In this statement there is the same passive construction used in the previous verse: shall be given.

Your sons and daughters shall be given to another people: that is, they will be taken as prisoners of war to some foreign country. Good News Translation adds “as slaves,” which is permissible; they certainly wouldn’t be taken to foreign countries to become citizens! In languages that do not use the passive, we may say, for example, “I will give your sons and daughters to foreigners while you watch.”

Your eyes look on: “in your presence,” or “as you watch.”

Fail with longing for them all the day: an expressive figure of speech (see Lam 4.17). They will look and look, in vain, for the return of their children. New International Version has “you will wear out your eyes watching for them day after day”; a better way of rendering this may be “… as you watch, day after day, for them to return home.”

It shall not be in the power of your hand to prevent it: that is, you won’t be able to prevent them from being taken into exile to a foreign country. Or, as Bible en français courant translates, “you won’t be able to effect their return,” or Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje “you won’t be able to do anything to bring them back.” This seems to be the better choice.

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 .

Great trials … signs … great wonders: see 4.34; 7.19. These three similar terms are used together for emphasis. They refer primarily to the ten plagues that Yahweh sent on Egypt.

The information in this verse refers back to the clause “all that the LORD did” in the previous verse. So it is possible to combine verses 2 and 3 as follows:

• Moses called together the people of Israel and said to them: “You saw with your own eyes the terrible plagues, the miracles, and the great wonders that Yahweh did to punish the king of Egypt, his officers, and everyone else in the land.”

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 these curses: that is, all the disasters or punishments listed in 28.15-68; see 29.20. Another way to express this first sentence is “Then the LORD will stop punishing you; instead he will bring these disasters upon your enemies.”

Put … upon your foes and enemies: see 7.15. The two nouns “foes and enemies” mean exactly the same thing; see New International Version “on your enemies who hate you and persecute you” (similarly Good News Translation). For enemies see 1.42.

Persecuted you: or this may be expressed as “oppressed you” (Good News Translation), “took advantage of you” (New Revised Standard Version), or even “attack you” (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 .

Rebellious and stubborn: see the two adjectives in 9.6-7.

While I am yet alive with you, today: this does not make good sense in English. Good News Translation and Revised English Bible have “during my lifetime,” New International Version “while I am alive and with you,” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh “even now, while I am still alive in your midst.”

You have been rebellious against the LORD: see 1.26; 9.23-24.

How much more after my death! This can be expressed more clearly as, for example, “I am sure [or, I know] that after I die you [plural] will be even more rebellious.”

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 defeat of the Israelites can be understood only on the assumption that Yahweh had deliberately abandoned them; the gods of the enemies could not have defeated the God of Israel.

Their rock is not as our Rock: it seems clear that here Moses must be the speaker. The abrupt change to the first plural (our Rock … our enemies) may be difficult in some languages; see how Good News Translation has handled this. The comparison is between the power of the gods and the power of Yahweh; so it will be good to say “their rock is [or, their gods are] not as powerful as our Rock [or, our God].”

Even our enemies themselves being judges: this is unintelligible English; presumably it means “as even our enemies themselves admit.” See New International Version “as even our enemies concede.” New Revised Standard Version and Revised English Bible follow the Septuagint, “our enemies are fools”; but this is not recommended.

Alternative translation models for this verse are:

• Even our enemies know [or, admit]
that their gods are not as powerful as our [inclusive] God.

• … their gods are not as powerful a rock as our [inclusive] God.

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 best gifts of the earth and its fulness: this is a summary statement; it means everything that grows—crops, vineyards, fruit trees. The phrase the earth and its fulness means the ability of the earth to bring forth bumper crops: “this rich [or, fertile] land.” BÍBLIA para todos Edição Comum translates “the rich yield of the land and everything it produces”; or we may say “all the best things that the land can produce.”

The favor of him that dwelt in the bush: this is a reference to the events narrated in Exo 3.1-6. The idea of God living in the bush is a bit strange; the Septuagint translates “who was seen in the bush.” Good News Translation is justified, in terms of what actually happened, in translating “who spoke from the burning bush.” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh translates “the Presence in the bush,” and Bible en français courant “the favor of the God present in the bush.” Another possibility is Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje, “the God who appeared in the burning bush” (similarly Contemporary English Version). Either this, or “… of God, who appeared…” is recommended as a model for translators.

Let these come upon the head … upon the crown of the head: these have the same meaning. New Revised Standard Version “on the brow” for the second expression (also New International Version) may be better than “the crown,” which is the top of the head, not a king’s or queen’s headwear.

Joseph is described as prince among his brothers, that is, the leader or the most outstanding one. The Hebrew word translated prince may in some contexts mean “Nazirite,” that is, someone who is dedicated to God (see the story of Samson in Judges 13.5, 7); so New Jerusalem Bible has “the consecrated one.” However, it is better to say “leader” (Good News Translation). An alternative rendering for the second part of this verse is:

• I ask that all these things happen
to the people of the tribe of Joseph,
because he [Joseph] was the leader
among his brothers.

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 release is here defined in clear terms: the debt of every fellow Israelite is to be canceled.

And this is the manner of the release: simply, “This is what you must do,” or “This is how it is to be done” (Good News Translation, New International Version).

From the second person singular in verse 1 the Hebrew text switches to the third person singular in verse 2, then back to the second singular in the rest of the section. In translation it is recommended that the second singular be kept in verse 2; or else we may follow the Good News Translation, “Each of you….”

Every creditor shall release what he has lent to his neighbor: since a creditor is a person who lends money to someone else, the word itself is redundant; see Good News Translation, “Each of you who has lent money….”

His neighbor: this is a way of speaking of a “fellow-Israelite” (Good News Translation), which should be made clear in translation.

He shall not exact it: this is the negative form of the previous shall release; thus “don’t try to collect the debt,” or “don’t ask him to pay it back.”

His neighbor, his brother: the second term defines more exactly the first one. Some think that it is a later addition to the text. (The Hebrew text as we have it is “his neighbor and his brother,” which seems to indicate additional editorial work. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh has “his fellow or kinsman.”) The best way to translate this is to say “his fellow-Israelite,” or even “another Israelite.”

The LORD’s release has been proclaimed: this introduces a new element. The LORD’s release means the release required by the LORD; the passive has been proclaimed suggests that there may have been a formal public proclamation of the beginning of the seventh year. But this is only a conjecture, and if the passive form of the verb cannot be used, we may say something like the following: “it is the year the LORD has ordered cancellation of all debts” or “… has ordered you to cancel [or, forgive] all debts.”

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 .

With the beginning of a new section, Moses should be reintroduced as the speaker.

This day: or, as in Good News Translation, “Today.” Appearing also in verses 17 and 18, this phrase emphasizes the fact that all the contents of this long speech (section 2 of the book, 5.1–26.19, or possibly even all of Moses’ discourses to the people of Israel in Moab) were given on one day (see 5.1; 11.2, 8, 26, 32; 27.9).

Statutes and ordinances: see 4.1.

With all your heart and with all your soul: see 4.29; 6.5.

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 .