He will give the rain: Yahweh is the source of all that the people need (verses 14-15). In a number of languages this will be expressed as “He will cause the rain to fall.”

The rain … in its season: that is, the rain comes at the right times of the year, in the fall (October), ending the summer drought, preparing the fields for sowing, and in the spring (April), the last rain before the dry season (see Jer 5.24). In some languages these are referred to as “autumn rains” and “spring rains” respectively. In cultures where rains normally fall during a monsoon season, we may say “He will cause the seasonal rains to fall” or “he will send rain on your land when it is needed” (Good News Translation).

Grain … wine … oil: this includes all cereals, especially wheat and barley, the grape orchards, and the olive trees. For comments on these three terms, see 7.13.

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 .

The thought or presupposition underlying this command is that the act of slaughtering animals at home, and not at the central sanctuary, is not a religious act, but a purely secular act. So the ritual rules do not apply. Everyone, whether ritually pure or impure, is free to eat the meat of these animals.

You may slaughter and eat flesh within any of your towns: this refers to domestic animals, not wild game. Good News Translation is very clear: “But you are to kill and eat your animals wherever you live.”

As of the gazelle … the hart: being wild animals, deers and antelopes (Good News Translation) were not subject to the ritual rules that applied to sacrificial animals, and everyone could eat their meat. In cultures where these animals are unknown, we may use a more general translation, as the actual animals are unimportant: “just as you would eat the meat of wild animals [or, animals of the forest, or jungle].”

As much as you desire: this is meant to say “as often as you wish” (New Revised Standard Version “whenever you desire”).

According to the blessing of the LORD your God which he has given you: this means, depending on the number of animals that God has blessed them with. Their prosperity is due to God’s blessing. Good News Translation has “as many as the LORD gives you.” For the LORD your God see 1.6.

The unclean and the clean: this means people who are ritually impure and pure; it does not mean actual bodily filth. The main effect on a person who became ritually impure was that such a person could not take part in community worship until the proper ritual had been performed to remove that person’s impurity. This was ritual impurity, not a moral lapse. In some languages a lot of information understood by the original readers of the text must be included in order to allow the reader to understand the meaning of these terms. For unclean Good News Translation has “ritually impure,” while Contemporary English Version has “all those people who are unclean and unfit for worship.” Another way to express unclean is “religiously impure [or, unacceptable].” Some languages will render the unclean and the clean as “people with bad taboo and those with good taboo.” Most translators will need to provide a detailed note in the Glossary on these terms.

The gazelle … the hart: in more modern terms, “the meat of deer or antelope” (Good News Translation).

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 .

No defective animal could be offered to God (see 17.1).

Any blemish: any serious “defect” (New Revised Standard Version), such as blindness or lameness, disqualified the animal from being offered to God.

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• But if the animal is lame or blind, or has some other physical defect, you must not slaughter it and offer it to the LORD your God.

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 .

When he sits on the throne of his kingdom: this seems to refer to the day the man God has chosen is installed as king. Revised English Bible has “When he has ascended the throne of his kingdom”; or we may translate more generally, “when he begins to rule [or, reign],” or even “When he becomes king” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version). In cultures where chiefs rule, it may be necessary to talk about “sitting on his chair [or, stool].”

He shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law: the meaning of this part of the sentence is not completely clear. Revised Standard Version takes it to mean that the king himself is to make a copy of this law; but the text may mean “he is to have a copy made for him.” So New Revised Standard Version has “he shall have a copy of this law written for him” (also New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Good News Translation, Bible en français courant, Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje, BÍBLIA para todos Edição Comum).

A book: here, more precisely, a scroll. If neither of these terms is available in a local language, the more general “he is to have a copy of this law made for him” may be used, without indicating the precise form the copy is to take.

There is much difference of opinion over the precise meaning of this law. The Hebrew noun is torah, which can mean:
(1) the complete Torah; this is most unlikely, but Good News Translation “the book of God’s laws and teachings” can be taken to mean this;
(2) the book of Deuteronomy, as we know it (see the use of this law in 1.5); this is the interpretation favored by most;
(3) a section of the book of Deuteronomy, especially chapters 12–26; while possible, this would be very difficult to indicate in translation.

Probably the best translation is to say “this book of the law,” without saying exactly what “this book” means; most readers will probably assume it means the book of Deuteronomy. However, if “book” is difficult to translate, we may simply say “a copy of these [or, God’s] laws.”

It is from the Septuagint translation of this verse that the book Deuteronomy gets its name. The Hebrew is “a copy of this law” (also Josh 8.32); the Septuagint translates “this second record of the law” (a similar translation in Josh 8.32).

From that which is in charge of the Levitical priests: the meaning of the Hebrew text here is disputed.
(1) Many take it as do Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation (and New International Version, Bible en français courant, Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje, BÍBLIA para todos Edição Comum, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy), that the copy is to be made from the original, which is kept by the Levitical priests (in the sanctuary); this seems to be the meaning of the Septuagint.
(2) New Jerusalem Bible and Revised English Bible translate “at the dictation of the Levitical priests.”
(3) New Revised Standard Version has “in the presence of the Levitical priests.”
(4) New Jerusalem Bible has “written … by the Levitical priests,” with a footnote: “Nuance of Heb milliphne uncertain.”

It is recommended that the translation favored by Good News Translation and others be followed, namely, “from the original copy kept by the Levitical priests.” For Levitical priests see 17.9.

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 .

Both parties to the dispute: that is, both the accuser and the accused.

Appear before the LORD: at the central sanctuary.

Before the priests and the judges who are in office in those days: see 17.8-12, where the same procedure is followed.

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 .

To the young woman you shall do nothing: Good News Translation has “nothing is to be done to the girl,” and Contemporary English Version is more direct, with “Do not punish the woman at all.”

No offense punishable by death: not a capital offense (see 21.22).

This case is like that of a man attacking and murdering his neighbor: the raped woman is like the murdered man; she is the innocent party, she is the victim.

Neighbor: a fellow Israelite. Good News Translation and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh have “another man [or, person].”

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 .