The Egyptians treated us harshly: Contemporary English Version has “were cruel and had no pity on us.” By a dramatic shift to the first person plural us, the Israelite becomes part of the events that had taken place centuries before.

Treated us harshly, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage: again three terms that are similar in meaning are used to stress the cruel oppression they suffered in Egypt (see Exo 1.8-14). Contemporary English Version uses four verbs: “The Egyptians were cruel and had no pity on us. They abused our people and forced us into slavery.” Good News Translation uses two verbs, combining the last two. An alternative model is:

• The Egyptians treated us harshly and made us do hard labor [or, work very hard] until our spirits [or hearts, or livers] were sore [or, broken].

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 prohibition is not found elsewhere in Deuteronomy; see Lev 18.8; 20.14.

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 horror, a proverb, and a byword: again, three terms that mean almost the same thing are used for emphasis (see verse 25). Horror here, as in verse 25, is something that horrifies others (New Revised Standard Version “object of horror”). So Good News Translation has “the people will be shocked at what has happened to you,” and Contemporary English Version “people … will shudder when they see.” A proverb means that the Israelites will become examples of victims of cruel treatment by enemies. The tragic fate of the Israelites will be remembered, and people will refer to it when the subject of national defeat arises. Byword means almost the same as proverb; the Hebrew word appears here, in 1 Kgs 9.7; 2 Chr 7.20; Jer 24.9, and nowhere else in the Old Testament. It has the basic meaning of “taunt,” that is, to ridicule, to make fun of someone. New Jerusalem Bible “laughingstock” is a good idiom in English. Revised English Bible has “a horror, a byword, and an object-lesson.” Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje translates “They will be horrified at what happened to you; they will malign you and make fun of you.”

Where the LORD will lead you away: defeat in war and the exile are the doings of Yahweh. As Yahweh had led them out of slavery in Egypt, he will lead them back into slavery. This final sentence may be placed at the beginning of the verse as follows:

• The people of countries to which Yahweh scatters you will be shocked at what has happened 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 .

Notice the change from you came to against us and we defeated them. In most languages the translation will be less confusing to the reader if the first person (inclusive plural) pronoun is used throughout the verse (see Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version). There is a change in speaker here from Yahweh to Moses.

This place: Moab in particular and the whole Transjordan region in general. “Here” (Contemporary English Version) is a more neutral word.

For the battles against Sihon and Og, see 2.26–3.11; Num 21.21-35.

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 .

Not in heaven: that is, not beyond normal human capacity to acquire and understand. In many languages heaven will be expressed as “the sky.”

The rhetorical question Who will go up for us to heaven? is a vivid way of saying that such an idea is foolish. The Contemporary English Version model is a good one: “How can we obey the LORD’s commands? They are in heaven and no one can go up to them.”

That we may hear it and do it: the opposite of this is an unreal possibility. We may also say “So that we may hear them and obey 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 .

These two lines are not parallel; the first one is a declaration, the second a command for the people to tell about Yahweh’s greatness. Revised English Bible joins the two lines: “When I proclaim the name of the LORD, you will respond….” This is a possibility.

Proclaim the name of the LORD: this does not mean only that he will utter it, or tell people what the name is, but he will “praise” it (Good News Translation), “exalt” it; the name usually stands for the person. Mayes comments that the expression means “to make open declaration of his character as shown in his actions with his people and with individuals also.” One possible translation is “I will tell how great the LORD is.”

Ascribe greatness: the Hebrew has “Give greatness,” as though greatness were an object that can be given to God. This can be handled in different ways. For example, New International Version has “Oh, praise the greatness,” New Jerusalem Bible “Oh, tell the greatness,” and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh “Give glory to our God.” It means to recognize and confess the greatness of God. We may also express this as “All you people should tell Yahweh how great he is,” or “All you people should say, ‘Yahweh is wonderful!’ ”

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 .

Will vindicate … have compassion: these two verbs do not have the same meaning; one indicates action, the other speaks of the emotion that prompts the action. A translation may wish to reverse the two statements. To vindicate is a term from the law court, meaning that the judge gives judgment in favor of an accused person, thereby demonstrating that that person is innocent of wrongdoing.

His people … his servants: again, these are exact parallels. His servants should not be taken to indicate only those who serve God in priestly functions; it means all the Israelites. An alternative model reversing the order of the two lines is the following:

• The LORD will have mercy on [or feel sorry for] his servants the Israelites and will declare them innocent.

When he sees that their power is gone: the literal meaning should be expressed; God will act when he becomes aware of his people’s pitiful situation.

There is none remaining, bond or free: the text as translated seems to say that all the Israelites will have disappeared. The exaggerated language of poetry allows for this, and the translator should keep this meaning. A possible alternative translation model is:

• And no Israelite, whether slave or free person, remains alive.

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 be he who enlarges Gad! here God is the one referred to as blessed, and in this kind of statement the meaning is to “give thanks for God,” “give praise to God.” In most languages God cannot be the object of the verb “to bless,” as though a human being were blessing God. Enlarges Gad means that God will give them more land. A possible alternative model for these first two lines is:

• People of the tribe of Gad,
the LORD will be kind to you
and give you more land.
So you must praise him.

Gad is compared to a lion, who lies in wait for its prey. The verb couches here normally means to “live,” “dwell in,” so the meaning “Gad lives there like a lion” (New International Version) is also possible (in verse 13 a different Hebrew verb is used).

Tears the arm, and the crown of the head: that is, attacking and tearing off an arm or the scalp of the victim. On the people of Gad as fighters, see Gen 49.19.

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 .