Those among the nations …: The places named in verse 8 are not nations; “peoples” (New English Bible) or “those living in” is more accurate than Good News Translation “regions.” Carmel is the mountain jutting out into the Mediterranean Sea from northern Palestine. Gilead is a region east of the Jordan River. Upper Galilee refers to “northern Galilee,” which is to the northwest of the Sea of Galilee. The great plain of Esdraelon is another name for “Jezreel Valley.” It separates northern Palestine from the central part of the land, cutting across the central highlands in a northwest to southeast direction. It is really a valley, but it is a very broad one; no word suggesting a narrow pass between mountains would be appropriate. By the same token, no word suggesting broad unlimited expanses would be appropriate. In some languages a descriptive phrase may be used; for example, “the wide flat area between the mountains.”

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Judith. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.