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 11:13)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Joshua 11:13:

  • Kupsabiny: “The people of Israel did not burn those cities that had been built on hills, but Hazor was the only one that was burned.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Joshua burned only Hazor city. They did not burn any of the other hill cities.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “But the Israelinhon did- not -burn the towns in the hills/[lit. some-what-like-mountains], aside-from Hazor.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Joshua’s men burned Hazor city, but they did not burn any of the other cities that were built on small hills.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Joshua 11:13

Cities built on mounds were walled cities built on the ruins or debris of previous settlement—as such cities were customarily built. Hazor was the only one of those cities that Joshua set on fire.

Which Joshua did burn may be omitted from explicit mention in translation, since the phrase except Hazor clearly implies that Joshua and his army did burn that city. In fact, in light of verse 11, this verse may be translated, “However, Joshua and his men did not burn any of these cities. They left them standing on the mounds where they were built.”

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 11:13

11:13a

Yet Israel did not burn any of the cities built on their mounds: Here is another way to translate this sentence:

But Israel burned none of the towns that stood on mounds (New Revised Standard Version)

Israel: The noun Israel indicates Joshua and the Israelite army.

their mounds: Some towns were built on top of the ruins of other older towns. When this happened many times at these sites, the mounds, or small hills, were formed. Joshua did not destroy these towns.

Here is another way to translate this word:

small hills (Contemporary English Version)

11:13b

except Hazor, which Joshua burned: The clause except Hazor indicates that Hazor was the only town on a mound that the Israelites captured and burned during the battle in the north.

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