Here agricultural items are listed; these are all cultivated, not wild, except possibly the honey (see 32.13).

Wheat and barley were grain crops from which bread was made. In cultures where they are unknown, and a general term for “grain” is available, that term should be used here; for example, “grains named ‘wheat’ and ‘barley.’ ” If such a general term is not available, we may use a phrase suggesting a similarity to grains that are known; for example, “rice-like plants named ‘wheat’ and ‘barley.’ ” In some areas a general word for “fruit” may be employed for crops that have grains and must be threshed; for example, “fruits called ‘wheat’ and ‘barley.’ ”

For vines see vineyards at 6.11. Figs may be rendered as “a sweet fruit named fig.” Pomegranates are the fruit of a small tree of the same name found in west Asia and north Africa. They are red and shiny, about the size of a small apple. In cultures where this fruit is unknown, we may say “a fruit named pomegranate.” After these first instances of “fig” and “pomegranate,” translators may simply use the borrowed word without saying “a fruit named….” For olives see 6.11. It will be helpful to include notes in the glossary describing these various types of fruit.

For honey see 6.3.

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 .