This verse lists the events the Israelites witnessed in Egypt, all of them referring to the plagues God sent on the land and the people.

The great trials: here trials means “sufferings” or “ordeals,” referring to the plagues (see Good News Translation).

Which your eyes saw: Good News Translation has “that you saw with your own eyes.” They had been eyewitnesses of all the plagues.

The signs, the wonders: see 4.24.

The mighty hand, and the outstretched arm: see 4.34.

So will the LORD your God do: God will send on the peoples of Canaan the same disasters he sent on the Egyptians. So Good News Translation has “In the same way that he destroyed the Egyptians” (see New Revised Standard Version “The LORD your God will do the same…”).

All the peoples of whom you are afraid: see the list in verse 1.

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 .