Joshua

The Hebrew, Latin, and Greek that is transliterated as “Joshua” is translated in Swiss-German Sign Language with a sign that depicts a trumpet of rams’ horn, referring to Joshua 6:4 and following.


“Joshua” in Swiss-German Sign Language, source: DSGS-Lexikon biblischer Begriffe , © CGG Schweiz

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Joshua .

complete verse (Joshua 7:3)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Joshua 7:3:

  • Kupsabiny: “And/But when they had returned, they came and said to Joshua, ‘Do not let all the soldiers raid Ai because the people who live there are few. Let two or three thousand soldiers to go fight (them).’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “They came back to Joshua and said, "It is not necessary for all the men to go, it is enough if only two or three thousand men go to conquer and take the city. Do not trouble all the men to go there, for there are not many men there."” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “When they returned, they said to Josue, ‘(It is) not necessary that all of us (incl.) attack Ai, for these residents/[lit. ones-who-dwell] (are) just a few. [You (sing.)] just send 2,000 or 3,000 men to-attack it.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “When they returned to Joshua they said, ‘There are only a few people in Ai. So we do not need to send all of our soldiers to defeat them. Send 2.000 or 3,000 men to attack them. That will be enough.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Joshua 7:3

As in the case of Jericho (2.1), Joshua sends spies to find out what they can about the land. On their return, they report that Ai is not a large city and can easily be taken by some two or three thousand men.In light of the number of Israelites killed—36—some scholars believe that instead of 3,000 men, only some 300 men were sent; but the Hebrew text has “about three alaphim” (plural of eleph). Many believe that eleph does not mean 1,000 but indicates a much smaller number; as yet, however, there is no scholarly consensus on the matter.

In verse 3 Revised Standard Version “do not make the whole people toil up there” translates a verb which means “to have trouble, to be difficult.” The meaning could be expressed by “Don’t go to the trouble of having the whole army go up there.”

Both the Hebrew (note Revised Standard Version) and Good News Translation contain a considerable amount of repetition in verse 3. In order to avoid the redundancy, one may render the words of the spies: “Ai is not a large city. There is no need to send all our men to attack it. Send only about two or three thousand men.”

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 7:3

7:3a

The Hebrew word that the some English versions translate as “and” introduces the next event in the storyline. Use a natural way in your language to indicate this connection. Here is one way that you could translate this transition:

when (Good News Translation)

On returning to Joshua, they reported: It may be helpful in some languages to include the implied information. For example:

⌊After they spied out the land⌋ they returned to Joshua, and said to him

7:3b

There is no need to send all the people: This clause expresses a suggestion from the men who looked at Ai. They suggested that it was not necessary for the whole army to fight against Ai.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

There is no need for everyone to attack Ai. (Good News Translation)
-or-
Do not send the whole army to attack Ai.

all the people: The phrase all the people refers to the soldiers of Israel.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

all the fighting men
-or-
the whole army

7:3c

two or three thousand men are enough to go up and attack Ai: The spies suggested that two or three thousand men were enough to defeat the town of Ai. Translate this suggestion in a way that is natural in your language.

two or three thousand men: The whole army of Israel was about 40,000 men. The spies suggested that only a small number out of the whole army should go. It may be helpful to include a word that indicates this comparison. For example:

Send only two or three thousand men to fight (New Century Version)

go up: In some languages it may be necessary to indicate the location along with this verb of motion. For example:

Not all the people will have to go up against Ai (New International Version)

The Hebrew uses the verb go up because the town of Ai was at a higher elevation than the Israelite camp. The soldiers went uphill to the town of Ai to attack it. In some languages it may be more natural to use a simple verb like “go.”

attack Ai: The Berean Standard Bible follows the Hebrew text and includes the phrase attack Ai at the end of 7:3c. In some languages, it may be more natural to put these words at the end of 7:3b, as the Good News Translation does. For example:

There is no need for everyone to attack Ai. Send only about two or three thousand men (Good News Translation)

7:3d

Since: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Since introduces the reason for the preceding clause.

the people of Ai are so few: This phrase refers to the people of Ai.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

There are not many people in Ai
-or-
Ai is not a large town
-or-
There are not many men to defend Ai

7:3e

you need not wear out all our people there: There are two ways to interpret the Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as wear out.

(1) It means “to work hard” or “become weary from working hard.” For example:

Don’t tire out the whole army (NET Bible)

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

(2) It means “to cause trouble for.” For example:

Why bother the whole army (Contemporary English Version)

(Contemporary English Version, Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). Although the meaning is somewhat uncertain, this is the interpretation followed by the majority of English versions.

all our people: This refers to all the army, or all the fighting men.

General Comment on 7:3

In some languages it may be more natural to state the grounds before the result. English versions have done this in various ways. For example:

3e There are only a few people in Ai, 3b so we will not need all our people to defeat them. 3c Send only two or three thousand men to fight. 3d There is no need to send all of our people. (New Century Version)

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