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 7:3)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Joshua 7:3:

  • Kupsabiny: “And/But when they had returned, they came and said to Joshua, ‘Do not let all the soldiers raid Ai because the people who live there are few. Let two or three thousand soldiers to go fight (them).’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “They came back to Joshua and said, "It is not necessary for all the men to go, it is enough if only two or three thousand men go to conquer and take the city. Do not trouble all the men to go there, for there are not many men there."” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “When they returned, they said to Josue, ‘(It is) not necessary that all of us (incl.) attack Ai, for these residents/[lit. ones-who-dwell] (are) just a few. [You (sing.)] just send 2,000 or 3,000 men to-attack it.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “When they returned to Joshua they said, ‘There are only a few people in Ai. So we do not need to send all of our soldiers to defeat them. Send 2.000 or 3,000 men to attack them. That will be enough.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Joshua 7:3

As in the case of Jericho (2.1), Joshua sends spies to find out what they can about the land. On their return, they report that Ai is not a large city and can easily be taken by some two or three thousand men.In light of the number of Israelites killed—36—some scholars believe that instead of 3,000 men, only some 300 men were sent; but the Hebrew text has “about three alaphim” (plural of eleph). Many believe that eleph does not mean 1,000 but indicates a much smaller number; as yet, however, there is no scholarly consensus on the matter.

In verse 3 Revised Standard Version “do not make the whole people toil up there” translates a verb which means “to have trouble, to be difficult.” The meaning could be expressed by “Don’t go to the trouble of having the whole army go up there.”

Both the Hebrew (note Revised Standard Version) and Good News Translation contain a considerable amount of repetition in verse 3. In order to avoid the redundancy, one may render the words of the spies: “Ai is not a large city. There is no need to send all our men to attack it. Send only about two or three thousand men.”

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 .