Whip him: probably with leather straps. But the verb is the same one used in 21.18, and it may mean simply “to punish” or “to discipline,” with the fine (verse 19) being the punishment itself, not something in addition to the flogging. However, most translations take the verb to mean whip, with the fine being an additional punishment, and the Handbook recommends this approach.

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 .

When the sun goes down: “at nightfall,” the time to go to bed. In this context the sense is “each evening” (Good News Translation).

You shall restore: the Hebrew is an emphatic form.

Bless you: this can mean “thank you,” but more probably it means “ask God to bless you,” or “ask God to make you prosperous.”

Shall be righteousness to you before the LORD your God: God will consider such an act as the right conduct, the proper behavior. Good News Translation “will be pleased with you” departs unnecessarily from the clear meaning of the Hebrew text. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh has “it will be to your merit before the LORD your God,” Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje “what the LORD your God considers right,” and Contemporary English Version “Then the LORD your God will notice that you have done the right thing.”

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 are a people for his own possession: see the same expression in 7.6; 14.2.

You are to keep all his commandments: there is a lot of repetition in this section, emphasizing the importance of these instructions.

An alternative translation model combining verses 17 and 18 may be:

• Today you have acknowledged [or, confessed] that Yahweh will be your God. You have promised to walk in his paths, to keep all his laws, and do all he commands you. Since you have agreed to keep all his commands, on his part Yahweh has agreed that you will be his own people.

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 enemies who rise up against you: this seems to indicate that the enemies are attacking; so New Jerusalem Bible has “The enemies who attack you….” For a comment on enemies see 1.42.

The LORD will cause … to be defeated before you: that is, Yahweh will defeat them. Bible en français courant says “the LORD will give you victory over them,” and New Jerusalem Bible “Yahweh will defeat before your eyes.” The text may mean either that Yahweh will defeat the enemy by himself, or else that Yahweh will give the Israelites victory over them; the second meaning seems preferable.

They shall come … one way, and flee … seven ways: the enemy will attack as a disciplined body of troops marching together, but then will flee in disarray in all directions. Seven represents totality: “in all directions” (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 .

A nation of stern countenance: these foreigners are fierce-looking (New Revised Standard Version “grim-faced,” New Jerusalem Bible “grim of face”). In other words “They are merciless,” “ruthless” (Good News Translation), or “won’t show mercy” (Contemporary English Version).

Not regard the person of the old or show favor to the young: they show no respect for anyone; they have pity on no one.

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 .

In Revised Standard Version verses 18-19 are a very long and complex sentence, which must be broken down into smaller units that will be easier to understand.

Beware lest there be among you: this is fairly unnatural English. Something like “Make sure that none of you” is better.

Man … woman … family … tribe: the various units of the nation. For tribes see 1.13.

Whose heart turns away … to go and serve the gods of those nations: this indicates a loss of loyalty and love, a betrayal or defection. See similar passages in 11.28; 13.6-7; 27.15. For gods see 4.28.

It is possible to state the first part of this verse positively as follows (Moses speaking):

• Make sure that every man, woman, family, and tribe here today remains faithful to Yahweh and never starts worshiping the gods of other nations.

The LORD our God: once more the first person plural; again the Septuagint has the second person plural.

Lest there be a root bearing poisonous and bitter fruit: this metaphor is fairly clear in meaning; Good News Translation has changed it to the simile “This would be like a root.” This refers to concealed betrayal, secret apostasy, whose results will become highly visible. Heb 12.15 makes reference to this passage. In some languages it will be helpful to begin the sentence with “If you do this you will be like….” Contemporary English Version translates “If even one of you worships idols, you will be like….”

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 .

Here the song begins to tell the story of the Israelites in the land of Canaan, after they settled down and became a strong, prosperous people.

He made him ride on the high places of the earth: the exact origin of the verbal phrase He made him ride (also Isa 58.14) is unknown. It seems to imply riding on an animal, perhaps a horse, but this cannot be proven. The usual phrase is “to walk [or, stride] on the high places” (see 33.29; Psa 18.33; Amos 4.13; Micah 1.3). But the meaning of this figure is quite clear; it means to be given possession of, to conquer, to own, to rule. Yahweh gave Israel the highlands of Canaan; so New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says “He set him atop the highlands” (see 8.7-9; Exo 15.17). This is not steep, mountainous country as such, but the highlands, as compared with the seacoast and lowland plains. The verbal phrase made him ride on is a poetic figure that means to give possession of or dominion over. Another way to express this sentence is “He let them [or, you] rule in the high country of Canaan.”

He ate the produce of the field: here the valleys and plains are joined to the highlands. Following the Samaritan text, the Septuagint, Syriac, and Targum, New Revised Standard Version has “and fed him” (that is, God fed Israel). Hebrew Old Testament Text Project prefers the Hebrew Text, however ({A} rating), and this should be followed. He here, of course, refers to the Israelites. So in many languages something like “they [or, you] ate what grew in the fields” will be more satisfactory.

He made him suck honey out of the rock: the verb made him suck is figurative language in which to “suckle” a child is a picture of God tenderly feeding his people (see Gen 21.7). The text is talking about wild beehives found among clefts of rocks and crags, where the Israelites would get honey (see the figure in Isa 7.18-19). So Good News Translation has “they found wild honey among the rocks.”

And oil out of the flinty rock: this is olive oil, and the meaning is that olive trees were growing on rocky hillsides. Good News Translation offers a good model for the translation of the last part of the verse.

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 .