Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 1:27

You murmured in your tents: this was a rather passive revolt, not an active one in which people left their tents and hurled angry accusations against Moses. Instead of murmured the translation should be “grumbled” or “complained.” A translation should be careful to use an appropriate word for a dwelling that can be taken down and carried (tents), not a permanent construction (“houses” or “homes”). Something like “You stayed in your tents and grumbled” (Contemporary English Version) is a good model.

And said: the complaints were the exact opposite of the truth. It was out of love and compassion that Yahweh had delivered the Israelites from Egypt, the land of slavery, and he had promised to be with them and to assure them success as they took possession of the land of Canaan (see, for instance, 4.37-38). But they accused God of hating them and of bringing them out of Egypt in order to exterminate them.

Hate in certain languages is expressed as “being enemies of,” so in this context we may say “The LORD [or, Yahweh] must consider us his enemies,” or “In Yahweh’s sight we must be his enemies.”

To give us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us: the phrase “the hand of the Amorites” means that the Amorites would do the killing; God would allow the Israelites to be captured and killed by the Amorites. It is important to translate the whole statement in such a way that the clear subject of the verb “destroy” or “kill” is Yahweh, not the Amorites (as in Good News Translation). New Jerusalem Bible has “… and so destroy us” (with Yahweh as the subject). An alternative model is:

• “… he brought us out of Egypt, just so he could give us over to the Amorites, and in that way destroy us.”

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 2:25

I will begin to put the dread and fear of you upon the peoples that are under the whole heaven: this can be expressed in a more natural way: “I shall fill the peoples under all heaven with fear and terror of you” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), or “I will make all the nations to be terribly afraid of you.” For comments on “fill with fear” or “melt the heart,” see 1.28, 29. The phrase “under the whole heaven” is a way of including all peoples everywhere and can be more simply stated as “all the nations in the world” (Bible en français courant, Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy), or even “all people everywhere in the world.”

Who shall hear the report of you and shall tremble and be in anguish because of you: this further emphasizes the fear that will possess the various peoples whose lands the Israelites will invade and conquer. It is not clear whether the report of you, that is, “the news about you,” will be of the Israelites’ successive victories as they advance, or refers to their miraculous escape from Egypt. In any case a translation should say no more than the Hebrew text. Shall hear the report of you may also be expressed as “when anyone mentions [or, talks about] you.” The two verbs shall tremble and be in anguish may be combined as Good News Translation has done: “will tremble with fear at the mention of your name”; or if there are vivid terms that are similar in meaning in a receptor language, we may translate in a way similar to Contemporary English Version: “They will tremble with fear when anyone mentions you, and they will be terrified when you appear.”

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 3:26

The LORD was angry with me on your account: the verb, different from the two verbs used in 1.34, 37, is a strong one, picturing Yahweh as furious with Moses. For a comment on angry see “angered,” 1.24.

On your account: this refers to their lack of faith when Yahweh commanded them to invade the land (2.26-33). It seems strange that Yahweh should be angry with Moses because of the Israelites, but as their leader Moses must bear responsibility for their behavior. “Because of you people” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version) is a good model.

Would not hearken to me: that is, “would not listen to me,” “would not pay attention to my plea.”

Let it suffice you: this very inadequate translation is improved in New Revised Standard Version, “Enough from you!”; see also Revised English Bible “Enough!” Good News Translation “That’s enough!” and their equivalents in Spanish, Portuguese, and French.

Speak no more to me about this matter: Good News Translation has “Don’t mention this again,” but we may also express this as “I don’t want to hear you talking about this any more.”

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 4:31

A merciful God: compassionate, tenderhearted; the same God described so harshly in verse 24. In many languages there will be idiomatic expressions using the heart, liver, or even bowels (or, intestines) that mean merciful; for example, “He [God] cries in his heart for you,” or “His bowels yearn for you.”

He will not fail you: he will not abandon, leave, forsake, desert.

Destroy: a different verb is used in verses 3, 26, but the meaning is the same (the Septuagint translates both verbs with the same Greek verb).

Forget the covenant: see verse 23. In some languages it will be more natural style, or even obligatory, to state this positively; for example, “He will remember the agreement he made with….”

With your fathers, which he swore to them: see 1.8. This covenant is the one that God made with the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

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 5:20

Neither shall you bear false witness against your neighbor: this has to do with giving false testimony against a fellow Israelite in a trial, a testimony that hurts the other person’s reputation (see 10.16-19; Exo 23.1). The commandment should not be translated simply by “You shall not lie.” However, we may say something like “Do not tell lies about someone when you are giving evidence in 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 .

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 6:24

For statutes see 4.1; fear, 4.10.

For our good always: this is the purpose of strict obedience to God’s commands; good here includes material prosperity and security. This clause can be joined to the next, that he might preserve us alive, as New International Version has done: “that we might always prosper and be kept alive”; see also New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh “for our lasting good and for our survival,” and Contemporary English Version “If we do, the LORD will always protect us and help us to be successful.”

As at this day: the security and prosperity they now enjoy will last forever—if they obey Yahweh’s commands.

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 8:6

The way to obey Yahweh’s commandments is by walking in his ways, that is, with conduct that conforms to God’s laws. God’s paths (his ways) are not the paths he walks in but the paths God lays down for his people. In some languages this will be expressed figuratively as “walk your lives according to God’s laws” or even “walk along the path that God has set down for you.”

Fearing him: as in 4.10.

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 9:26

O Lord GOD: this translates the Hebrew “Lord Yahweh” (the title and the name). The Septuagint has “O Lord, Lord, King of the gods.” For a comment on the translation of O Lord GOD, see 3.24.

Thy heritage: this translates a noun related to a verb that means “to take possession of” (1.38; 3.28; 4.21; see the noun at 4.20, “the people of the LORD,” and 4.38, “the land of the Israelites”). So thy people and thy heritage means “your very own people” (Good News Translation).

Whom thou hast redeemed through thy greatness: here greatness refers to God’s might, his power; redeemed means “set free” (see 7.8). There is no idea here of paying a price to someone to obtain that freedom.

A mighty hand: see 4.34. The Septuagint adds “and an outstretched arm” (as in the Hebrew text of 4.34). The two sentences may be combined as follows: “These are the people you rescued and brought out of Egypt by your great strength and power” (Good News Translation), or “You used your great strength and power to set them free and bring them 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 .