What role was Joshua hired to fulfill for illiterate people in the market?

Joshua was hired as a scribe to assist illiterate people in the market. This role involved writing for those who could not read or write themselves, enabling them to engage in commerce and communicate their needs effectively. Scribes played a crucial part in helping individuals document transactions, create messages, and navigate written communication, which was vital for people who lacked literacy skills.

In contrast, the other options do not accurately describe Joshua's specific function; he was not primarily a translator, which would involve converting language from one to another, nor was he hired as a teacher, which would imply an educational role. As a vendor, his focus would be on selling goods rather than providing written assistance to those who needed help with literacy in a market context.