18but the hill country shall be yours, for though it is a forest, you shall clear it and possess it to its farthest borders, for you shall drive out the Canaanites, though they have chariots of iron and though they are strong.”
The Hebrew, Latin, Ge’ez, and Greek that is translated into English as “chariot” is translated into Anuak as “canoe pulled by horse.” “Canoe” is the general term for “vehicle” (source: Loren Bliese). Similarly it is translated in Lokạạ as ukwaa wạ nyanyang ntuuli or “canoe that is driven by horses.” (Source: J.A. Naudé, C.L. Miller Naudé, J.O. Obono in Acta Theologica 43/2, 2023, p. 129ff. )
Other translations include:
Chichicapan Zapotec: “ox cart” (in Acts 8) (ox carts are common vehicles for travel) (source: Loren Bliese)
Chichimeca-Jonaz, it is translated as “little house with two feet pulled by two horses” (source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
HausaCommon Language Bible as keken-doki or “cart of donkey” (source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Joshua 17:18:
Kupsabiny: “You shall take the land where there is forest in the mountain. Clear it to become yours until you reach the border. You shall drive out the Canaanites even though (they) have strength and chariots of iron.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “the forests of the hill country will also be yours. Cut its trees and the areas to the right and the left will also be yours. Even though those Canaanites have iron chariots and are strong, you will be able to drive them out completely."” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “the forest of the mountains will- also -become yours (plur.). Even-though this (is) forest, [you (plur.)] just clear (it), for this will-become yours (plur.) from the start to the end. And surely you (plur.) will-be-able-to-drive-out the Canaanhon even-though they (are) powerful and have iron chariots.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “but you will have to cut down the trees in order to make a place for you to live. It is true that the Canaan people-group are strong and have iron chariots, but you will be able to force them to leave that valley.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Joshua encourages the people of Ephraim and West Manasseh, telling them that they will be able to defeat the Canaanites, despite their superior armament.
In Hebrew There are indeed many of you is joined to you are very powerful by the conjunction and, as Good News Translation indicates. However, it is quite possible that the function of and in such a structure is to indicate that the clause which follows expresses either a cause or a result. In other words, Joshua says that the strength of the tribes of Ephraim and West Manasseh lies in the large number of people in their tribes. So one may translate “There are indeed many people in your tribes, and for that reason you are very powerful.”
You shall have more than one share. 18 The hill country will be yours may be translated, “I will give you more than one share. 18 I will give you the hill country as well.”
In order to avoid the Even though construction, the second sentence of verse 18 may be translated, “This land is a forest, but you will (be able to) take possession of it and clear it from one end to the other.” In this proposed restructuring it should be noticed that the verbs clear and take possession of are given in reverse order so as to indicate logical sequence.
As for the Canaanites, you will drive them out is a difficult structure which may be simplified: “You will drive out all the Canaanites, even though they do have iron chariots and are a strong people.” Or the two clauses may be reversed: “The Canaanites do indeed have iron chariots and they are a strong people. But you will (be able to) drive them out of their land.”
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 .
because the hill country will be yours as well: Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:
You will be able to conquer the whole hill country -or-
The mountain country will belong to you as well
17:18b
It is a forest; clear it, and its farthest limits will be yours: The Hebrew that the Berean Standard Bible translates as clear refers specifically to the act of cutting down trees and removing shrubs in a forest to create a place to live. Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:
It is a forest, but you will cut down the trees and conquer all of it -or-
Even though it is a forest area, you can clear it out and make all of it your own
17:18c
Although the Canaanites have iron chariots and although they are strong: Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:
though they are strong and have chariots made of iron -or-
even though they are powerful and have iron war carts
you can drive them out: Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:
You will make the Canaanites leave -or-
You will defeat the Canaan people
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