complete verse (Joshua 22:14)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Joshua 22:14:

  • Kupsabiny: “Then, one leader from each clan was chosen so it reached 10 that were wanted/needed to be sent. Then, Phinehas son of Eleazar who was priest was chosen to lead that delegation.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “With him they sent one leader from each of the ten tribes, each the leader of a family division among the Israelite clans.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “He had with him ten leaders from each tribe of Israel. Each one of them (were) leaders/[lit. heads] of the families of the their tribes.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “They also sent one leader from each of the ten tribes that were still at Shiloh. Each of them was a leader of his clan.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Joshua 22:13 - 22:14

The western tribes (always identified as the people of Israel) sent a delegation headed by Phinehas, the son of Eleazar the priest (for Eleazar see 14.1), and composed of one representative from each of the ten western tribes (Phinehas represented Levi).

Each one the head of a family among the clans (verse 14) may be taken to mean “Each one was a respected leader within his clan.”

It may be advisable to indicate at the beginning of verse 13 that a delegation (that is, a group of representatives) is being sent. And it is also important to translate so as to avoid the heavy appositional comment, one from each of the western tribes and each one the head of a family among the clans. The two verses may then be translated as a unit:

• Then the (people of the) ten western tribes sent a delegation to (the people of) the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh in the land of Gilead. They sent Phinehas, son of Eleazar the priest, together with a leader from each of their tribes. These ten tribal leaders were also respected leaders within their own clans.

Or:

• … They sent Phinehas, son of Eleazar the priest, together with a respected clan leader from each of their ten tribes.

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 22:14

22:14a

With him they sent ten chiefs—one family leader from each tribe of Israel: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates chiefs can also be translated “leaders” or “leading men.”

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

Ten leaders came with him, one from each of the ten clans of Israel
-or-
and ten leaders came with him. There was one leader from each of the ten ⌊western⌋ clans of Israel

22:14b

each the head of a family among the clans of Israel: Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

Each one of them was the head of a family within the clans of Israel
-or-
Every one of them was the leader of his family among the clans of Israel

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