SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 2023 – Page 80

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 10:16

Paragraph 10:16–21

10:16

Now the five kings: The phrase the five kings refers to the five Amorite kings who joined together to fight the Israelites. There is a list of these kings in 10:3.

had fled: The verb fled indicates that the kings ran away from the battle. There is implicit information: The five kings ran away before the battle finished. They probably ran away when they realized that the Israelites would win the battle. It may be more natural in some languages to include the implicit information in this part of the verse. For example:

During the battle the five kings escaped (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
While the enemy soldiers were running from the Israelites, the five enemy kings ran away (Contemporary English Version)

and hidden in the cave at Makkedah: The phrase in the cave at Makkedah refers to a cave near the town of Makkedah. 10:10 stated that the Israelite army chased the Amorite armies as far as the towns of Azekah and Makkedah. The five enemy kings found a cave near Makkedah where they could hide from the Israelites.

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SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 11:5

11:5a

All these kings: The phrase All these kings indicates the kings of each of the towns mentioned in the above verses.

joined forces: The clause joined forces indicates that the kings told their armies to fight together as one army against the Israelites.

11:5b

and encamped: The clause and encamped indicates that all the armies set up their camps as if they were one army.

at the waters of Merom: The exact location of the waters of Merom is uncertain. It was probably a riverbed where waters flowed during rainstorms. It was probably somewhere between the Sea of Galilee and the Mediterranean coast.

Here is another way to translate this term:

Merom Brook (Good News Translation)

11:5c

to fight against Israel: The clause to fight against Israel indicates the intention of the armies. They gathered and set up camp in order to fight against the Israelites. This can also be translated as an independent sentence. For example:

Then they got ready to fight with Israel.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 13:2

13:2–6

These verses are a list of all the towns and regions that the Israelites had not yet conquered. Use a format that is appropriate to list place names in your language. Verse 2a introduces the list.

13:2a

This is the land that remains: The phrase the land that remains indicates the places in Canaan that Israel has not yet conquered. It may be helpful to include some implicit information. For example:

This is the land that has not yet ⌊been conquered⌋

13:2b

All the territory of the Philistines: The territory of the Philistines were on the coastal plain of the Mediterranean Sea in the southwestern part of Canaan.

Philistines: The Philistines indicates a group of people who lived in several large towns near the Mediterranean Sea.

Here is another way to translate this word:

Filisti people

The Philistines are mentioned several times in Genesis. If you have already translated Genesis, you should translate this name the same way you did there. See, for example, Genesis 10:14.

and the Geshurites: The phrase the Geshurites indicates the land where the Geshur people lived. The Geshur people were mentioned in Joshua 12:5 and you should translate the term the same way in both places.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 14:1

Section 14:1-5 The Israelites divided the land west of the Jordan River

In this section the nine and a half tribes who were to live on the west side of the Jordan River received their allotment of land. The tribe of Levi received only towns to live in.

Here are some other possible section headings:

The land west of the Jordan River
-or-
Dividing up the land

Paragraph 14:1-5

14:1a

Now these are the portions that the Israelites inherited in the land of Canaan: This sentence introduces a new topic. The topic is the areas of land which each tribe received on the west side of the Jordan River. Begin this sentence in a way that is natural in your language.

these are the portions: This phrase refers to the detailed description of land areas in chapters 14-19.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

forWhat follows is an account of how the land…was divided (Good News Translation)
-or-
Here are the pieces of land that the people of Israel received

portions: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as portions is more literally “gave them as a possession.” God gave some land to each tribe of Israel. He intended that their children and grandchildren would inherit those lands forever.

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

the land that God gave them
-or-
the lands they received as a possession

the land of Canaan: The phrase the land of Canaan refers to the land on the west side of the Jordan River, and also to some of the other nearby lands. God first promised this land to Abraham in Genesis 15:17-21.

14:1b

as distributed by Eleazar the priest: Eleazar was the son of Aaron and he became the high priest after Aaron died. The word priest was used in 3:3 and you should translate it the same way in both places.

as distributed: The phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as as distributed can also be translated “divided” or “gave.”

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

they divided it among the people
-or-
they decided what land to give to each group

Joshua son of Nun: This phrase was used in Joshua 1:1 and you should translate it the same way in both places.

14:1c

and the heads of the families of the tribes of Israel: This phrase refers to the leaders of the Israelite tribes. In Numbers 34:16-29 Yahweh commanded Moses to appoint one leader from each of the tribes of Israel to help assign the land along with Joshua and Eleazar the priest. Moses decided who each of these leaders would be.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

the leaders of the families of the Israelite tribes (Good News Translation)
-or-
the leaders of all the tribes of Israel (New Century Version)

General Comment on 14:1a-c

In some languages it may be more natural to change the order of the clauses in this verse. For example:

1b Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, 1c and the leaders of all the tribes of Israel 1a decided what land to give to the people in the land of Canaan. (New Century Version)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 15:18

15:18a

One day Acsah came to Othniel and urged him to ask her father for a field: There is an interpretation issue with the Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as One day Acsah came to Othniel.

(1) It refers to the time of Acsah’s marriage to Othniel. For example:

On the wedding day (Good News Translation)

(Good News Translation, New Living Translation (2004), Contemporary English Version)

(2) It refers to an unspecified day. For example:

One day when she came to Othniel (New International Version)

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, NET Bible)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), which is supported by commentaries and by several English versions.

urged him: There is a textual issue with this Hebrew word.

(1) The Hebrew text and most Greek translations read “she urged him.” For example:

she urged him (New International Version)

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

(2) One Greek translation reads “he urged her.” For example:

Othniel urged her (Good News Translation)

(Good News Translation, NET Bible, New English Bible)

It is recommended that you follow option (1). These are the words of the Hebrew text and of most Greek manuscripts and the reading followed by most English versions.

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

When Acsah came to marry Othni-el, she urged Othni-el to ask her father for a field
-or-
When she became his wife, Acsah told Othni-el to ask her father to give her a field

15:18b

When she got off her donkey: Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

Acsah got down from her donkey
-or-
as she got off her donkey

To make a smoother transition between 18a and 18b, some English versions add implied information. The implied information is underlined below. For example:

Right after the wedding, Achsah started telling Othniel that he ought to ask her father for a field. She went to see her father, and while she was getting down from her donkey (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
When Caleb’s daughter married Othniel, she told him to ask her father to give her a field. Then Acsah went to talk with her father Caleb. As she got down from her donkey (Translation for Translators)

It is recommended that you add implied information if it will help readers to understand the meaning clearly.

15:18c

Caleb asked her, “What do you desire?”: Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

and Caleb asked her “What do you want?”
-or-
Caleb asked her, “What can I do for you?”

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 15:50

15:50

Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim:

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 17:9

17:9a-b

From there the border continued southward to the Brook of Kanah. There were cities belonging to Ephraim among the cities of Manasseh: There is an interpretation issue in this verse. Scholars do not agree on how the word southward relates to the parts of this verse.

(1) It relates to the phrase the cities in verse 9b. For example:

These cities, to the south of the brook… (English Standard Version)

(English Standard Version, Revised Standard Version, New American Bible, Revised Edition, Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures, New Living Translation (2004), Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, King James Version)

(2) It relates to the term border in verse 9a. For example:

Then the boundary continued south to the Kanah Ravine (New International Version)

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, NET Bible, God’s Word)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with the majority of English versions and some commentaries. The border of Manasseh went south of the Kanah River for some distance. However, there were some towns belonging to the clan of Ephraim that were within the borders of the land assigned to Manasseh.

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

Some towns that belonged to the clan of Ephraim were south of the river, among the towns that belonged to the clan of Manasseh

17:9a

From there the border continued southward to the Brook of Kanah: You should translate the phrase the Brook of Kanah the same way as you translated it in Joshua 16:8.

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

Then the border descended to the southwest to the Kanah River
-or-
The border then continued south downhill to the Kanah streambed

17:9c

but the border of Manasseh was on the north side of the brook and ended at the Sea: Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

The border of Manasseh’s land continued ⌊westward⌋ on the north side of the river and ended at the Mediterranean Sea
-or-
Then the boundary line of Manasseh’s land went along the northern side of the river, and it ended at the Mediterranean Sea

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 18:23

18:23

Avvim, Parah, Ophrah:

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Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 2023

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 10:16

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 11:5

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 13:2

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 14:1

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 15:18

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 15:50

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 17:9

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 18:23

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