Verses 29-30 are one long sentence, with verse 29 as a dependent time clause, modifying the main verb of the sentence take heed (verse 30). It will be necessary in many languages to restructure, as Today’s English Version has done, and make verse 29 a statement of fact, followed by the command in verse 30. With the beginning of a new section, it will be good to preface it with something like “Moses said to the people of Israel.”

Cuts off before you the nations: cuts off is another verb in the rich vocabulary of destruction and extermination (see also 19.1). The phrase before you means “as you advance” (Revised English Bible), “as you invade their land” (Today’s English Version).

Whom you go in to dispossess, and you dispossess them: this is a wordy literal equivalent of the Hebrew text, which can be expressed in a more natural and economical way. We may say something like the following: “As you invade the land of Canaan, the LORD your God will destroy the nations that are there. You will take their place and live in the land.” For the verb dispossess see 12.2.

In verse 30 the warning begins take heed …, that is, “be careful,” or “take care.” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh has “beware,” Today’s English Version “make sure,” Contemporary English Version “be especially careful.”

Ensnared: this verb, in this form, is found only here; it means “to be entangled” (as in a trap), “to be caught” (see the active “to trap” in 1 Sam 28.9). Here it is used figuratively, “lure,” “seduce,” “lead astray.” The passive form of the verb may have to be transformed into the active, “be careful that no one will lure [or, entice] you….”

To follow them, after they have been destroyed before you: even though the Canaanites will be defeated, there will be survivors who will try to get the Israelites to worship their gods. Today’s English Version “for that would be fatal” is a way of completing the idea of the verb “be ensnared,” which means here that they will actually be trapped, not merely be lured or seduced.

And that you do not inquire about their gods: Today’s English Version offers a good translation: “Don’t try to find out how they worship their gods.” Or we may say “Don’t show an interest in their religion.”

‘How did…?’ In Revised Standard Version the question within single quotes is unnecessarily complicated, and a translation need not preserve the direct order, with the quoted question and the explanatory statement. It is possible to render it as an indirect quotation: “… don’t try to learn about their gods by asking how those people worship them; if you do, you may do the same thing.” However, the direct quotation will be more natural style in a number of languages. Contemporary English Version offers a good model: “You must be especially careful not to ask ‘How did these nations worship their gods? Shouldn’t we worship the LORD in the same way?’ ”

To serve gods means to worship them, obey their commandments (see 6.13).

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 .