The process of selection, by means of drawing lots, starts early the following morning. Early the next morning translates “So Joshua rose early in the morning” (Revised Standard Version). One may even translate “The next morning.”
All the twelve tribes of Israel are “brought near” the Covenant Box, and the tribe of Judah is indicated (verse 16). Then all the clans of Judah are brought near, and the clan of Zerah is indicated (verse 17a); next all the families of the clan of Zerah are brought near, and the family of Zabdi is indicated (verse 17b).It should be noticed that in verse 17b the Masoretic text says “he brought forward the clan of Zerah, man by man, and Zabdi was selected.” Instead of “man by man” some Hebrew manuscripts (and Syriac and Vulgate) have, as expected, “family by family,” since the text verse speaks of the family of Zabdi being brought forward. Revised Standard Version follows the Masoretic text; Good News Translation An American Translation Bible de Jérusalem Jerusalem Bible New English Bible New American Bible Traduction œcuménique de la Bible prefer the variant reading. Hebrew Old Testament Text Project prefers the Masoretic text (a “C” decision), justifying its decision by Factor 5 (“Assimilation to parallel passages”) and Factor 4 (“Simplification of the text [easier reading]”). Zabdi’s family is brought near, man by man, and his grandson Achan is indicated. Thus by the long process of elimination Achan is exposed as the guilty man.
Brought Israel forward, tribe by tribe (verse 16) may be translated “made all the tribes of Israel come into the LORD’s presence, one tribe at a time.”
The tribe of Judah was picked out may be translated “The lot fell upon the tribe of Judah” or “The LORD picked out the tribe of Judah.” It is obvious that in such a context picked out must not imply favorable choice.
The restructuring of verses 17-18 will be similar to the pattern followed for verse 16.
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 .