In verses 5-6 one particular example of accidental killing is given. A good way to start verse 5 is to say “For example” (Good News Translation), “For instance” (New International Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Revised English Bible), or “Suppose that…” (New Revised Standard Version).

A man … with his neighbor: as in verse 4, this means “with his friend,” or “with someone else.” Or else, even more simply, “For instance, two men go to the woods….”

The forest: or “the woods.” An equivalent of “the jungle” may be used if there is no other word to designate an area where trees grow plentifully.

To cut wood: either firewood or else for carpentry.

His hand swings the axe to cut down a tree: that is, “While he is cutting down a tree with his ax,” or else, like New International Version, “As he swings his ax to fell a tree.”

The head slips from the handle: the head is the heavy metal blade fixed to the wooden handle of an ax. Slips may not give the right sense in English, since it may not mean it happens with enough speed and force to kill a person; Good News Translation has “comes off,” but perhaps “flies off” is more appropriate in this context.

And strikes his neighbor so that he dies: “And the head hits the other man and he dies.”

He may flee to one of these cities and save his life: this refers to the nearest town of refuge, where he can be safe from the dead man’s relative who would go after him in order to kill 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 .

Verses 19-20 add another instruction with regard to the siege of a city (verses 10-15).

The Hebrew text of verse 19 is not altogether clear, but the meaning given by Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, and Contemporary English Version represents the most common interpretation of the text.

When you besiege a city for a long time: or “When your fighting men surround a town for a long time.” For besiege see verse 12.

You shall not destroy its trees by wielding an axe against them: these are fruit trees that grow outside the city, and they are not to be cut down. Good News Translation reduces the number of words considerably, with “do not cut down its fruit trees.” The model of Revised Standard Version is not recommended, as it gives the idea that as long as you don’t use an axe, you may cut the trees down. The sentence means that under no condition may anyone cut down the trees.

It is also possible to reorder the first clauses of the verse as follows: “When you are attacking a town, even though you surround the town for a long time, don’t chop down its fruit trees.”

You may eat of them, but you shall not cut them down: the Israelites were allowed to eat the fruits of the trees, but they were not to destroy the trees. New Revised Standard Version “Although you may take food from them…” is not much better than Revised Standard Version, since in English people hardly speak of taking “food” from a tree. Good News Translation is more natural with “Eat the fruit, but do not destroy the trees.”

Are the trees in the field men that they should be besieged by you? The rhetorical question is a way of saying vividly that the trees are not human beings and so pose no threat to the Israelites. If the rhetorical question (expecting the answer “No”) will be understood by the reader, it may be retained. Otherwise a negative statement should be used: “Trees are not men…” or “Fruit trees aren’t your enemies” (Good News Translation, 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 .

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 .