When they were near Jebus: This clause links back to verse 19.10 (see comments there). The pronoun they refers to the Levite and his traveling companions.

The day was far spent is literally “and the day was going down greatly.” This idiomatic expression is similar to the ones used in verse 19.8-9 for the setting of the sun. Here the narrator uses the key Hebrew verb yarad meaning “go down,” which in some other contexts expresses military action (see verse 1.9). Here it seems to foreshadow the troubling events to come. It may be difficult for translators to find several different expressions to express the same idea of the sun setting, and if necessary, they may have to use the same one several times. Here they may say “it was getting quite late” ( NET Bible) or “the sun was going down a lot.”

And the servant said to his master: The Hebrew waw conjunction rendered and could be translated “so” (Good News Translation) since the servant notices that it was getting late. For the servant, see verse 19.3. His master refers to the Levite. The Hebrew word for master is ʾadon, which is sometimes used to refer to Yahweh. Here there may be a link to the name “Adoni-bezek” (“lord of Bezek”), which occurs at the beginning of the book (see verse 1.5). The servant suggests that they go toward Jebus to pass the night. It seems odd that the servant rather than his master suggests where they should go, but in this part of the book lots of events are contrary to the norm. There is both suspense and irony as the audience knows that the Levite is heading into a dangerous predicament.

Come now, let us turn aside to this city of the Jebusites: Come renders the Hebrew verb meaning “go,” which is followed by the politeness marker naʾ translated now. This tone of extreme politeness contrasts with the violence of the scenes to come. Come now may be translated “Let’s go” or “Why don’t we go…?” Turn aside renders the Hebrew verb sur, which is used sometimes to foreshadow dangerous acts in this book (see comments on verse 4.18). Contemporary English Version begins the servant’s words with “Let’s stop…” (similarly Good News Translation). This city of the Jebusites is another way of referring to Jebus. The emphasis here is on its inhabitants, and as the Levite will make soon make clear, these people were not Israelites, but foreigners.

And spend the night in it: For the Hebrew verb rendered spend the night (lin), see verse 19.4. The pronoun it refers to the city of Jebus. Translators can simply say “and spend the night there.”

Translation models for this verse are:

• When they were near Jebus, the sun had almost set. So the servant suggested to his master that they turn off the road and go into the town of the Jebusites to spend the night there.

• As they got closer to Jebus, it was beginning to get dark, so the servant said to his master, “Why don’t we turn into the town of the Jebusites and stay there overnight?”

Quoted with permission from Zogbo, Lynell and Ogden, Graham S. A Handbook on Judges. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .