So we went on, away from our brethren: this may mean that the Israelites departed, leaving behind the Edomites (so New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, New Jerusalem Bible); or it may mean, more precisely, “So we passed by our kin” (New Revised Standard Version; also Revised English Bible “So we went on past our kinsmen”; also Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje, Bible en français courant). It is difficult to determine which meaning is intended. The Hebrew text is not at all clear, and it appears to embody an inconsistency. It seems to say that the Israelites bypassed Edom (see verse 1), even though the verb used is one that means ordinarily “to go through” (as in 2.4); it is not the verb that normally means “to go around” (see 2.3). But with the verb goes the preposition “from” (as in Num 20.21), which makes the Hebrew say that the Israelites avoided going through Edom. So Contemporary English Version has “We went past the territory that belonged to our relatives, the descendants of Esau.” This is what the Hebrew seems to mean, and is recommended to the translator; but the other meaning “went away from” is also possible.

Our brethren the sons of Esau who live in Seir: as in verse 4. It is difficult to know why Good News Translation has omitted this bit of information; perhaps it was regarded as unnecessarily repetitive.

Away from the Arabah road from Elath and Ezion-geber: the Hebrew here is also unclear, and the translations vary. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh is quite literal but makes sense: “away from the road of the Arabah, away from Elath and Ezion-geber.” Bible en français courant is similar: “We also avoided the road of the Arabah and the sites of Elath and Ezion-geber.” Good News Translation‘s “So we moved on and left the road that goes from the towns of…” is a possible rendering of the Hebrew text. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch is even freer: “So we went northward through the territory of our kinspeople, the descendants of Esau, but did not use the road that goes from Ezion-geber and Elath through the Arabah to the Dead Sea.”

We turned and went: this may be stated more naturally, “We resumed our journey,” “We kept on going.” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh has “We marched on in the direction of….” As Good News Translation makes clear, Moab was to the north (see map, page xii).

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 is a summary of all the territory east of the Jordan that had been conquered by the Israelites.

The tableland is the southern plateau, going from Gilead, in the north, to the boundary of Moab at the Arnon River. Another way to express tableland, or “plateau,” is “high, flat land.” Gilead was the central area of east Jordan, divided into two by the Jabbok River (see map, page xii).

Salecah and Edrei (see 1.4) appear as two towns more or less in the same region. Both seem to have been at the southern boundary of the land (Josh 13.11-12).

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 have no other gods before [or, besides] me: this may be expressed “You shall [or, must] not worship any other god except me,” or “Do not worship any god but me.” New Jerusalem Bible translates “You will have no gods other than me.” It is better to use the verb “worship” or “obey,” rather than “have.”

This commandment does not deny the existence of other gods; it demands of the Israelites that they acknowledge only Yahweh as their god. Psa 81.9-10 has a good statement of this first commandment. The you is singular as mentioned in the introduction to this chapter. But many translators will wish to use a plural pronoun here and throughout the rest of the chapter.

See the comment on gods at 3.24.

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 you shall bind them as a sign upon your hand and as frontlets between your eyes: see 11.18-20. This command was later kept by writing scripture verses on pieces of parchment and placing them in small leather pouches, called tefilin (“phylacteries”), on the forehead and the left forearm (see Matt 23.5). Contemporary English Version has “Write down copies and tie them….” This will be a good model for many translators. However, in languages that must indicate the kind of material that these laws were to be written on, we may say, for example, “Write these laws on parchment and….”

The word frontlets, which means a band or ornament on the forehead, has a meaning parallel to sign here. The two terms have the sense of “sign and symbol,” a public demonstration of the person’s commitment to God’s Law. Good News Translation uses only one phrase, “as a reminder”; New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh has “as a sign … as a symbol”; New Revised Standard Version “as a sign … as an emblem.” The literal between your eyes means on the forehead.

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• Write down copies of these laws and tie them on your wrists and foreheads to help you remember 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 .

This verse lists the events the Israelites witnessed in Egypt, all of them referring to the plagues God sent on the land and the people.

The great trials: here trials means “sufferings” or “ordeals,” referring to the plagues (see Good News Translation).

Which your eyes saw: Good News Translation has “that you saw with your own eyes.” They had been eyewitnesses of all the plagues.

The signs, the wonders: see 4.24.

The mighty hand, and the outstretched arm: see 4.34.

So will the LORD your God do: God will send on the peoples of Canaan the same disasters he sent on the Egyptians. So Good News Translation has “In the same way that he destroyed the Egyptians” (see New Revised Standard Version “The LORD your God will do the same…”).

All the peoples of whom you are afraid: see the list in verse 1.

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 .

Arise, go down quickly from here: Moses had been lying down on his face (in a prone position), not doing a thing during the forty days. An alternative model is “Get up and hurry down the mountain.”

Your people whom you have brought out of Egypt: here Yahweh is saying that Moses is responsible for the people. The sense of your people is that Moses was their leader, he was in charge of them.

Have acted corruptly: this accuses the people of committing a terrible sin, that is, building a metal idol in the shape of a calf. See the comment at 4.16.

Turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: the Israelites had quickly disobeyed God and acted contrary to his commands. Other ways to express this are “they have already disobeyed what I commanded them” or “they have already stopped obeying me.” But we may also keep the figurative language; for example, “They have quickly left the path that I commanded them to walk on.”

A molten image: in most languages the phrase “metal image” will be the one to use. To indicate that it was made by the process of smelting metal ore and shaping the metal into the figure of a calf may be difficult; “cast metal” is the normal phrase in English (New International Version “a cast idol”).

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 repeats almost word for word statements found elsewhere in the book (see 6.13). But the verb cleave to is used here for the first time. It means to maintain a close relationship with someone, to cling to them or stay close to them (also 11.22; 13.4; 30.20). It is the verb used of the relationship between husband and wife (Gen 2.24). Good News Translation has “be faithful to.” This is also possible.

By his name you shall swear: see 6.13.

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 .