For the translation of the first sentence of this verse, see the proposed restructuring at 18.11. One may also translate “The second lot fell to the tribe of Simeon.”

Its territory extended into the land assigned to the tribe of Judah is more literally “And its inheritance was in the midst of the inheritance of the tribe of Judah.” This appears to be a more accurate representation of the text, especially in light of verse 9, which states that the tribe of Simeon was given a part of the territory within the land of Judah, because Judah had been given more land then it needed. Accordingly, one may translate “Its territory lay within the territory of the tribe of Judah.”

In verse 2 the second name in Hebrew is Sheba. This, however, seems like an accidental repetition of the second part of the name of the preceding city, Beersheba, and makes a total of fourteen place-names, whereas verse 6 gives the total as thirteen. Consequently New English Bible (with a footnote that refers to the lack of this name in 1 Chr 4.18) omits Sheba; Bible de Jérusalem, Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible and Hebrew Old Testament Text Project revise the Hebrew to “Shema” (see 15.26); Good News Translation, Revised Standard Version, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible follow the Masoretic text. It seems best to follow the Masoretic text here.

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 .