Translation commentary on Joshua 6:16

Because of the way in which the story is told (see Revised Standard Version), it may appear that after the priests blew their trumpets, at the finish of the seventh march around the city (verse 16), Joshua gave the people their instructions (verses 16b-19); then the people shouted, the priests blew their trumpets, the people shouted again, and the walls fell in (verse 20). But it seems better to understand the text as New English Bible, Good News Translation have done: just before the priests blew their trumpets, Joshua gave his order; the trumpets were blown, the people shouted, and the walls fell in.A translator of the Hebrew text detects the various doublets, repetitions, and additions which are preserved in the final form of the text, and he/she is forced to decide whether or not to smooth out the text or to translate it as it is, warts and all.

The seventh time around (Hebrew “And it happened on the seventh time”) is difficult, because it contains a hidden subject and predicate. The phrase may need to be translated, “When they had gone around the city seven times….” If this shift is made, then the sentence may continue: “…, the priests got ready to blow their trumpets. So Joshua said to his men, ‘Shout! the LORD has given you the city!’ ” It may be preferable to translate the pronoun you as “us” (inclusive form), so as to indicate that Joshua and the other Israelites were also to share in the victory.

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 6:16

6:16a

After: The Hebrew conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as After introduces the next event in the storyline.

the seventh time around: The phrase the seventh time refers to the seventh time that the priests and army walked around the town on the seventh day.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

The seventh time around (NET Bible)
-or-
On the seventh time they walked around the town

the priests blew the horns: There is an interpretation issue here. There are different views about the timing of blowing the trumpets and the shouting. This affects how we understand both 6:16 and 6:20.

(1) While the priests were blowing the trumpets the people started shouting. The trumpets and the shouts were nearly simultaneous. For example:

as the priests blew the trumpets, Joshua said… (Revised English Bible)

(Revised English Bible, New Living Translation (2004), New American Standard Bible, New International Version, Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures, Good News Translation)

(2) The priests blew the trumpets first and then the people started shouted. For example:

when the priests had blown the trumpets, Joshua said… (English Standard Version)

(Berean Standard Bible, English Standard Version, Revised Standard Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). It is most likely that the blowing of the trumpets and the shouting were nearly simultaneous. The two sounds together made a loud noise that caused fear in their enemies.

6:16b

Joshua commanded the people: You may need to add a time connector to make it clear that Joshua spoke while the priests were blowing the trumpets. For example:

at the same time

the people: The phrase the people refers to the Israelite soldiers.

6:16c

Shout: It may be more natural in some languages to express the verb Shout as:

shout ⌊loudly⌋

For the LORD has given you the city: The clause the LORD has given you the city indicates that Yahweh will help the Israelites to capture the town. It is because of Yahweh’s power that the Israelite army will conquer Jericho, not through their own cleverness or strength.

has given: The grammatical form of the verb has given seems to indicate that the event has already happened. But at this point the event hasn’t yet happened. The verb form is used to express certainty. It is as if God already made it happen. It may be more natural in some languages to express this certainty in a different way. For example:

The Lord will let you capture this town (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
Yahweh will most certainly give you victory over the town

you: It may be more natural in some languages to translate the pronoun you as “us.” Joshua was among those who captured the town.

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