Betrothed a wife: this means, in modern terms, to become engaged to a woman. In Hebrew culture at that time, once a man had “betrothed” a woman, she was considered to be his wife, even before they started living together (see Deut 22.23-24). And such a relationship could be broken only by a formal divorce. So betrothed was more than “engagement” is in most modern societies. The Greek verb in the Septuagint used to translate the Hebrew verb here is the one that is used in Luke 2.5 of Joseph and Mary. Deut 24.5 states that a newly-married man would be given one year’s exemption from military duty. Other ways to express this are “agreed to marry a woman” or even “Has promised to marry a woman.”

Taken: this could almost sound like forcible intercourse. It is better to say something like “married her.” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh translates “paid the bride-price for a wife, but has not yet married her,” with a footnote to explain “the bride-price”: “Thereby making her his wife legally, even though the marriage had not yet taken place.”

This verse ends in the same way as verses 5 and 6.

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 .

Verses 1-4 deal with a single theme: providing help to a fellow-Israelite in case his animals wander off or lie helpless on the ground (see Exo 23.4-5, where the same kind of help is to be given to an enemy). In all these verses brother (also New English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible) is a “fellow Israelite” (Good News Translation, Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje), or “fellow countryman” (Revised English Bible, BÍBLIA para todos Edição Comum, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, Bible en français courant); New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh “your fellow” is not natural, and New Revised Standard Version “your neighbor” carries the wrong meaning.

If this is the beginning of a new section, Moses should be reintroduced as the speaker.

You shall not see … and withhold: it is better to structure as Good News Translation does, “If you see … do not ignore it.”

You: in the nature of the case, this is singular; so Biblia Dios Habla Hoy has “one of you.”

Ox: Good News Translation “cow” seems better in referring to cattle as a class (bovines). For “cow” see 5.14.

Sheep: the Hebrew term may apply to the young of sheep or goats; so Bible en français courant has “goat or sheep.” For sheep see 17.1.

Go astray: that is, the animal has wandered off. Contemporary English Version has “wandering around lost.”

Withhold your help: as the Revised Standard Version footnote indicates, this translates the Hebrew “hide yourself.” In English other ways to say this are “do not ignore it” (Good News Translation, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, New International Version) and “you must not disregard it” (New Jerusalem Bible); other possible translations are “don’t act as though you didn’t see it” (Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje); “don’t pass by unconcernedly” (BÍBLIA para todos Edição Comum).

Take them back: since the likelihood is that it is one animal or the other, not both an ox and a sheep, it is better to use the singular “it.”

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 .

Is not clean: this does not refer to being physically unclean but to ritual impurity, which would prevent the Israelite man from fulfilling his duties as a member of “the assembly of the LORD.” In languages where the idea of ritual impurity will be difficult to express, we may say something like “he is unfit to worship [or, have fellowship with] Yahweh.” Contemporary English Version has a similar rendering: “makes a man unclean and unfit for worship.”

By reason of what chances to him by night: this refers to “a wet dream,” that is, an emission of semen (New Revised Standard Version “a nocturnal emission”). This is dealt with also in Lev 15.16-17. Every language has its own way of referring to this; but translators should be careful not to use language that is offensive to the reader or hearer.

He shall go outside the camp, he shall not come within the camp: that is, “He must leave the camp and stay away from it the whole day” (as the next verse makes clear).

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 .

With the beginning of a new chapter and section, Moses should be reintroduced as the speaker.

The land which the LORD your God gives you for an inheritance and have taken possession of it: for the double use of inheritance and take possession, see 3.18 and 25.19.

And live in it: this refers to a time when the Israelites have settled down and have had time to grow their first crops.

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 rule is not mentioned elsewhere in Deuteronomy; see Lev 19.14.

The sense of misleads in this context is quite plain: it means to give wrong directions to, or to provide false information. So Contemporary English Version has “anyone who tells blind people to go the wrong 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 .

All the violent acts that will be inflicted on the Israelites are clearly stated and should offer no problems for the translator.

The singular general terms your ox … your ass … your sheep are better translated as plurals: “your cattle, your donkeys, and your flocks [of sheep].” We should not think, as New International Version seems to suggest, that the text is talking about the one and only ox, and one donkey (but many sheep!). The Hebrew word translated sheep applies both to sheep and goats; but most translations have only “sheep.” For ox, ass, and sheep see 5.14.

Before your eyes … before your face: that is, “in your presence,” “as you look on.”

Shall be given to your enemies: by strict grammatical rules, this says in English that someone other than your enemies will take possession of the sheep and give them to the enemies; it seems more likely, however, that this is simply a way of saying that the enemies will take away the sheep.

There shall be no one to help you: as in verse 29. The Hebrew is simply “and none to you [singular] a helper.” Some translations take this to refer to the sheep, “to rescue them” (so New International Version, Revised English Bible). It seems better, however, to translate as Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation have done.

An alternative translation model in languages that do not use the passive is the following:

• They shall kill your cattle as you watch, but you will not eat any of the meat. As you are watching they will drag away your donkeys and will not return them to you. Your enemies will steal your sheep, and there will be no one to help 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 .

Moses summoned all Israel: Moses called all the people to gather to listen to him. In Deuteronomy statements like this typically indicate the opening of a new discourse or speech.

And said: at this point Moses is clearly identified as the speaker. But whether Yahweh or Moses is speaking needs to be kept quite clear as the chapter progresses.

You have seen all that the LORD did before your eyes: this means “You saw all the things that Yahweh did in your presence” or “… as you were watching.” In some languages this will be rendered as “You saw with your own eyes all the things that the LORD did…,” while in other languages we may simply say “You saw the LORD perform all…,” as the phrase before your eyes repeats the information already given in the clause you have seen. As a matter of fact, most of the Israelites standing in front of Moses hadn’t really seen all these things, but Moses is including them with their parents (see also 4.34, where Moses uses the inclusive pronoun “we”).

Pharaoh: this is a title, not a name; however, in 7.8 and 11.3 it appears as a proper name (so Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version there).

His servants: this means his officials, especially the court officers.

All his land: not simply the country as such, but all the people of Egypt. So Contemporary English Version has “everyone else in the country.”

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 Moses is talking about the people present with him there in the plains of Moab.

Will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring: circumcision was the sign of belonging to the people of Yahweh, the people of the covenant; an uncircumcised man was, by definition, a Gentile, a pagan. In effect this clause means that God will make these stubborn and disobedient Israelites his obedient people once more (see 10.16; Jer 4.4). Contemporary English Version begins the verse with the statement “You and your descendants are stubborn, but the LORD will make you willing to obey him.” We may also say “but the LORD will make your hearts and the hearts of your descendants obedient to him.”

Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul: see 6.5.

That you may live: this might be quite literally true; but primarily it means to have a long and prosperous existence as a nation in the land of Canaan. So Good News Translation has “and you will continue to live in that land.”

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 .