JOS 2:5 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) But as the city gate was about to shut last night, the men went out. I don’t know to where they went—if you all hurry, you might be able to catch them.”

Key: khaki:verbs, red:negative.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

BrLXX ὡς δὲ ἡ πύλη ἐκλείετο ἐν τῷ σκότει, καὶ οἱ ἄνδρες ἐξῆλθον· οὐκ ἐπίσταμαι ποῦ πεπόρευνται· καταδιώξατε ὀπίσω αὐτῶν, εἰ καταλήψεσθε αὐτούς.
(hōs de haʸ pulaʸ ekleieto en tōi skotei, kai hoi andres exaʸlthon; ouk epistamai pou peporeuntai; katadiōxate opisō autōn, ei katalaʸpsesthe autous. )

BrTr but when the gate was shut in the [fn]evening, the men went out; I know not whither they are gone: follow after them, if ye [fn]may overtake them.

ULT And the gate was to shut at darkness, and the men went out. I do not know where the men went. Pursue quickly after them, for you may overtake them.”

UST Those men left Jericho at dusk, before the guards closed the city gates. I do not know where they were going. But if you hurry, you might catch up with them.”

OEB and just about the hour for shutting the town gate, when it was dark, the men went off. Where they went, I do not know. Quick, pursue them, for you will overtake them.’

WEBBE About the time of the shutting of the gate, when it was dark, the men went out. Where the men went, I don’t know. Pursue them quickly. You may catch up with them.”

WMBB (Same as above)

NET When it was time to shut the city gate for the night, the men left. I don’t know where they were heading. Chase after them quickly, for you have time to catch them!”

LSV and it comes to pass—the gate is to [be] shut—in the dark, and the men have gone out; I have not known to where the men have gone; pursue, hurry after them, for you overtake them”;

FBV They left at sundown, just as the city gate was closing. I've no idea where they went. If you're quick, you can chase after them and maybe catch up with them.”

T4T At dusk, just before ◄guards closed the city gate/the city gates were closed►, the two men left. I do not know where they went. So, go quickly and search for them! Perhaps you may catch them!”

LEB And when it was time to shut the gate _⌊for the night_⌋,[fn] the men left, and I do not know where they went. Chase after them quickly, for you may catch up to them.”

2:5 Literally “in the darkness” or “at dark”

BBE And when it was the time for shutting the doors at dark, they went out; I have no idea where the men went: but if you go after them quickly, you will overtake them.

Moff and just about the hour for shutting the towngate, when it was dark, the men went off. Where they went, I do not know. Quick, pursue them, for you will overtake them.”

JPS and it came to pass about the time of the shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out; whither the men went I know not; pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them.'

ASV and it came to pass about the time of the shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out; whither the men went I know not: pursue after them quickly; for ye will overtake them.

DRA And at the time of shutting the gate in the dark, they also went out together. I know not whither they are gone: pursue after them quickly, and you will overtake them.

YLT and it cometh to pass — the gate is to [be] shut — in the dark, and the men have gone out; I have not known whither the men have gone; pursue ye, hasten after them, for ye overtake them;'

Drby and it came to pass when the gate had to be closed, at dark, that the men went out: I know not whither the men have gone. Pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them.

RV and it came to pass about the time of the shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: whither the men went I wot not: pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them.
(and it came to pass about the time of the shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: whither/where the men went I wot not: pursue after them quickly; for ye/you_all shall overtake them. )

SLT And it will be for the shutting the gate in darkness, and the men went forth, and I knew not whither the men went; pursue quickly after them, for ye shall overtake them.

Wbstr And it came to pass about the time of shutting the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: whither the men went, I know not: pursue after them quickly; for ye will overtake them.

KJB-1769 And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: whither the men went I wot not: pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them.
(And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: whither/where the men went I wot not: pursue after them quickly; for ye/you_all shall overtake them. )

KJB-1611 And it came to passe about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was darke, that the men went out: whither the men went, I wote not: pursue after them quickely, for ye shall ouertake them.
(And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: whither/where the men went, I wote not: pursue after them quickly, for ye/you_all shall overtake them.)

Bshps And about the time of the shutting of the gate when it was darke, the men went out, whyther the men went I wote not: folowe ye after them quickly, for ye shall ouertake them.
(And about the time of the shutting of the gate when it was dark, the men went out, whither/where the men went I wote not: follow ye/you_all after them quickly, for ye/you_all shall overtake them.)

Gnva And when they shut the gate in the darke, the men went out, whither the men went I wote not: follow ye after them quickly, for ye shall ouertake them.
(And when they shut the gate in the dark, the men went out, whither/where the men went I wote not: follow ye/you_all after them quickly, for ye/you_all shall overtake them. )

Cvdl And at the shuttinge in of the gate whan it was darcke, they wente out, so yt I can not tell whither they be gone: folowe soone after them, for ye shal ouertake them.
(And at the shuttinge in of the gate when it was dark, they went out, so it I cannot tell whither/where they be gone: follow soon after them, for ye/you_all shall overtake them.)

Wycl and whanne the yate was closid in derknessis, and thei yeden out to gidire, Y noot whidur thei yeden; pursue ye soone, and ye schulen take hem.
(and when the gate was closed in darkness, and they went out togethere, I noot whither/where they walked/went; pursue ye/you_all soon, and ye/you_all should take hem.)

Luth Und da man die Tore wollte zuschließen, da es finster war, gingen sie hinaus, daß ich nicht weiß, wo sie hingegangen sind. Jaget ihnen eilend nach; denn ihr werdet sie ergreifen.
(And there man the gates/goals wanted lock(v)n, there it dark was, went they/she/them out, that I not white, where they/she/them went_there are. Yaget to_them rushing after; because/than you(pl)/their/her become they/she/them seize.)

ClVg cumque porta clauderetur in tenebris, et illi pariter exierunt; nescio quo abierunt: persequimini cito, et comprehendetis eos.
(how_come gate/door clauderetur in/into/on darkness, and them as_well they_went_out; I_don't_know where they_are_gone: perfollow quickly, and will_includeis them. )

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 2:1–24 Joshua sent men to explore Jericho secretly

Joshua sent two men to look at Jericho, a town in the land of Canaan. A woman of Jericho called Rahab hid the two men so that the king’s soldiers could not find them. She did this because she believed that Yahweh would help the Israelites conquer their land. The men promised Rahab that if she did not betray them, they would rescue her and her family when the Israelites conquered the town. Rahab helped the men escape from Jericho and they hid in the hills for three days. When the soldiers of Jericho stopped looking for them, they returned to Joshua.

Here are some other possible section headings:

The spies went to Jericho

The spies and Rahab

Rahab helped the spies

Paragraph: 2:1–7

Joshua sent two spies to Jericho and they entered the house of Rahab. The king of Jericho sent soldiers to arrest them, but Rahab protected the two men. She hid the spies and told the soldiers that they had already left.

2:5a

At dusk, when the gate was about to close, the men went out,

Before the city gate was closed this evening, the men went out of the city.
At sunset, at the time when the gatekeeper was about to shut the gate, they left Jericho.

At dusk: The phrase At dusk refers to the time when the sun had just set and the sky was becoming dark.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

at sundown (GNT)

at dark (RSV)

when the gate was about to close: Jericho was a town surrounded by a wall. The word gate refers to the door in the wall through which people entered and left the town. It was closed at night to make the town more secure. The clause when the gate was about to close indicates that the gate was not yet closed.

the men went out: Rahab said that the men left through the town gate before it was closed for the night.

Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

The men went out of the town just before it was time to close the town gate.

In the evening, when it was time to close the city gate, the men left (ERV)

2:5b

and I do not know which way they went.

But I do not know where they went.
They did not tell me where they were going.

and I do not know which way they went: Some English versionsuse an un usual English word order here in order to show the emphasis that is in the Hebrew word order. The BSB uses a natural English word order. Use a word order that is natural in your language.

Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

where the men went I do not know (RSV)

I didn’t find out where they were going (GNT)

They did not tell me where they were going

2:5c

Pursue them quickly, and you may catch them!”

If you^(plur) chase after them quickly, you may catch them.”
Run after them quickly so that you can overtake them.”

Pursue them quickly, and you may catch them: The command Pursue them quickly indicates that the soldiers should hurry to follow the two Israelite men.

and: the Hebrew conjunction that the BSB translates as and shows a result. If the men chase the Israelite spies, the result will be that they may catch up with them. In some languages it may be more natural to leave this conjunction untranslated. For example,

Go after them quickly. You may catch up with them. (NIV)

you may catch them: There is an interpretation issue with the form of the Hebrew verb that the BSB translates as you may catch them.

It is a possible event. For example:
you can overtake them (NRSV) (BSB, NRSV, NIV, NKJV, NJPS, REB, GNT, CEV, NCV, NLT)
It is a future event. For example:
you will catch up with them (GW) (GW, RSV, NJB, NASB, KJV)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with many English versions.

Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

Run after them quickly so that you can overtake them.

If you go quickly, maybe you can catch them. (NCV)

go quickly and search for them! Perhaps you may catch them! (T4T)

Parallel JOS 2:5

Section 2:1–24 Joshua sent men to explore Jericho secretly

Paragraph: 2:1–7

2:5a

2:5b

2:5c