complete verse (Joshua 13:26)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Joshua 13:26:

  • Kupsabiny: “It began at Heshbon in the south and passed by Ramath-mizpeh, Betonim and Manahaim and reached to Lo-debar in the north.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “and from Heshbon up to Ramath-mizpeh and Betonim and from Mahanaim up to the area of Debir.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “(It) also included the land[s] from Heshbon as-far-as/until Ramat Mizpa and Betomin, and from Mahanaim up-to the border of Lo Debar.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “the area from Heshbon city to Ramath-Mizpah and Betonim towns; the area from Mahanaim town to the Debir region;” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Joshua 13:26

Lodebar does not represent the actual form of the Masoretic text, which seems to mean “to Debir” (so Revised Standard Version “to the territory of Debir”; see also An American Translation, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). New English Bible, New American Bible, Bible de Jérusalem, Jerusalem Bible are like Good News Translation;Hebrew Old Testament Text Project says that this is surely the city of Lodebar (see 2 Sam 9.4,5; 17.27; Amos 6.13), and the committee voted “A” for this identification. But since Lodebar would here be a conjecture, Hebrew Old Testament Text Project, following the Septuagint and the Tiberian vocalization of the Masoretic text, says the text should be represented in translation by “Lidebor.” Good News Translation has no footnote, since the consonants of the Hebrew text are retained, but supplied with different vowels.

It would perhaps be advisable to make verse 26 into a complete sentence, and also to identify Heshbon, Ramath Mizpeh, Betonim, and Mahanaim as cities or towns and Lodebar merely as a place, since scholarly opinion differs regarding exactly what it is.

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 13:26

13:26a

the territory from Heshbon to Ramath-mizpeh and Betonim: It is recommended that you begin a new sentence here.

Heshbon: The town of Heshbon was about 25 kilometers northeast of the Dead Sea, and southwest of Amman, Jordan. It formed the south boundary of the land of the tribe of Gad.

Ramath-mizpeh: The town of Ramath-mizpeh was one of the towns that the tribe of Gad inherited. The location of Ramath-mizpeh is uncertain.

Here is another way to spell the name of this town:

Ramath Mizpah (New International Version, NET Bible)

Betonim: The town of Betonim was sixteen miles northeast of Jericho. Its name today is Khirbet Batneh.

13:26b

and from Mahanaim: The phrase from Mahanaim indicates that the land of the tribe of Gad included the town of Mahanaim. Mahanaim was to the north, at the border between the tribes of Gad and Manasseh. Its location is uncertain.

to the border of Debir: There is a textual issue with the word Debir.

(1) In the Hebrew text this word is spelled lidber. In 2 Samuel 9:4 there is a town called Lo-debar. Some scholars think that the town mentioned here in Joshua is Lo-debar. However, they have to amend the Hebrew spelling slightly to make it fit.

The town of Lo-debar in 2 Samuel 9:4 was in the Jordan River Valley, ten miles south of the Sea of Galilee.

Here are some ways that English versions spell this name:

Lo-debar (New Living Translation (2004), New American Bible, Revised Edition)
-or-
Lodebar (Good News Translation)
-or-
Lidbir (God’s Word, Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)
-or-
Lidebor (Contemporary English Version)

(2) Some ancient versions of Joshua omit the letter “l” when they spell this name. They spell it idber. From this we get the English name Debir as in the Berean Standard Bible. However, there is no town known by the name of Debir east of the Jordan River. For example:

Debir (New International Version)

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, Revised Standard Version, English Standard Version, NET Bible, New American Standard Bible, King James Version)

The commentaries do not agree on this issue. It is recommended that you follow the majority language version of your area in translating this word.

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