The first part of verse 18 is similar to 6.6; the second part is exactly the same as 6.8.

Lay up … in your heart and in your soul: this includes both the mind and the feelings; so Good News Translation says “Remember these commands and cherish them.” Contemporary English Version has “Memorize these laws and think about them.”

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 .

Since, in the enlarged territory, some Israelites would be living a great distance from the one place of worship, permission is given them to eat at home. This repeats essentially verse 15.

The place … put his name there: see verses 5, 11.

Any of your herd or your flock: that is, “any of your cattle or sheep” (see Good News Translation). God has given these animals to the Israelites (see verse 15).

As I have commanded you: Moses is the speaker, and he is setting forth these rules and regulations.

You may eat within your towns as much as you desire: as in verse 15.

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 .

Swine: or, more familiarly, “pigs.” See also Lev 11.7; Pro 11.27; Isa 65.4; 66.3, 17 (also in the New Testament).

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 .

Instructions are given on how to celebrate Passover.

The passover sacrifice: that is, the animal offered in sacrifice, to celebrate the Passover Festival. For alternative ways to translate passover, see the previous verse.

From the flock or the herd: see 15.19.

The place which the LORD will choose, to make his name dwell there: see 12.5; 14.23. Originally Passover was a family festival, celebrated in the home.

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• Go to the one place where Yahweh your [or, inclusive “our”] God chooses for you to worship him, and slaughter there one of your sheep or cattle while you are celebrating the Passover Festival. In this way you will honor Yahweh.

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 first part of this verse repeats verse 15.

I will put my words in his mouth: the literal equivalent in many languages will be natural and vivid; in English it is better to say something like “I will give him the message he is to deliver,” or “I will tell him what to say” (Good News Translation).

He shall speak to them: them is the people of Israel. So we may say “He will tell the people of Israel everything that I command” (similarly 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 .

If the people accept the Israelites’ offer, there will be no fighting and no bloodshed; but they will become the Israelites’ slaves.

If its answer to you is peace: that is, “if the people of that town agree to what you demand.”

It opens to you: this seems to mean that the people open the gates of the town so that the Israelites can enter and occupy the town. Or it may mean, as New Revised Standard Version translates, “surrenders to you.” In some languages it will be necessary to place this clause at the beginning; for example, “If the people of that town open the gates and surrender.”

All the people who are found in it: a way of saying “all the inhabitants of the town,” “all the people who live there.”

Shall do forced labor for you and shall serve you: this is simply one statement, expressed by two verbs that have the same meaning. For the use of forced labor, see Judges 1.27-36. Good News Translation has “they are all to become your slaves and do forced labor for you.” Another way to express this is “… and you will force them to work for you.”

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 gives the reason for the instructions in the previous two verses: the uncovered excrement would defile the camp, which was a holy place because of the presence of Yahweh.

The LORD your God walks in the midst of the camp: if possible this vivid language should be retained in translation. If this is not possible we may say “the LORD your God is with you” (Good News Translation) or “the LORD is always present” (Contemporary English Version).

To save you: that is, from the enemy; Good News Translation “protect” is better in this context.

To give up your enemies before you: this means to give the Israelites victory over their enemies (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version).

Your camp must be holy: Good News Translation has “ritually clean,” but in this case it seems advisable to retain a word for holy, whose primary meaning is “completely dedicated to the service of God.” In some instances an explanatory footnote to the word may be helpful.

Anything indecent: the same word is used in 24.1. Here it means “offensive to God” (Revised English Bible); New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh “unseemly” and Bible en français courant “repugnant” are not quite as good. Contemporary English Version has “filthy and disgusting things.”

And turn away from you means “turn around and leave you,” “turn his back on you” (Good News Translation), or even “abandon you.”

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 .