The essay that you read was produced at the behest of his French publisher. They wanted him to write something that would make people feel better about the book, that would give some account of its origin and give some defense for its publication and its content.

你们所读到的那篇短文就是在法国出版商的要求下写的,他们希望他写些什么来让人们对这本书产生更多的好感,来交待这本书的缘起,并且为它的内容和它的出版进行辩护。

耶鲁公开课 - 1945年后的美国小说课程节选

So the first half of the book of Joshua contains a streamlined, idealized account according to which the Israelites managed in a relatively short period to take the central hill country, confining the Philistines to a little strip here on the coastal plain. We will come to the Philistines in a minute.

因此《约书亚书》第一部分包含了,一种流线行，理想化的叙述，据此,以色列人在相对较短的时期内设法,攫取中央山地，将腓利士人，逼至狭窄条形地带,逼至海岸平原，我们待会儿将要说到腓利士人。

耶鲁公开课 - 旧约导论课程节选