Here Moses recounts what is found in Exo 24.12-18; 31.18.

The tables of stone, the tables of the covenant: New Revised Standard Version and all other modern translations use today’s English, “stone tablets” (and see 4.13). The tables of the covenant may be expanded to say “the tablets on which the covenant was written.” If it is natural in the translator’s language, it is good to keep the author’s style, repeating the two phrases, and not collapse the two into one, “the stone tablets on which the covenant had been written.” Bible en français courant uses the expression “the document of the covenant.” For covenant see 4.13. The ten commandments were the terms of the covenant.

I neither ate bread nor drank water: something like “I went without food or water [during those forty days]” or “I didn’t eat or drink a thing” expresses the meaning in a natural form. The reader should understand that Moses willingly did without food or water, not that he was in a situation where food and water were not available.

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 .

Executes justice for the fatherless and widows: this does not only mean that God is impartial in applying the law to orphans and widows, but that God actively takes their side. Another way to express this is “Makes sure that … are treated fairly” (Good News Translation). Orphans and widows were the people with the least power in that society, and they were easily exploited by unscrupulous people. Bible en français courant has “He defends the rights of orphans and widows” (see also Contemporary English Version). The Hebrew word translated as fatherless by Revised Standard Version and “orphan” by many other translations refers to “a child without a father.” In languages that distinguish between “orphan,” a child who has lost both parents, and “fatherless,” a child who has lost only the father, the translator should choose “fatherless.” Otherwise “orphan” may be used.

The sojourner: this means “resident aliens,” foreigners who lived with the Israelites. Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje has “the foreigners who live among us,” and Good News Translation “the foreigners who live with our people.” We may note that this reference makes more sense in a context where the people are already settled in the land of Canaan.

Giving him food and clothing: it is better to use the plural form, “the foreigners who live in our land; he gives them food and clothing.”

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 Revised Standard Version form is that of a rhetorical question, Are they not…? to which the answer is Yes, they are. This is better translated as a statement of fact, as in New Revised Standard Version, “As you know….” Good News Translation, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, and Revised English Bible use parentheses around this verse, to show that it is not part of Moses’ speech but a comment inserted later by the writer. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh is a good model to follow: “(These mountains, as everyone knows, ….)”

Beyond the Jordan: that is, on the west side of the Jordan River; the point of view here is Moab.

West of the road, toward the going down of the sun: this is a rather wordy way of saying “west”; it is not known what road is meant. New Revised Standard Version translates “some distance to the west,” and Good News Translation has “They are toward the west.”

The Arabah: the Jordan Valley (see 1.1).

Over against Gilgal “Near the town of Gilgal” (Good News Translation). This town is near Jericho (see Josh 4.5).

Beside the oak of Moreh: see Gen 12.6; this is near Shechem, close to Gerizim, which is some 25-30 miles distant from Gilgal. The text as it stands is not very clear, unless Gilgal is another town, not the one known from the book of Joshua. It is not clear what is meant by the oak of Moreh. The tree could be a terebinth, but most translators have oak. The Hebrew word moreh may mean “teaching” or “divining”; it is not the name of a place or a person. It seems to have been a sacred tree or grove of trees where it was believed people would receive a revelation from God, or also where a sacrifice would be offered. Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version attempt to bring out the special nature of the place by saying “sacred trees”; it would be better to say “sacred tree” (as Good News Translation has in Gen 6.12). It is possible that this is the same tree that in Judges 9.37 is called “the Diviners’ oak” (Revised Standard Version; see Good News Translation “the oak of the fortunetellers”).

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 .

This one verse has six verbs to express the relationship of the Israelites to their God.

Walk after: to follow, as people follow a leader.

Fear: to honor, respect, show reverence for (see 4.10).

Keep (his commands): to obey.

Obey his voice has the same sense, meaning to follow his directions, obey his orders.

Serve: as a worshiper “serves” his or her god.

Cleave to him: be loyal or dedicated to him (10.20).

For the LORD your God see 1.6.

An alternative translation model for verses 1-4 may be:

• A person who claims to announce God’s message, or an interpreter of dreams [or, someone who receives messages from God in dreams], may appear among you and announce that he has proof that a miracle will happen. If what he predicts does happen, he will try to lead you to worship and serve other gods, which you have not worshiped before. But don’t pay any attention to such a person. The LORD your God is using him to test you to find out if you love the LORD with all your heart and soul [or, completely]. Follow the LORD and respect him; obey his commands; serve him and be faithful to him.

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 .

This verse makes it clear that the law applies only to Israelites; foreigners must pay their debts, as usual (see similar discrimination in 23.20). Another way to say this is “You may collect money that a foreigner owes you.”

Whatever of yours is with your brother: that is, whatever a fellow-Israelite owes you; that debt must be forgiven.

Your brother: your fellow-Israelite.

Your hand shall release: this is an idiomatic way of saying “you must cancel [or, forgive].” The most common verb used for the cancellation of debts should be chosen.

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 .

Every man shall give as he is able: this verse is like verse 10.

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 .

Whoever will not give heed to my words which he shall speak in my name: Contemporary English Version expresses the sense better with “Since the message comes from me, anyone who doesn’t obey the message will….”

I myself will require it of him: see similar statements in Gen 9.5; Ezek 33.6; 34.10. It means that God will hold that person responsible. New Jerusalem Bible has “will have to render an account to me,” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh “I myself will call him to account,” and Revised English Bible “I shall call that person to account.” This “calling to account,” of course, means punishment (see Good News Translation).

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 .

But if it makes no peace … but makes war: these are the negative and the positive aspects of the same action. If it is not unnatural to use both forms in a given language, they should be used, for emphasis. An alternative way of expressing these two clauses is “But if the people of that city will not accept your offer of peace, but decide to fight you….” Instead of it, the town, it may be better to say “the inhabitants,” or “the people who live there.”

Besiege it: this means to put troops around the walls of the town, and to use devices to break through the walls, or to climb over them, so that the attackers can enter the town (see further at verse 19). In some languages translators will need to use a descriptive phrase; for example, “then have your fighting men surround the town and attack it.”

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 .