translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: JOS

label: NET translator note

text: For location see Map5-B1 ; Map6-F3 ; Map7-E2 ; Map8-F2 ; Map10-B3 ; JP1-F4 ; JP2-F4 ; JP3-F4 ; JP4-F4 .


text: For location see Map5-B2 ; Map6-E1 ; Map7-E1 ; Map8-E3 ; Map10-A2 ; Map11-A1 .


text: Heb “as he had done to Jericho and to its king, so he did to Ai and to its king.”


text: Heb “and how.”


text: This statement is subordinated to v. 1 in the Hebrew text, which reads literally, “When Adoni-Zedek…they feared greatly.” The subject of the plural verb at the beginning of v. 2 is probably the residents of Jerusalem.


text: Heb “Come up to me and help me.”


text: Heb “and they camped against Gibeon and fought against it.”


text: Heb “do not let your hand drop from us.”


text: Heb “your servants!”


text: Heb “have gathered against us.”


text: Heb “And Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him, and all the brave warriors.”


text: Heb “I have given them into your hand.” The verbal form is a perfect of certitude, emphasizing the certainty of the action.


text: Heb “and not a man [or “one”] of them will stand before you.”


text: Heb “Joshua came upon them suddenly, all the night he went up from Gilgal.”


text: Or “caused to panic.”


text: Heb “he.” The referent is probably Israel (mentioned at the end of the previous sentence in the verse; cf. NIV, NRSV), but it is also possible that the Lord should be understood as the referent (cf. NASB “and He slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon”), or even Joshua (cf. NEB “and Joshua defeated them utterly in Gibeon”).


text: Heb “struck them down with a great striking down.”


text: Or “ascent.”


text: Heb “on the descent of.”


text: Or “heaven” (also in v. 13 ). The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם ( shamayim ) may be translated “heaven(s)” or “sky” depending on the context.


text: Heb “Then Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day the Lord placed the Amorites before the sons of Israel and he said in the eyes of Israel.” It is uncertain whether the phrase “before the sons of Israel” modifies the verb “placed” (as in the present translation, “delivered the Amorites over to the Israelites”) or the verb “spoke” (“Joshua spoke to the Lord before the sons of Israel in the day the Lord delivered over the Amorites”).


text: Heb “Is it not written down in the Scroll of the Upright One.” Many modern translations render, “the Scroll [or Book] of Jashar,” leaving the Hebrew name “Jashar” (which means “Upright One”) untranslated. sn The Scroll of the Upright One was apparently an ancient Israelite collection of songs and prayers (see also 2 Sam 1:18 ).


text: Heb “and did not hurry to set [for] about a full day.”


text: Heb “these five kings.”


text: Heb “and appoint by it men to guard them.”


text: Heb “But [as for] you, don’t stand still, chase after your enemies and attack them from the rear.”


text: Or “enter into.”


text: Heb “has given them into your hand.” The verbal form is a perfect of certitude, emphasizing the certainty of the action.


text: Heb “When Joshua and the sons of Israel finished defeating them with a very great defeat until they were destroyed (now the survivors escaped to the fortified cities).” In the Hebrew text the initial temporal clause (“when Joshua…finished”) is subordinated to v. 21 (“the whole army returned”).


text: Heb “all the people returned to the camp, to Joshua [at] Makkedah [in] peace.”


label: NET textual note

text: Heb “No man.” The lamed ( ל ) prefixed to אִישׁ (’ ish , “man”) is probably dittographic (note the immediately preceding יִשְׂרָאֵל [ isra ’ el ] which ends in lamed , ל ); cf. the LXX.


text: Heb “no man sharpened [or perhaps, “pointed”] his tongue against the sons of Israel.” Cf. NEB “not a man of the Israelites suffered so much as a scratch on his tongue,” which understands “sharpened” as “scratched” (referring to a minor wound). Most modern translations understand the Hebrew expression “sharpened his tongue” figuratively for opposition or threats against the Israelites.


text: Heb “they did so.”


text: For location see Map5-B1 ; Map6-F3 ; Map7-E2 ; Map8-F2 ; Map10-B3 ; JP1-F4 ; JP2-F4 ; JP3-F4 ; JP4-F4 .


text: Heb “Joshua.” The translation has replaced the proper name with the pronoun (“he”) because a repetition of the proper name here would be redundant according to English style.


text: Or “Draw near.”


text: Or “drew near.”


text: Or perhaps “and don’t get discouraged!”


text: Heb “struck them down and killed them.”


text: Heb “to this very day.” The words “They remain” are supplied in the translation for clarification.


text: For location see Map5-B2 ; Map6-E1 ; Map7-E1 ; Map8-E3 ; Map10-A2 ; Map11-A1 .


text: Heb “Libnah.” Repetition of the proper name here would be redundant according to English style, so the pronoun (“it”) has been employed in the translation.


text: Heb “he”; the implied subject may be Israel, or Joshua (as the commanding general of the army).


text: Heb “He”; the implied subject may be Israel, or Joshua (as the commanding general of the army).


text: Heb “encamped against it.”


text: Heb “people.”


text: Heb “they encamped against it.”


text: Or “foothills”; Heb “the Shephelah.”


text: Heb “and Joshua struck them down, from Kadesh Barnea even to Gaza, and all the land of Goshen, even to Gibeon.”


text: Heb “at one time.”