messenger

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “messenger” in English is translated in Noongar as moort yana-waangki or “person walk-talk” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

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 7:22)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Joshua 7:22:

  • Kupsabiny: “Then, Joshua sent people to run to the tent of Achan. The people found those things having been buried in the tent with the silver at the bottom.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Then Joshua sent men, and they went running to the tent. As it turned out, those things were hidden in the tent, and as for the silver, it was below everything else.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “So Josue commanded some men to run/go to the tent of Acan. And there they found/[lit. saw] the things which had-been-buried, the silver (was) at the very bottom of-these.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “So Joshua sent some men to find those things. They ran to Achan’s tent and found all the things hidden there.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Joshua 7:22

So Joshua sent some men, who ran to the tent translates a coordinate construction in Hebrew; literally “So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent” (Revised Standard Version). It may be useful in translation to connect the phrase to the tent with the verb sent: “So Joshua sent some men to Achan’s tent.”

Revised Standard Version “it was hidden” is difficult to understand. What is meant is “the things were hidden.” And “behold” indicates the surprise the men felt when they found the things; Good News Translation expresses this by really (were buried there).

The last part of this verse (and found … at the bottom) may be handled much more economically: “and they found everything just as Achan had described 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 .