A new section begins here, so translators are advised to start the verse with something like “Moses said to the Israelites.”

Love the LORD your God: for this command see the similar command in 6.5.

Keep his charge: as in the other passages, keep means “obey,” “follow,” “put into practice.” The word charge, used here for the first time in this book, means “things commanded” or “obligation.” Another way to express this is “do everything that he has required you to do.” In the phrase keep his charge, the verb and the noun are from the same root, both in Hebrew and in Greek.

For statutes and ordinances see 4.1; for commandments see 4.2.

Good News Translation combines all four Hebrew nouns in this verse in the one phrase, “all his laws.” This is alright, since there are no strict differences in meaning among the four words, but Good News Translation does lose some of the emphasis found in the use of three or more words. A translation should not give the impression that the words apply to different kinds of rules. And it may be that some languages do not have four different words for rules and regulations. Contemporary English Version uses two words: “laws and teachings.” Charge may also be taken as a general term, with the three following words giving particular types of rules. So an alternative model using three terms of similar meaning is the following: “Follow everything that he requires you to do: his statutes, ordinances, and commandments.”

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 .