complete verse (Joshua 8:22)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Joshua 8:22:

  • Kupsabiny: “At that time/Then the soldiers of Israel came out from the city and they went to fight those of Ai. There were soldiers on one side and others were on the other side. The soldiers of Ai got destroyed until there was not a single witness left.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The soldiers who had been hiding for the ambush also came out on the road. In this way they were caught between the Israelites, [with] some going towards them from this side and some [going] towards them from that side. And the Israelites killed them all without even sparing a single one of them.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The Israelinhon who had- entered/gone-inside the city also attacked, so those from-Ai (were-caught)-in-the-middle. They were- all -killed; no one was-able-to-flee or remain alive among them,” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Meanwhile, the soldiers who had captured the city came out and attacked them from the rear. So the men of Ai were caught between the two groups of Israeli soldiers. None of the men of Ai escaped. The Israelis fought until they killed all of them. Only the king of Ai was still alive.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Joshua 8:22 - 8:23

Verses 22-23 describe the complete annihilation of the enemy force: the Israelites who have set Ai on fire leave the city and advance against the enemy. The men of Ai are caught between the two Israelite bodies, and they are killed, with the exception of the king, who is taken alive and delivered to Joshua.

The Israelites in the city now came down to join the battle translates “And the others came forth from the city against” (Revised Standard Version). It may be necessary to be even more explicit: “The Israelite men who had gone into the city and had set it on fire now came out and attacked the men of Ai.”

The second sentence of Good News Translation (So the men … were all killed) may be formulated as an active sentence: “So the Israelite army completely surrounded the men of Ai and killed every one of them.”

No one got away, and no one lived through it translates “until there was left none that survived or escaped” (Revised Standard Version). It may also be translated, “None of them escaped with his life” or “All the men of Ai were killed.”

He was captured and taken to Joshua may also be changed into an active: “The men of Israel captured him and took him to Joshua.”

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 8:22

8:22a

Meanwhile: The Hebrew conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Meanwhile is used to add emphasis to what happens next. Use a connecting word that is most natural in your language. It may be most natural to leave the word implicit.

those in the ambush came out of the city against them: This clause indicates that the Israelite soldiers who captured the town now came out of it to help Joshua and the rest of the army attack the soldiers of Ai.

8:22b

and the men of Ai were trapped between the Israelite forces on both sides: The clause were trapped between the Israelite forces on both sides indicates that the soldiers of Ai were surrounded by the Israelite army. It may be more natural to begin a new sentence here.

on both sides: This indicates that the Israelite army were on both sides of the men of Ai.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

the soldiers of Ai were caught between the two groups of Israelite soldiers
-or-
the Israelite soldiers were around them in front and behind
-or-
the Israelite soldiers surrounded the soldiers of Ai

8:22c

So: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as So introduces the next event in the storyline. It may be clearer in some languages to begin another sentence here.

Israel struck them down: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as struck…down is more literally “hit.” This is an idiom. It means that the Israelites attacked them and killed them.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

Israel smote them (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
Israel cut them down (New International Version)
-or-
Israel attacked them (New Living Translation (2004))

8:22d

until no survivor or fugitive remained: This clause indicates that the Israelite army killed all the soldiers of Ai. The Israelites did not let any of them escape and run away. They killed them all. For example:

until no one was left who survived or escaped (New Revised Standard Version)

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