complete verse (Joshua 11:19)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Joshua 11:19:

  • Kupsabiny: “There was not even one city that made a peace treaty with the people of Israel, except the Hivites who lived in Gibeon. All the others were taken in battle” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Except for the Hivites who live in Gibeon, not a single people of these cities made a peace treaty with the Israelites. The Israelites conquered the others in battle.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “No-one made-friends-together with the Israelinhon aside-from the Hivhanon who live in Gibeon. Some of them on-the-other-hand, were-caused-to-be-defeated in war.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “There was only one group that made a peace agreement with the Israelis; they were the people of the Hiv people-group who lived in Gibeon. The Israelis captured all the other towns in battles.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Joshua 11:19

Only Gibeon made peace with the Israelites; again, as in 9.3 (Good News Translation), it is said that they were Hivites.

All the others were conquered in battle may be translated “The people of Israel conquered all the other cities.”

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 11:19

11:19a

No city made peace with the Israelites: Every town in this area fought against Israel. No town (except Gibeon) tried to make peace.

the Israelites: Another term for the Israelites is “the people of Israel.”

except the Hivites living in Gibeon: In 9:7 the people who lived in the town of Gibeon were identified as Hivites. The Hivites were one of the nations who lived on the west side of the Jordan River in the land of Canaan (see 9:3).

It may be more natural in some languages to translate the clause “No city made peace with the Israelites” in positive rather than negative terms. For example:

The people of only one city in all the land had made peace with Israel (New Century Version)
-or-
The only city that made peace with the people of Israel was Gibeon (Good News Translation)

11:19b

all others were taken in battle: The clause all others were taken in battle indicates that the Israelite army fought against all the other enemy nations and captured them.

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