Before the spies settled down for the night may be translated “Before the spies got ready for bed that night.” It may even be helpful to identify the spies as “the two Israelite spies” or “the two Israelite men.”
Rahab went up on the roof may need to be rendered “Rahab went back up on the roof” or “Rahab went up on the roof again.” The phrase on the roof may need to be rendered “on the roof where they were” or “on the roof where she had hidden them.” The roof was flat and provided a good place to hide.
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 .
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