Joshua

The Hebrew, Latin, and Greek that is transliterated as “Joshua” is translated in Swiss-German Sign Language with a sign that depicts a trumpet of rams’ horn, referring to Joshua 6:4 and following.


“Joshua” in Swiss-German Sign Language, source: DSGS-Lexikon biblischer Begriffe , © CGG Schweiz

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Joshua .

complete verse (Joshua 10:18)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Joshua 10:18:

  • Kupsabiny: “he said, ‘Push (plur.) big stones to the entrance of the cave and let soldiers keep guard there,” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “He said, "Roll large rocks and put them before the mouth of the cave, then put some men in front of it as guards.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “So Josue said, ‘[You (plur.)] cover the mouth of the cave with large stones and then [you (plur.)] have-(it)-guarded.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “When Joshua heard that, he said, ‘Roll some very large rocks to the entrance of the cave so that the kings cannot escape, and leave some soldiers there to guard it.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Joshua 10:18

If the restructuring suggested above is followed (“someone … told Joshua”), them He said should be translated “So Joshua said.”

Joshua orders the entrance of the cave to be blocked with huge stones and has guards stationed there, to prevent the five kings from escaping. Then he orders his troops to pursue the enemy and kill them all before they can reach their fortified cities.

Joshua’s two commands (Roll some big stones in front of the entrance to the cave and Place some guards there) were apparently directed to his soldiers. But then there is a distinction made between the persons whom Joshua addresses and the persons who are to be stationed as guards (see verse 19). Who then are these guards (Revised Standard Version “men”) stationed at the entrance to the cave? Is this a distinction, for example, between Joshua’s “best troops” and the rest of his men (see verse 7)? Or is this a distinction between Joshua’s men and local citizens? It seems quite possible that some local citizen (or perhaps even a Gibeonite) may have found where the kings were hiding and subsequently informed Joshua. Given the circumstances, most any of the local citizens could be trusted at this point to stand guard before the mouth of the sealed-up cave. The verse may therefore be translated, “Joshua said to his men, ‘Roll some big stones in front of the entrance to the cave. Then place some men there to guard it….’ ”

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 .