23:13a
know for sure that the LORD your God will no longer drive out these nations before you: Verse 12 started with the word “if” to indicate a condition. Verse 13 shows the result that will follow if the Israelites associate with the other nations around them. The Hebrew does not use the word “then” in verse 13. In some languages it may help to say “then” to make it clear that this is a result.
know for sure: The Hebrew verb structure that the Berean Standard Bible translates as know for sure indicates emphasis. Look for a way to mark this emphasis if it is possible in your language.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
know assuredly (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
then you can be sure
the LORD your God will no longer drive out these nations before you: The Hebrew verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as drive out was used in verse 23:5b and 23:9a.
Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:
then know for certain that Yahweh your God will stop making these nations leave ahead of you
-or-
If you do those things, then Yahweh your God will definitely no longer take away the land from these peoples as you go forward.
23:13b
Instead: The Hebrew conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Instead indicates a contrast. In some languages it may be more natural to begin a new sentence here.
they will become for you a snare and a trap, a scourge in your sides and thorns in your eyes: This is a series of metaphors that describe how dangerous the enemy nations will become to the Israelites.
a snare and a trap: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as snare refers to a net for catching birds. The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as trap may refer to a wooden trap to catch birds, or it may refer to the bait inside the net which would lure the bird in. If you do not have two different words for bird traps you could say simply “a bird trap.”
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
a net and a trap
-or-
a bird trap
-or-
a trap
a scourge: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as scourge can also be translated “whip.”
thorns in your eyes: The phrase thorns in your eyes indicates that the enemy nations would damage the Israelites just as thorns damage the eyes.
In some languages it may be more natural to translate these metaphors as similes.
Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:
Rather, they will be a net or a trap for you, a whip on your side and thorns in your eyes.
-or-
Instead, they will be like traps ⌊that catch you like a bird⌋ , like a whip ⌊that stings⌋ your sides and like thorns ⌊that stick in⌋ your eyes.
-or-
they will be ⌊as dangerous for you as⌋ a trap. They ⌊will hurt you as much as⌋ a whip on your sides or thorns ⌊that stick into⌋ your eyes.
23:13c
until you perish from this good land that the LORD your God has given you: This indicates that the enemy nations would inflict all those injuries on the Israelites until all of them had died.
perish: The English word perish is an older word that means “die.”
Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:
until you have all died and no longer live in the good land that Yahweh your God has given you
-or-
In the end, none of you will be left in this good land that Yahweh your God has given you.
General Comment on 23:12–13
Verses 12 and 13 are a condition and a result.
12
If the Israelites associate with the other nations around them, 13 then God will not drive those nations out.
This could also be expressed as a command with a warning.
12 Do not associate with the other nations around you, 13 otherwise God will not drive those nations out.
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