Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 12:8

This verse states that at the time of Moses’ speech, before the people had entered the land of Canaan, there was lack of order in their worship rites and sacrifices, especially the lack of a single place where the sacrifices are to be offered. This is not a statement about the lack of political and social order, as in the similar text, Judges 21.25.

You shall not do according to all that we are doing here this day: the change in person from “you” to “we” may prove difficult, but it is a matter of fact. Moses, the speaker, will not be with the people in the land of Canaan. The command is that the people of Israel are to act differently in the Promised Land from the way they are acting here this day (again there is emphasis on “this day”). Good News Translation keeps the “you” in both instances, with “you must not do as you have been doing. Until now you have….” Translators in certain languages will find this a helpful model.

Every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes: as the whole context shows, this refers to sacrifices and worship. Good News Translation offers a good model. “Until now you have been worshiping as you please.” An alternative model may be “Until now [or, today] you have been offering sacrifices to Yahweh anywhere you want to.”

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 13:14

Again, a group of verbs of similar meaning is used in order to emphasize the importance of the investigation that is to take place.

You shall inquire and make search and ask diligently: this is a complete and thorough investigation of the matter (see Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version).

Such an abominable thing: see 7.25; 12.31.

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 15:13

The beginning of verse 13 repeats the end of verse 12.

You shall not let him go empty-handed: to send them away without giving them something would only worsen their situation, since they had not earned any money during their time of servitude.

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 17:9

Coming to the Levitical priests: a break should be made at the end of verse 8, and this verse should begin a new sentence, “Go to….” The Levitical priests, or “the priests, the descendants of Levi,” were Levites serving in the central sanctuary. All priests were descendants of Aaron, hence, Levites. For “Levite” see 12.12, and for priests see 10.6.

The judge who is in office in those days: it appears that judges took turns. It is not clear how the Levitical priests and the presiding judge worked together on these cases. Contemporary English Version translates the first part of the verse as “this court will be made up of one judge and several priests who serve at the LORD’s altar.”

You shall consult them: that is, lay (or, present) your case before them.

They shall declare to you the decision: they will hand down the verdict, or give their decision about the case.

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 19:8

In verses 8-10 instructions are given about three more towns, following the expansion of Israelite domination into other territories. It is not certain what the relation is between these three additional towns and those listed in 4.41-43; probably the three towns west of the Jordan River were selected first, and only later the three on the east side.

And if: in this context, “When” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version).

Enlarges your border: that is, “enlarges your territory” (Good News Translation), or “gives you even more land” (see 12.20). For a description of the territory Israel would eventually occupy, see 11.22-25.

As he has sworn to your fathers: see 1.8.

The rest of the promise means “give you all the land that he promised your ancestors he would give you” (Good News Translation, New Revised Standard Version); see 6.18, 23.

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 19:21

Your eye shall not pity: see verse 13, and 13.8.

Life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot: this should be expressed as concisely as possible, but the meaning should be quite clear. It should be stated generally and impersonally, in the manner of laws; for example, “One life shall be taken to pay for another life, one eye for another eye…,” and so forth. This legislation appears also in Exo 21.23-25; Lev 24.19-20.

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 21:14

If you have no delight in her: that is, “if she doesn’t please you any longer,” “if you lose your desire for her,” or “if you no longer want to have sex with her.”

You shall let her go: the Hebrew verb is used in the context of divorce in 22.19, 29 (Contemporary English Version “you can divorce her”). Other ways to express “divorce her” are “send her away,” or perhaps “return her to her own people.”

Where she will: this is important; she’s a free (Israelite) woman, and no restrictions are placed on her freedom to go anywhere she wants to.

You shall not sell her for money: in Hebrew the verb form is emphatic.

You shall not treat her as a slave: the Hebrew verb is used only here and in 24.7, and its precise meaning is disputed. Revised English Bible has “treat her harshly,” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh “enslave her,” and Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje “mistreat her.” Some commentators take the meaning to be “treat her as merchandise.” It seems best to follow Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation here. For slave see 5.6.

You have humiliated her: as Good News Translation makes clear, this refers to his having had intercourse with her; she had no choice in the matter and was forced to have sex with him. Contemporary English Version has “But you have slept with her as your wife.”

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 22:30

In the Hebrew text this verse is 23.1, which means that the verse numbers of chapter 23 in Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation are one ahead of the numbers in the Hebrew text. The Hebrew chapter and verse numbers will be written within square brackets as a reminder to those who need to use this system.

For this case see 27.20; Lev 18.7-8; 20.11.

His father’s wife: not his mother, but his stepmother, most likely one of his father’s several wives.

Uncover her who is his father’s: this translates the Hebrew “uncover his father’s skirt,” meaning to invade the privacy of the father’s marriage. “To cover with the skirt” means to get married (Ruth 3.9; Ezek 16.8). This is not in addition to the first rule, as Revised Standard Version nor suggests; rather it is an explanation of it, as Good News Translation renders it. See also New Revised Standard Version: “A man shall not marry his father’s wife, thereby violating his father’s rights.” Good News Translation is a good alternative model for 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 .