Verses 1-2 are one sentence in Hebrew, which in translation should be broken up into several sentences (see Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version). In verses 1-3 several matters are dealt with that have appeared before: for verse 1, see 1.28; 2.18; 4.38; 5.1; 6.4; 7.1; for verse 2, see 1.28; 7.15; for verse 3, see 4.24; 7.21-24.

Hear, O Israel: see 6.4.

You are to pass over the Jordan this day: the perspective given by Revised Standard Version is that of Moses addressing the people on the day they are to begin crossing the Jordan River into the land of Canaan; note also Good News Translation, “Today you are about to cross….” But some other versions do not take this day so literally; see, for example, New International Version “You are now about to cross,” and Contemporary English Version “You will soon cross.” It has now been forty years since they departed from Egypt. For Jordan see 1.1; 4.21.

Dispossess: this means to drive away or dislodge. The object is nations (not “land”), and so something like “drive out” is best. See also 2.21.

Nations greater and mightier than yourselves: see 7.1.

Cities great and fortified up to heaven: these are large towns surrounded by high, strong walls. The expression fortified up to heaven is a colorful exaggeration that no reader would understand literally; even Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version “reach to the sky” should not be read as a factual truth. A translator is encouraged to use similar exaggeration if it is understood as such, or we may use a simile or other expression; for example, “and the walls around their towns seem to reach to the sky.” For cities see 1.1, 22.

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 .