Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 6:21

Then you shall say to your son: Good News Translation has “Then tell them,” or more simply “Then you will answer” (Contemporary English Version).

We were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt: Pharaoh is not a proper name but a title, which is why Good News Translation has “the king of Egypt.” For slaves see 5.6, and for “king” see 1.4.

The LORD brought us out of Egypt: for the verb “bring out” see 4.20.

With a mighty hand: this means by force, by means of great strength (as in 4.34). (The Septuagint has “a mighty hand and an outstretched arm,” as the Hebrew text has in 4.34.)

The final part of the verse may also be rendered as “Yahweh used his great power to bring us out of Egypt.”

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 .

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 8:4

The Hebrew text uses the second singular form of address, but translators are urged to use the plural form, unless the singular is more natural style in their language. We may say something like the following: “Your [plural] clothes haven’t worn out and your [plural] feet haven’t swollen up.”

Your clothing did not wear out and your foot did not swell: from walking through the wilderness all those years. This is an exaggerated way of saying that they had come through those difficult forty years in good shape (see also 29.5; Neh 9.21).

For these forty years see verse 2.

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 .

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 9:24

You have been rebellious: this verbal phrase in Hebrew is from the same root as the verb rebelled in verse 23. Another way of saying this is “In fact, you have refused to obey Yahweh ever since….”

From the day I knew you: this presumably means from the time Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, forty years before. There is some textual evidence that the Hebrew text should be “he knew you,” referring to God. It could be that this was seen as a criticism of God for not knowing beforehand how the Israelites would act, so that the text was changed in transmission. The Hebrew Old Testament Text Project committee prefers “he knew you,” as do Contemporary English Version, New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, and New Jerusalem Bible; and a translator should feel free to translate it in this way.

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 .

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 11:10 - 11:11

Verses 10-13 are one sentence, with some repetition: you are entering to take possession of it (verse 10) and you are going over to possess (verse 11), as in verse 8. In some languages the use of this kind of repetition may have a negative effect, leaving the reader bored with the narrative. A translator should use the style that will include all the information of the biblical text and at the same time keep the reader’s interest.

Not like the land of Egypt: the main difference is the source of water needed to grow crops. In Canaan the seasonal rains supplied the water; in Egypt the water was made to flow in irrigation canals by a series of water wheels, turned by foot. This seems to be the most reasonable explanation of the expression and watered it with your feet; some believe it is simply a way of saying “by means of hard work” (Good News Translation “work hard to irrigate the fields”). Some have suggested this means urinating, but this does not seem very likely. Alternative translation models are “you had to work hard to water your fields,” or “you had to struggle just to water your crops” (Contemporary English Version).

A land … which drinks water by the rain from heaven: in some languages there may be a problem in talking about the land “drinking” rain water; in such cases something like the following can be said: “a land with hills and valleys, which is watered by the rain” (or “which gets its water from the rains”); see verse 14 for more statements about the rains.

See Good News Translation for a good alternative model for verse 11.

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 .

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 12:12

You shall rejoice before the LORD: or “You shall celebrate there at the place for worshiping the LORD.”

Instead of the all-inclusive “your households” of verse 3, here the fuller statement appears: your sons and your daughters, your menservants and your maidservants.

The Levite: that is, “the Levites,” “members of the tribe of Levi,” or “descendants of the great ancestor Levi” (see 10.8-9; 18.1-2, for further statements).

Has no portion or inheritance with you: that is, the tribe of Levi, unlike the other tribes, will not be given its own territory (see 10.8-9 for no portion or inheritance). Other ways to express this are “The descendants of Levi will have no land of their own,” or “… will not be given their own territory [in which to live].”

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 .

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 13:18

There is a similar exhortation to this in 12.28.

It is a good idea to put a full stop at the end of verse 17 and begin verse 18 as a new sentence: “The LORD will do this if….”

Obey the voice … keeping all his commandments: the Hebrew structure is again the use of a main verb and a participial subordinate clause, for emphasis. For commandments see 4.2.

Which I command you this day: again the emphasis is on “today” (see 11.26, 28, 32).

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 .

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 15:17

An awl: the word appears only here and in Exo 21.6. It is a sharp, pointed tool, made of wood, bone, flint, or metal. Some conjecture that a metal tag was affixed to the pierced ear lobe of the slave.

Ear: the actual part referred to is the ear lobe.

Into the door: apparently the door of the master’s house (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version). In some languages it will be necessary to make it clear that the slave must stand against or beside the door to provide a hard flat area for the owner to punch a clear hole through the ear (see a similar passage in Exo 21.6). So the first part of this verse may be expressed as follows:

• Then make him stand against [or, beside] the door of your house, and punch a hole through one of his ear lobes with an awl [or, a sharp piece of metal].

Bondman … bondwoman: better “male slave … female slave.”

Contemporary English Version combines the final two clauses in the following way: “such slaves will belong to you for life, whether they are men or women.”

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 .

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 17:13

The death sentence will be a most impressive object lesson.

Hear, and fear: when the people hear what has happened, they will be afraid (see 13.11).

And not act presumptuously again: that is, will not dare disobey the Law. Good News Translation has “and no one else will dare to act in such a way.” However, we may use a positive statement as Contemporary English Version does: “they will be afraid and obey the decisions of the court.”

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 .