It is told you and you hear of it: this may be a typical double way of saying one thing (so New International Version “this has been brought to your attention”; New Jerusalem Bible “and this person is denounced to you”; also Bible en français courant; and see Good News Translation). Some take it as an either-or proposition (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible), but this does not seem very likely.

You shall inquire diligently: or “make a thorough investigation.” New International Version has “you must investigate it thoroughly”; and see Good News Translation. Contemporary English Version has “You must carefully find out if….” See the same kind of language in 13.14.

An abominable thing: see verse 1; 13.14.

Has been done in Israel: it may be that Israel here is not the country as such but a way of speaking of the people. But most take it as the country itself.

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 .