The pestilence: if a particular disease is intended, it is probably the (bubonic) plague; the Septuagint translates the Hebrew noun dever by “death.” Other ways to render pestilence are “disease after disease” (Good News Translation), or “terrible diseases” (Contemporary English Version).

Cleave to you until he has consumed you: Yahweh will send this plague on the rebellious Israelites until he has killed them all, and not one Israelite is left in the Promised Land. The vivid language should be retained if possible. Cleave to you may also be rendered as “stay with you” or “make you so sick that you will all….” Until he has consumed you means “until all of you are dead,” or “not one of you is left” (Good News Translation). This first sentence may be alternatively rendered “He will send terrible diseases upon you that will make you so sick that not one of you will stay alive.”

The land you are entering to take possession of it: see 1.8.

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 .