Translation commentary on Joshua 17:4

For the role of Eleazar, Joshua, and the leaders of the tribes in dividing the land, see 14.1. Because of the overwhelming number of names in this section, it would seem advisable to omit son of Nun as an identifier of Joshua. This was the biblical writer’s way of distinguishing this Joshua from other Joshuas—something totally unnecessary for today’s readers, for whom there is only one biblical Joshua.

It is possible to place Moses’ command in direct discourse:

• The LORD told Moses, “Zelophehad does not have any sons. So give each of his daughters a share of the land.” Joshua obeyed the LORD’s command. He gave land to Zelophehad’s daughters at the same time that he gave land to their male relatives.

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 17:4

17:4a

They approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders, and said: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates leaders is more literally “one who is lifted up.” It refers to the heads of the clans. This Hebrew word was used in Joshua 14:1 (see “heads of the families”). It is recommended that you translate it the same way as you did there.

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

All the daughters went to Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun and the clan leaders, and said to them
-or-
Those women went to Eleazar the priest and Joshua and the heads of the clans and said

17:4b

The LORD commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brothers: The phrase among our brothers indicates that the daughters would receive land as their male relatives did. The word brothers cannot refer to literal brothers, because Zelophehad had no sons.

The story of how Yahweh commanded Moses to give land to Zelophehad’s daughters is told in Numbers 27:1-11.

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

Yahweh told Moses to give us(excl.) some land for our own, as he did for our male relatives
-or-
Yahweh commanded Moses to give land to us as well as our male relatives

17:4c

So Joshua gave them an inheritance among their father’s brothers: The Hebrew does not specify who gave them an inheritance and some versions use “he” here since it is not certain whether this refers to Joshua or to Eleazar the priest. If it is necessary to make this explicit then it is recommended that you choose Joshua, as in the Berean Standard Bible.

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

he gave them land along with the male relatives of their father
-or-
Joshua assigned them some land just as he had assigned some land to the male relatives of their father
-or-
So Joshua assigned them land among their uncles (NET Bible)

17:4d

in keeping with the command of the LORD: Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

So Joshua did what Yahweh commanded
-or-
So he obeyed Yahweh’s command

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