Oh that they had such a mind in them always: the Hebrew expression is in the form of a question: “Who will give…?” (meaning “If only there were…!”). This expresses a wish: “May they always be of such a mind” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh); “If only their heart were always so” (New Jerusalem Bible); “Would that they may always be of a mind” (Revised English Bible); “I wish that their hearts [or, minds] were always like this”; or even “I wish that they would always think like this.” In this passage mind translates the Hebrew word for “heart,” meaning here the people’s attitude or resolve.

To fear me: see 4.10.

Keep all my commandments: see 4.2.

That it might go well with them and their children forever: see 4.40; 5.16. We should note that the initial it is used idiomatically and does not refer back to anything earlier in the text. We can readily substitute “everything” (Good News Translation) or “things.” Here children means “descendants.” Another model for this final sentence is “Then they and their descendants would always enjoy a successful life.”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .