In verse 10 Joshua transmits to the people the message from the Lord that he will surely drive out all the native inhabitants of the land they are about to enter. Seven different ethnic groups are listed; see the identical list in Deuteronomy 7.1 and similar lists in Exodus 3.8, 17 and Deuteronomy 20.17. For the possible distinctions among the seven, see commentaries or dictionaries. Nothing is known of the Perizzites and the Girgashites; the Jebusites were associated with Jerusalem (see 15.63).
It is possible to rearrange verses 10-13 in a more or less chronological order and simultaneously delete the problematic verse 12. It is true that this same information is repeated again in 4.2, but this does raise a question of how one deals with so-called “seams” in the text (see “A Note on Two Special Translation Problems”). For example, here is a place where the writer of the Joshua text found no difficulty in retaining a statement which appears totally out of place. Is it legitimate, then, to delete such information when it is included later at a place where it fits more logically? It could be argued that as far as translation is concerned the real problem is that of verse numbers. That is to say, if translators were not required to include verse numbers in the rendering of this story, they could easily conclude that the giving of the information in 4.2 is sufficient, without repeating it here at a place where it does not seem to fit properly. This may in fact be considered an excellent example of how a text must be dealt with at a total discourse level, beyond the sentence and paragraph. No information is really left out, and the meaning of the text is in no way twisted by rendering in this manner. If, on the other hand, it is felt that deleting verse 12 here is not being faithful to the text, then verses 10-13 may still be arranged in a chronological order with verse 12 (without the verse number) placed in parentheses at the end of the paragraph.
As an example of how this reordering might be done, compare: 10-13 The Covenant Box of the Lord, who rules the entire earth, will go ahead and prepare a way for you through the Jordan. As soon as the priests who are carrying it place their feet into the waters of the Jordan, the water will stop flowing. The water upstream will pile up as it does before a dam. Thereby you will know that your God is a living God. He will keep his promise and drive the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, and the Jebusites out of the land before you.
If it is felt necessary, then as mentioned above, one may include verse 12 in parentheses at the end: “(The LORD also has said that he wants you to choose twelve men, one from each of the tribes of Israel.)”
The living God characterizes the Lord as one who lives and acts, contrasted with the pagan gods, who are “dead,” that is, unable to act and save their peoples.
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 .