Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 23:10

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 .

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 26:1

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 .

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 27:18

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 .

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 28:31

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 .

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 29:2

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 .

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 30:6

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 .

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 31:25 - 31:26

The Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD: see verse 9; 10.8.

Put it by the side of the ark: the ark or “sacred box” itself was in the Most Holy Place in the “tent of meeting,” which was separated by a curtain from the larger Holy Place (Exo 26.33-34; 40.16-21). While this book was to be placed by the side of the ark, the two stone tablets containing the Ten Commandments were placed inside the ark (10.2, 5; Exo 40.20).

A witness against you: as it stands in Hebrew and translated literally in Revised Standard Version, Moses is talking to the Levites, and what he says in verses 26-27 and 29 is directed at them. But this seems hard to believe. Moses is speaking about all the Israelites, as Yahweh had done in verses 16-22. Good News Translation makes the appropriate changes by having at the end of verse 26 “… as a witness against his people,” then using the third plural in verse 27 and introducing “the people” as the subject in verse 29. Bible en français courant and Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje do the same, and translators may wish to follow their example. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has done it differently by adding at the end of verse 26, after the closing quotation marks of Moses’ statement, the following words: “And turning to the people, he went on to say, ….” This is also a good model. In any case it should be clear that the denunciations in verses 26-27 and 29 are directed not only at the Levites but at all the Israelites.

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 32:30

The Israelites had been defeated in war by an enemy army much smaller than theirs; so the ironic question points out that this incredible defeat—one enemy soldier routing a thousand Israelites—could happen only because the LORD was no longer fighting for them.

The verse is in the form of a rhetorical question, which may be effective in some languages; in many, however, if not in most, a rhetorical question may be misunderstood and should thus be translated as a strong statement.

How should one chase a thousand: that is, “How could one [enemy] soldier put to rout [or chase, or put to flight] one thousand [Israelite] soldiers?” or, as a statement, “The only reason why one enemy soldier defeated one thousand Israelite soldiers was….” Good News Translation offers another good model.

Two put ten thousand to flight: or “two enemies defeated ten thousand.” This is parallel, but it heightens the sheer absurdity of the matter.

Their Rock had sold them: see verse 4; sold means that Yahweh sold (or, abandoned) them to the enemy (see Judges 2.14; 3.8; 4.2; 10.7).

The LORD had given them up: that is, he had abandoned them (see 23.15).

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• One enemy soldier defeated a thousand Israelite soldiers,
and ten thousand Israelites were defeated by two of their enemies.
This is because Yahweh, their mighty protector [or, Rock],
has abandoned them to their enemies,
and has let their enemies defeat them.

However, in some languages it may be better to reverse the order of the lines as follows:

• The Mighty God sent his people away,
the LORD abandoned them.
That is why one enemy [soldier] routed a thousand [Israelites],
two enemy soldiers put ten thousand Israelites to flight.

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 .