If you do not turn aside … to the right hand or to the left: this is a figure of complete obedience, without any deviation (see 5.32). So Good News Translation has “you must never disobey.”

The words which I command you this day: as often stated in the book, this refers to all of Moses’ words delivered on the same day in one long discourse.

To go after other gods to serve them: there is a constant indication in Deuteronomy of rivalry between Yahweh and the gods of Canaan; to serve other gods is to be guilty of idolatry (see 8.19).

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 .

All the diseases of Egypt: this means all the plagues God sent on the Egyptians; see verse 27; 7.15.

They shall cleave to you: a vivid way of saying that the Israelites will not be healed; these illnesses are incurable.

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 .

Then men would say: the conditional would construction continues, because of its use at the beginning, from verse 19 on. For men say “people,” or else say “And the answer will be” (as in Good News Translation, New International Version, and Revised English Bible); or we may say “Then people will answer like this.” Or in some languages a translator may use the passive, “And they will be told” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), or “They will be given the answer” (Contemporary English Version).

They forsook the covenant: some suggest that here covenant refers to the Ten Commandments (see 4.13); but such a limitation of the word should not appear in the text itself. It is better to have a general statement such as “broke the covenant that he had made with them” or “they rejected the agreement Yahweh had made with them.” Good News Translation “the covenant they had made with him” is wrong; it was Yahweh who made the covenant.

The LORD, the God of their fathers: as always, fathers means ancestors.

Which he made with them: that is, “with 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 .

All the Israelites, men, women, and children are to be present; also all “the foreigners who live in your towns” (Good News Translation); see 1.8.

Assemble: or “call together” (Good News Translation), or even “call all the men, women, … to come together.”

May hear and learn to fear the LORD your God: see 4.10.

Be careful to do all the words of this law: see 26.16; 28.58.

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 .

And he said: this marks the beginning of Yahweh’s words, which continue almost to the end of the song; from this point to the end of verse 42, “I” and “me” refer to Yahweh. But see comments below about problems in translating third person references to Yahweh within this direct speech.

I will hide my face from them: see 31.17-18.

I will see what their end will be: that is, “I will see what will happen to them.” God speaks here as a spectator; he does not affirm that he himself will be responsible for what becomes of them. Contemporary English Version translates “I’ll just watch and see what happens to you” (similarly Good News Translation).

A perverse generation: see verse 5.

Children in whom is no faithfulness: that is, “unfaithful children,” who do not respect or obey God their Father.

We may restructure this verse as follows:

• You are unfaithful people
and I can’t trust you.
So I won’t help you any longer;
I’ll just watch
and see what happens to 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 .

Then the LORD became king in Jeshurun: for Jeshurun see 32.15. The Hebrew text says only “and there was a king in Jeshurun.” This could refer to Yahweh or to Moses; or it could refer to some other person, as New Revised Standard Version translates, “There arose a king in Jeshurun” (also Revised English Bible, and New Jerusalem Bible). It is recommended that Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation be followed.

The heads of the people were gathered: this means the chiefs, the leaders of the Israelites, perhaps the tribal leaders.

All the tribes of Israel together: this is parallel with the previous line. The two lines together can be translated “all the tribes and their leaders assembled [together].”

Verses 4 and 5 may be combined as follows:

• When all the people of Israel gathered together,
I gave you God’s Law,
the most treasured thing our nation has.
Then the LORD became king 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 .

See the similar account of Aaron’s death in Num 20.20. Thirty days seems to have been the normal length of time of mourning for a leader.

Then the days of weeping and mourning … were ended: this is quite redundant information. To make the text less repetitive, it may be placed at the beginning of the next paragraph (as in New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). Contemporary English Version has a good model for this verse:

• The people of Israel stayed in the lowlands of Moab, where they mourned and grieved thirty days for Moses, as was their custom.

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 .

Your neighbor’s vineyard: the neighbor here, as usual, is a fellow Israelite, not necessarily someone who lives next door.

For vineyard see 6.11.

Your vessel: this is a container of some sort; it could be a bowl, or a basket, or a bag—anything that would hold grapes.

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 .