1:7a

Above all, be strong and very courageous: The Hebrew words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as be strong and [be] very courageous are the same as those translated “be strong” and “[be] courageous” in 1:6a. You should translate them the same way in both places.

Above all: The phrase Above all makes the command stronger.

Here is another way to translate this phrase:

you must be strong and very courageous

very: There is a textual issue with this part of the verse.

(1) The Hebrew text includes the word very

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

(2) The Septuagint, the early Greek translation, does not have the word very

(Good News Translation, New Century Version, Contemporary English Version)

It is recommended that you follow the Hebrew text and include a word that means very.

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

You must be strong and very courageous
-or-
Be determined and very brave

1:7b

Be careful to observe all the law: The clause Be careful to observe indicates that Joshua must follow all the law.

all the law: The phrase all the law refers to the laws and commandments that Yahweh gave to Moses to pass on to the Israelites.

that My servant Moses commanded you: Yahweh referred to Moses as My servant in verse 1:2a, and you should translate it the same way in both places.

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

You must carefully keep all the commandments that my servant Moses commanded you
-or-
Be sure to follow all the laws that Moses, my servant, told you to do

1:7c

Do not turn from it to the right or to the left: The phrase Do not turn from it means that Joshua must not disobey the law.

The phrase to the right or to the left is an idiom. It indicates that Joshua must not disobey the law in any way. He must carefully follow every part of the law.

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

Do not stop obeying any of the law
-or-
follow them exactly (New Century Version)
-or-
Do not walk away from any of these laws

1:7d

so that you may prosper wherever you go: This clause indicates that if Joshua obeyed all the laws, he would prosper wherever he went. However, this means more than “wherever he traveled.” It also means that he would be successful in everything he did.

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

so that you will succeed wherever you go
-or-
Then you will be successful in everything you do (New Century Version)
-or-
then everything will go well with you wherever you go

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 2:21

2:21a

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

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

Then

Let it be as you say: The clause Let it be as you say indicates that Rahab agreed to do what the men told her.

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

I agree to what you have said
-or-
I will do as you have said

2:21c

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

she sent them away: The clause she sent them away indicates that Rahab told the men to go.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

she said goodbye to them
-or-
she took leave of them

And when they had gone: The clause they had gone indicates that the men left.

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

After that she told them to go on their way, and they left
-or-
Then she said goodbye to them and they ⌊went down the rope and⌋ left

2:21d

The Hebrew conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible leaves untranslated indicates the next event in the story.

she tied the scarlet cord in the window: This states that Rahab tied the red rope in the window after the two men left.

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

Then she tied the red rope in the window
-or-
When they had gone, she tied the red rope to the window

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 4:12

Paragraph 4:12–13

4:12a

The Reubenites: The word Reubenites refers to men of the tribe of Reuben.

Here is another way to translate this phrase:

men from the tribe of Reuben

the Gadites: The word Gadites refers to men of the tribe of Gad.

Here is another way to translate this phrase:

men from the tribe of Gad

and the half-tribe of Manasseh: The phrase the half-tribe of Manasseh refers to the families of the tribe of Manasseh who asked Moses for permission to settle on the east side of the Jordan River along with the tribes of Reuben and Gad. This request and Moses’ answer is found in Numbers 32:16–33.

Here is another way to translate this phrase:

men from the east part of the tribe of Manasseh

There is implied information here. These men were also soldiers. This is made clear in 4:12b. For example:

The armed warriors from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh (New Living Translation (2004))

4:12b

crossed over before the Israelites, armed for battle: The phrase crossed over…armed for battle indicates that the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh took their weapons with them when they crossed over the Jordan River. They were ready to fight. They did this to show that they would keep the promise they made to Joshua in 1:16-18. They promised to help the other tribes of Israel conquer the land of Canaan.

Here is another way to translate this phrase:

they crossed the river carrying their weapons

before the Israelites: The phrase before the Israelites indicates that the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed the river ahead of the other tribes.

4:12c

as Moses had instructed them: The phrase as Moses had instructed them indicates that these tribes obeyed the command that Moses gave them before he died. This command is recorded in Numbers 32:16–32 and Deuteronomy 3:12–20.

had instructed: The phrase had instructed means “had commanded.”

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 6:5

6:5a

And: The word And introduces the next command that Yahweh gave to Joshua. Many English versions use a temporal connector such as “then.”

Here is another way to translate this word:

Then, when they make a long blast

Use a connecting word that is natural in your language.

when there is a long blast: On the seventh day, they are to walk around the town seven times, with the priests blowing their trumpets. After the seventh time around, they are to blow a long loud sound on their trumpets.

of the ram’s horn: The term ram’s horn refers to the trumpets that the priests blew. It may be more natural in some languages to leave this reference to the ram’s horn implicit, as in Good News Translation:

Then they are to sound one long note. (Good News Translation)

6:5b

and you hear: The pronoun you refers to Joshua and the soldiers in the Israelite army.

its sound: The phrase its sound refers to the long sound that the priests are to blow with horns after they walk around the town the seventh time.

6:5c

have all the people: The phrase all the people refers to the soldiers.

give a mighty shout: The clause give a mighty shout is a command. This is a Hebrew idiom that means that the soldiers must shout loudly.

6:5d

Then: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Then expresses the result of their action. The wall of the town will fall when the soldiers shout. Use a word in your language that expresses result.

the wall of the city: Jericho had a wall made of stone and brick built around it. It may be necessary to make this clear by adding the implicit information:

the wall ⌊around⌋ the town

will collapse: The phrase will collapse means that the stones and bricks in the wall will fall apart and collapse onto the ground.

6:5e

and all your people: The term all your people refers to the Israelite soldiers.

will charge: The phrase will charge is a command. It indicates that the soldiers must climb over the rubble of the wall and enter the town.

straight into the city: The phrase straight into the city means that every soldier must run straight over the collapsed wall and into the town, starting from where he is standing when the walls collapse.

General Comment on 6:3–5

In verses 3–5 Yahweh gave commands to Joshua about what he and the Israelite army must do. In verses 6–20 the story is told of how the Israelites carried out Yahweh’s command.

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Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 2023

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 21:1

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 21:33

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 22:20

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 24:2

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 1:7

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 2:21

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 4:12

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 6:5

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