Comes to pass: that is, “actually happens” or “takes place.”

“Let us go after other gods … and let us serve them”: notice that Revised Standard Version breaks up the prophet’s message with Moses’ own words, which you have not known. This may be acceptable for someone who is reading the text, but the hearer will find it hard to understand. It will be better in a number of languages to combine the two direct quotations, with Moses’ comment following them; for example, “ ‘Let us worship and serve other gods.’ These are gods that you have not served before.” Or we may use indirect speech as Good News Translation does: “in order to lead you to worship and serve gods that you have not worshiped before.”

Go after … serve: this means simply to follow or pledge allegiance to, and worship; it does not mean to search for, or to try to find.

Other gods: this can be rendered “foreign [or, pagan] gods.” For gods see 4.28.

Which you have not known: see 11.28.

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 .