SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 2023 – Page 81

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 19:17

Section 19:17-23

The clan of Issachar received their land

Paragraph 19:17-23

19:17

The fourth lot came out for the clans of the tribe of Issachar: The first part of the verse is similar to verse 19:1a.

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

The fourth lot belonged to the tribe of Issachar (NET Bible)
-or-
Joshua threw the lot the fourth time and the clan of Issachar received land

the clans of the tribe of Issachar: This part is similar to verse 19:1b.

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

by its clans (NET Bible)
-or-

⌊The clan of Issachar received land⌋ according to their families
-or-
Each family of the clan of Issachar received some land

© 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.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 19:49

Section 19:49-51

Joshua received land

Paragraph 19:49-51

19:49a

When they had finished distributing the land into its territories: Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

When they had finished distributing the land
-or-
After the people of Israel had finished dividing the land among all the clans

19:49b

the Israelites gave Joshua son of Nun an inheritance among them: Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

the people of Israel also gave some land to Joshua son of Nun as his inheritance
-or-
they also gave a portion of land to Joshua ⌊son of Nun⌋

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 21:21

21:21a

they were given Shechem: The Hebrew clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as they were given Shechem is more literally “they gave them Shechem.”

in the hill country of Ephraim: Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

in the mountain country of the clan of Ephraim
-or-
in the mountains of Ephraim

21:21b

a city of refuge for the manslayer: This phrase is the same Hebrew phrase as was found in verse 21:13. You should translate this phrase in the same way as you did in that verse.

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

It was a town where people could run to escape if they had killed someone by accident.
-or-
which was a town of safety for anyone who had killed somebody by mistake

21:21c

Gezer: The town of Gezer was mentioned in Joshua 10:33. It was southeast of Joppa.

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

⌊They also received⌋ Gezer and the grazing lands around it
-or-

⌊They received⌋ the town of Gezer and the grasslands around it

General Comment on verse 21:21

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

They received the town of Shechem and the pasturelands around it, in the hill country of Ephraim. It was a town of safety where anyone who killed somebody accidentally could escape. They also received the town of Gezer and the pasturelands around it.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 22:8

22:8a

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

saying to them,
-or-
and said to them,

22:8b

Return to your homes with your great wealth: The phrase great wealth refers to the things that the men of the two and a half clans took from their enemies in the battles they fought. This is made clear in 22:8d. It may be clearer to include this information in this part of the verse.

Verse 22:8b-c explains what the wealth consists of. Some English versions use dashes to indicate that the following items are a list of the things that the Israelites were taking home with them. Use punctuation or grammar that is natural in your language to indicate a list of items.

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

Return home with many valuable things
-or-
Go back home and take all your many possessions with you

with immense herds of livestock: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as herds of livestock and can refer to sheep and goats as well as cattle.

22:8c

with silver, gold, bronze, iron, and very many clothes: Here are some other ways to translate 8b-c:

Take your many cows and sheep and goats, your silver, gold, bronze, and iron and all your many clothes
-or-
Take all your animals, your silver and your gold and your bronze and iron items and your many clothing items

iron: This was at the very beginning of the iron age. Since iron was a new material that was stronger than bronze, items made of iron would have been very valuable.

22:8d

Divide with your brothers the spoil of your enemies: The phrase the spoil of your enemies refers to the things that the Israelites took from their enemies in battle.

with your brothers: The word brothers in this context refers to the people of the two and a half clans who have stayed home.

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

Share the things you have gotten from your enemies with your relatives.
-or-
Divide the things you have captured from your enemies with the other people of your clans.

General Comment on 22:8

It may be clearer in some languages to reorder the parts of this verse. For example:

Go back home and take all the things you have captured from your enemies: your many herds and flocks, your items of silver, gold, bronze, iron, and many pieces of clothing. Share these things with your fellow Israelites.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 23:6

Paragraph 23:6–8

23:6a

Be very strong, then: The conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as then is the Hebrew conjunction which connects sentences. It is translated in different ways depending upon the context. Translate this connecting word in a way that is natural in your language.

Be very strong: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as strong could also be translated as “steadfast” or “brave” or “determined.”

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

So be very determined to keep and obey
-or-
Be very firm and careful to do

23:6b

all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses: Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

everything that Moses wrote in the book of the law
-or-
every command that is in the law book that Moses wrote

23:6c

not turning aside from it to the right or to the left: The Hebrew idiom not turning aside from it to the right or to the left means that a person must obey God completely. He must not disobey any part of God’s law.

Here are some other ways to translate this idiom:

you must obey all of it completely
-or-
Do not turn away from any part of that law.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 24:22

24:22a

Then: The Hebrew conjunction 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.

You are witnesses against yourselves: There is an interpretation issue with the Hebrew preposition that the Berean Standard Bible translates as against.

(1) It means against. This indicates that the Israelites will be asked in the future to testify whether they have kept their covenant with Yahweh. If they have not kept the covenant, they will have to testify that they are wrong. For example:

Do you agree to be witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen to worship the Lord ? (NET Bible)

(Berean Standard Bible, NET Bible, Revised Standard Version, English Standard Version, New International Version, New American Bible, Revised Edition, New American Standard Bible, Revised English Bible, Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures, King James Version)

(2) It means for or about. This indicates that the Israelites are affirming that they have said that they will serve Yahweh. It does not imply any consequences for the future. For example:

You have testified that you have chosen to serve the Lord. (God’s Word)

(God’s Word, Good News Translation, New Living Translation (2004), New Century Version, New Jerusalem Bible, Contemporary English Version)

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 clause:

You (plur.) will give evidence against yourselves
-or-
You are witnesses who may have to condemn yourselves

that you have chosen to serve the LORD: Here are some other ways to translate this:

that you have chosen to serve Yahweh
-or-
that you chose to worship and obey Yahweh

24:22b

“We are witnesses!” they said: Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

They answered, “Yes, we (excl.) agree to be our own witnesses.”
-or-
They said, “Yes, we will testify ⌊against ourselves⌋ .”

Search

Step into the multitudes of languages of the Bible and join the worldwide conversation!

Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 2023

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 19:17

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 19:49

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 21:21

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 22:8

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 23:6

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 24:22

Search

Step into the multitudes of languages of the Bible and join the worldwide conversation!

American Bible Society