Verses 20-25 are a confession of God’s mighty acts of salvation on behalf of his people. This is in the form of a creed which fathers are to repeat to their children for all generations to come.

In the interests of inclusiveness, Good News Translation (second edition), Contemporary English Version, New Revised Standard Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh have “your children,” instead of the exclusive masculine your son. New Jerusalem Bible uses the singular, “your child asks … tell your child.” It could be, however, that in the context of the writing of the book this actually refers to a ceremony in which the (older) son would ask his father this question, and the father would answer. But it seems better to make the text inclusive.

In time to come (Good News Translation, “In times to come”) may also be rendered as “some day” or “sometime,” or “in the future.”

The question What is the meaning of…? means “Why did God give you these…?” or “For what reason did God give you…?”

The testimonies: see 4.45; the statutes and the ordinances: 4.21.

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 .