Joshua

The Hebrew, Latin, and Greek that is transliterated as “Joshua” is translated in Swiss-German Sign Language with a sign that depicts a trumpet of rams’ horn, referring to Joshua 6:4 and following.


“Joshua” in Swiss-German Sign Language, source: DSGS-Lexikon biblischer Begriffe , © CGG Schweiz

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Joshua .

complete verse (Joshua 10:21)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Joshua 10:21:

  • Kupsabiny: “All the soldiers gathered to where Joshua was in Makkedah. No one would again threaten the people of Israel in that country.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The whole army returned safely to Joshua in the camp of Makkedah. No one spoke even a single word against the Israelites.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Then all the soldiers returned to Josue in their camp at Makeda. From that-time, no one dared to-speak against the Israelinhon.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Then Joshua’s army returned to Joshua, who was still in their camp at Makkedah. No one in the land dared to criticize the Israelis.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Joshua 10:21

Safe translates the Hebrew “in peace”; see Jerusalem Bible “safe and sound.”

The section (10.16-21) ends with a graphic statement of the fear all the Canaanites felt. Not only did active opposition against the Israelites cease, but even criticism of them; “not a man moved his tongue” (Revised Standard Version). The verb translated “moved” means literally “to sharpen.”It is impossible to tell where New English Bible got its interpretation, “not a man of the Israelites suffered so much as a scratch on his tongue”—which seems an odd place to be wounded. Good News Translation, by rendering dared even to speak against, removes the metaphor of the Hebraic expression. Although it is doubtful if many languages can use the Hebrew idiom very effectively, it is quite possible that a number of languages will have their own idiomatic expressions which might be very effective. For example, “No one dared even to cast a glance toward the Israelites” or “… squint at the Israelites.”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Newman, Barclay M. A Handbook on Joshua. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1983. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 10:21

10:21a

The whole army returned safely to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah: The clause returned safely to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah indicates that Joshua had made a temporary camp at Makkedah and waited there for the army to return from battle.

Makkedah: The town of Makkedah was mentioned in 10:10. Makkedah was in the southern part of Canaan, about 14 kilometers west of Hebron. Joshua made his camp there temporarily while the Israelite army attacked the towns in the south of Canaan.

General Comment on 10:20a-21a

It may be clearer in some languages to split this long sentence into several shorter sentences. For example:

20a Joshua and the Israelite soldiers killed almost all of the Amorite soldiers. 20b There were hardly any left alive. 20c Those who were still alive ran into their fortified towns. 21a Then all the Israelite soldiers returned safely to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah.

10:21b

no one dared to utter a word against the Israelites: The Hebrew clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as no one dared to utter a word is more literally “not a man sharpened his tongue.” This Hebrew idiom indicates that none of the Canaanites criticized the Israelites or spoke anything bad about them, because they saw how powerful the Israelites were.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

no one dared to speak against any of the Israelites (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
no one uttered a word against the Israelites (New International Version)
-or-
no one around there dared say anything bad about the Israelites (Contemporary English Version)

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