The verse begins with two complete statements that are to be understood together, and not as separate actions: charges her with shameful conduct, and brings an evil name upon her. This may be expressed as “He defames her, falsely accusing her of sexual immorality.” The context shows that the accusation is false. New International Version has “slanders her and gives her a bad name.”

I took this woman: that is, “I took this woman as my wife” or “I married this woman.”

When I came near her: this refers to the first time he made love to his wife. Contemporary English Version has “when we slept together.”

The tokens of virginity: as the following context shows, this is the bleeding caused by the rupture of the hymen of a virgin. (The hymen is the membrane that partly closes the opening of the vagina.) The blood would stain the bed sheet, and the bloodstained bed sheet served as proof that she was a virgin. This can be difficult, if not impossible, to describe in some languages, but the general “I discovered [or, found out] she wasn’t a virgin” may be enough, in view of the details given in verses 15 and 17. Good News Translation may serve as a model on how to handle this. If translators feel that a further explanation is needed, this may be placed in a footnote or glossary item. Many languages will have a term for “virgin,” but in some languages translators will need to use a phrase; for example, “young woman [or, girl] who has never been with a man” or “… who has not slept with a man.”

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 .

The latter husband dislikes her: this is a most unnatural construction in English; something like “the second husband” or “this husband” is better. The same thing happens as in the first case: there is something about her that the second husband also doesn’t like. The Hebrew verb is often translated “hates”; but here the more moderate dislikes is better in English. New Jerusalem Bible has “takes a dislike to her.”

Writes a bill of divorce …: the second husband follows the same three-step procedure followed by the first husband.

Or if the latter husband dies, who took her to be his wife: New Revised Standard Version is better, “(or the second man who married her dies).” The point being made is that the woman may not remarry her first husband, so the possibility arises not only that the second husband may divorce her, but also that he may die. The clause who took her to be his wife is redundant information and will be unnatural style in a number of languages.

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 .

You shall say before the LORD your God: as in verses 5 and 10. The context makes it quite certain that this does not take place at the central sanctuary. So this should be expressed as “Then you shall say to the LORD,” or even “Then you must pray, ‘Our LORD and our God, …’ ” (Contemporary English Version).

I have removed …: the Israelite declares that he has taken the full amount from his house and has given it to the Levite, the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow.

The sacred portion: that is, the one-tenth to be given to the poor and needy. Another way to express this is “none of your [Yahweh’s] portion that has been set apart for the poor is left in my house,” or “none of the ten percent of my harvest that is yours and has been set apart for the poor….”

According to all thy commandments which thou hast commanded me: this is emphatic and very personal. For commandment see 4.2.

I have not transgressed … neither have I forgotten them: he has not disobeyed any of the commandments, either intentionally (transgressed) or unintentionally (forgotten). These commandments are not just the Ten Commandments but all of God’s rules and laws. We may also translate this final sentence as “I have not disobeyed or forgotten any of your commandments concerning this ten percent.”

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 .

Blessed shall you be: in Hebrew the participle “blessed [be]” appears six times in verses 3-6; this is balanced in verses 16-19, in which the participle “cursed [be]” also appears six times. This is more apparent in Revised Standard Version than in Good News Translation, and it is recommended that a translation preserve this stylistic feature if it reads naturally. Other ways of saying Blessed shall you be are “A blessing on” (Revised English Bible), “You will be blessed” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, New International Version), “The LORD will bless you” (Good News Translation), or “The LORD will make you prosper [or, be successful].”

In the city … in the field: these were the places where the Israelites worked; so something like “wherever you work” or “everywhere you work,” or even “in your businesses and farms,” may be more satisfactory than the literal rendering of the Hebrew idiom (see a similar idiom in 6.7).

The Contemporary English Version model is a good alternative one:

• The LORD will make your businesses and your farms successful.

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 .

They shall be upon you: that is, they will befall you, come down on you.

A sign and a wonder: see the two words in 4.34. Here they mean a solemn warning, a powerful reminder, to other people, as Good News Translation makes clear. Some, however, take this to be a solemn warning to the Israelites themselves; but the Hebrew preposition translated upon seems to require the other meaning. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh has “They shall serve as signs and proofs against you and your offspring…”; or we may say “… that God is punishing you.”

You and your descendants for ever: formally this contradicts the passages that foretell the total destruction of the Israelites.

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 .

Establish you this day as his people: this is the main purpose, which is dependent upon the first, “that you may enter” at the beginning of verse 12. Through the covenant Yahweh confirms, acknowledges, and confesses that they are, in theory and in fact, a people who belong to him, and they will be seen as such by others.

That he may be your God: the covenant affects the status both of Yahweh and of the people of Israel. Your God means “the God you [will] serve.”

As he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob: 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 .

I call heaven and earth to witness against you: see 4.26.

Life and death, blessing and curse: see verse 15; the choice is theirs.

Choose life, that you and your descendants may live: nothing less than continued existence as a people is at stake; they will be a prosperous and powerful people, or else they will disappear. Both Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version (see below) have excellent alternative models. Contemporary English Version keeps the clauses in the same order as Revised Standard Version, but Good News Translation places the first clause at the end of the verse. Either model is possible.

• Right now I call the sky and the earth to be witnesses that I am offering you this choice. Will you choose for the LORD to make you prosperous and give you a long life? Or will he put you under a curse and kill you? Choose life! (Contemporary English Version)

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 .