complete verse (Joshua 15:9)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Joshua 15:9:

  • Kupsabiny: “The border stretched to the water holes of Nephtoah and headed towards the cities near the mountain of Ephron. It turned there heading towards Baalah (which became Kiriath-jearim).” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Then that boundary goes down from the top of the hill to the spring named Nephtoah and from there to the cities of Mount Ephron and then goes down toward Baalah, called Kiriah-Jearim.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “From there, this goes-toward the Spring of Neftoa, and goes-out to the cities/towns near the Mountain of Efron. Then this goes-down to Baala (which is Kiriat Jearim),” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “From there the border extended northwest to Nephtoah Spring, and from there to the cities near Ephron Mountain. From there the border extended west toward Baalah, which is now named Kiriath-Jearim.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Joshua 15:9

The last part of this verse may be rendered, “There it (the border) turned toward the city of Baalah, which today is called Kiriath Jearim….”

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 15:9

15:9a

From the hilltop the border curved: Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

From the peak of that mountain the border went downward ⌊northwest⌋
-or-
Then the border turned from the mountain top to go down

15:9b

to the spring of the Waters of Nephtoah: The phrase the spring of the Waters of Nephtoah refers to a spring northwest of Jerusalem.

Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

to the spring of Nephtoah
-or-
to the Nephtoah Spring

15:9c

proceeded to the cities of Mount Ephron: Mount Ephron was west of Jerusalem, but its exact location is uncertain.

Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

The border continued to the towns around Mount Ephron
-or-
The border went from there to the towns near Ephron Mountain

15:9d

and then bent around toward Baalah (that is, Kiriath-jearim): The town of Kiriath-jearim is mentioned in Joshua 9:17. It is at a lower elevation than the towns around Mount Ephron.

Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

Then it turned ⌊west⌋ toward the town of Baalah. That town is called Kiriath-jearim today
-or-
Then the border continued down to Baalah, which is now called Kiriath-jearim

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