Translation commentary on Joshua 24:18

As we advanced once again translates “before our faces” of the Hebrew text. The meaning may be expressed “As we went from one place to the next” or “As we went from one part of the land to another.” The first sentence may be translated, “The Amorites lived in the land at that time, but the LORD drove them all out for us.”

For greater effectiveness, he is our God may be translated “he alone is our God.”

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 24:18

24:18a

And: The Hebrew conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as And introduces the next event in the storyline. Introduce the next event in a natural way in your language.

the LORD drove out before us all the nations, including the Amorites who lived in the land: There is an interpretation issue concerning the phrase all the nations, including the Amorites

(1) It refers to the Amorites. The entire phrase refers to the same group of people. For example:

the Lord drove out all the Amorites who lived here (Good News Translation)

(Good News Translation, Revised Standard Version, English Standard Version, New American Standard Bible, Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures, New Century Version, King James Version)

(2) It refers to other nations as well as to the Amorites. For example:

And the Lord drove out before us all the nations, including the Amorites, who lived in the land. (New International Version)

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, NET Bible, God’s Word, Revised English Bible, New American Bible, Revised Edition, New Jerusalem Bible, New Living Translation (2004), Contemporary English Version)

It is recommended that you choose interpretation (1). This is supported by several Bible commentaries as well as many English versions.

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

Then Yahweh forced all the Amor people who were living in this land to leave.
-or-
Then Yahweh helped us to defeat the Amor people. They were living in this land.

24:18b

We too will serve the LORD: In verse 15 Joshua said that he and his family would serve Yahweh. Here the Israel people said that they also would serve Yahweh.

because He is our God: The clause He is our God states the reason why the people chose to worship Yahweh.

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

We (excl.) too will honor and obey Yahweh because he is our God.
-or-
Yahweh is our God, so we also will worship him ⌊with you⌋ .

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