Honorary "are" construct denoting God ("dry up")

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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.

One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the usage of an honorific construction where the morpheme are (され) is affixed on the verb as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. This is particularly done with verbs that have God as the agent to show a deep sense of reverence. Here, karas-are-ru (涸らされる) or “dry up” is used.

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

sea / lake

The various Greek, Aramaic, Ge’ez, and Latin and Hebrew terms that are translated as “sea,” “ocean,” or “lake” in English are all translated in Chichewa with one term: nyanja. Malawi, where Chichewa is spoken, has a lot of lakes but does not share a border with the ocean. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Joshua 2:10

Reports had reached the people of Jericho about the Israelites’ departure from Egypt; according to the biblical chronology this had taken place some forty years earlier. The Red Sea is an unsatisfactory translation of the Hebrew phrase, which means “Sea of Reeds.” The Greek Old Testament translated “Red Sea,” and the Greek New Testament follows this translation. Most scholars believe the actual body of water crossed by the Israelites was a marsh or lake somewhere between the northern end of the Gulf of Suez and the Mediterranean Sea (see footnote at Good News Translation Exo 13.18). What is today called the Red Sea lies south of the Gulf of Suez, which is close to 300 kilometers long; and from Rameses, the point of departure of the Israelites (Num 33.3-5), to the northern end of the Gulf of Suez is about 115 kilometers. Neither the Gulf of Suez nor the Red Sea is likely to have been the body of water crossed by the Israelites. Bible de Jérusalem, Jerusalem Bible, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, New Jewish Version (New Jerusalem Bible), Luther, Zürcher Bibel all translate “Sea of Reeds.”

In front of you when you were leaving Egypt may need to be translated “so you could cross it when you were leaving Egypt.”

For the defeat of Sihon and Og, in the territory east of the Jordan, see Numbers 21.21-35. Killed in this verse translates a Hebrew verb which means “dedicate or devote to God”, anything thus “dedicated to God” had to be completely destroyed (see further in 6.17). The focus here and in many contexts is upon the end result, that is, either the killing of people or the total destruction of property. In other contexts it may be helpful to give a footnote indicating the root meaning of the word, but here the focus is upon the act of killing.

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 2:10

2:10a

For: The Hebrew conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as For introduces the reason why the Canaanites were afraid of the Israelites. Use the appropriate connecting word in your language. It may be clearer to supply some implicit information. For example:

⌊We
(excl.) are afraid⌋ because

we have heard how the LORD dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you: The sentence the LORD dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you refers to events described in Exodus 14. In some languages it may be necessary to make explicit why Yahweh dried up the Red Sea, that is, so that the Israelites could cross it. If it is necessary to make this explicit you could say:

we have heard how Yahweh dried up the water of the Red Sea in front of you ⌊so that you could cross it⌋

Red Sea: The Hebrew words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Red Sea are literally “sea of reeds.” The translation Red Sea comes from the Septuagint translation into Greek. This body of water is not the same as what is known as the Red Sea today. If you use the term Red Sea, you should consider adding a footnote. For example:

FOOTNOTE: The Hebrew phrase is literally “Sea of Reeds.” It refers to the lake that the Israelites had to cross when they left Egypt. See Exodus 14.

The term Red Sea occurs several times in Exodus. See, for example, Exodus 10:19.

you: The Hebrew inflection that the Berean Standard Bible translates as you is plural and refers to the people of Israel.

when you came out of Egypt: The whole story of what happened when the Israelites left Egypt is told in Exodus 12-14.

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

For we have heard how the Lord made a dry path for you through the Red Sea when you left Egypt (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-

⌊We are afraid⌋ because we heard that Yahweh made the Red Sea dry up in front of you ⌊so that you could cross it⌋ when you left Egypt

2:10b

and what you did: This is the middle of a long sentence. In some languages it may be helpful to start a new sentence here. For example:

⌊We have also heard⌋ what you did

to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites: The Amorites were nations on the east side of the Jordan River. The story of how the Israelites conquered their kings is told in Numbers 21:21-35.

to Sihon and Og: Sihon and Og are the two kings of the Amorites.

across the Jordan: The phrase across the Jordan refers to the east side of the Jordan River.

whom you devoted to destruction: This phrase describes what the Israelites did to King Sihon and King Og.

devoted to destruction: The Hebrew verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as devoted to destruction means that something was dedicated to Yahweh and could not be used. It must be destroyed or given to Yahweh as an offering. In this context it indicates that they killed the two Amorite kings. This event is described in Numbers 21:21-35 and is retold in Deuteronomy 2:24-3:11.

Here are some other ways to translate this verb:

completely destroyed
-or-
killed

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

We heard what you did when you killed King Sihon and King Og, the two Amorite kings who ruled east of the Jordan River
-or-
We know what you did to Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan River. You destroyed them.

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