Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 5:14

But the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God: that is “The seventh day is a day of rest that is to be dedicated to the LORD your God”; or we may say “The seventh day is a day of rest that belongs to me, Yahweh your God.” Notice that the third person reference to God may be changed to first person.

The rest of the verse itemizes the people and the animals in the Israelite household that are included in the prohibition. We may notice that the man’s wife is not listed, and one explanation is that this was done to allow normal domestic activities to be carried on during the sabbath.

Your son or your daughter: in all instances plural forms should be used, “all your sons and daughters,” or “all your children.” Your manservant … your maidservant means “your male and female slaves.”

Your ox … your ass … any of your cattle: the translation can give the names of the animals, as in the Hebrew text. In cultures that have cattle, the translation of ox usually presents no problem. Here the word applies to either a male or a female member of a herd of cattle, not as in English, where “bull” refers only to a male and “cow” refers only to a female. The ass or “donkey” is smaller than the horse, with shorter legs and longer ears. It was the beast of burden used for carrying supplies and also for agricultural work. It will be helpful in cultures where “cows” and “donkeys” are unknown to include illustrations of these animals and have a general translation such as “all your [work] animals” (see also 2.35).

The sojourner who is within your gates: this means “the resident aliens [or, foreigners] who live in your towns [or, country].” See 1.16.

That your manservant and your maidservant may rest as well as you: this is said to emphasize the fact that the man’s slaves were to have a day off from work. In this final sentence your manservant and your maidservant may be combined as “slaves” (see Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version). For “slaves” see verse 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 .

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 6:16

Put the LORD your God to the test: this means to try to make God do something extraordinary in order to prove that he cares for his people (see Isa 7.10-12; and see in Matt 4.5-7; Luke 4.9-12, the context in which Jesus cited this text). Contemporary English Version brings this idea out, with “so don’t try to make the LORD prove that he can help you,” or we may say “so don’t try to make the LORD your God do a marvelous thing to prove that he cares for you.” For the LORD your God see 1.6.

As you treated him at Massah: see Exo 17.1-7.

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 7:26

An abominable thing: this is the same word as “abomination” in verse 25. Here it has the particular meaning of a pagan idol. Good News Translation has “Do not bring any of these idols into your homes”; but it is also possible to express this as “Do not bring any of these disgusting things into….”

Become accursed like it: the verb here is the same one used in 2.34, and means to come under God’s “curse,” that is, God’s condemnation and punishment. A person who comes into contact with an object devoted to destruction will suffer the same punishment (see Josh 6.18; 7.12). In languages that do not use the passive voice, we may say, for example, “Because God will destroy you as he destroyed….”

Utterly detest and abhor: these terms have the same meaning; the structure of the Hebrew is very emphatic, using each verb twice in two different forms. Revised Standard Version tries to represent this by using the adverb utterly. The verb for abhor is the same verb root used for the noun abomination (verse 25). Good News Translation has “You must hate and despise these idols.”

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 9:20

The LORD was so angry with Aaron: for God’s anger against Aaron see Exo 32.1-16, 21-25, 35. But nothing is said there of Moses’ intervention on Aaron’s behalf. Good News Translation is a good model.

It is possible to combine verses 18-20 as follows:

• I lay prostrate on the ground before the LORD [or, at the place of worship] and prayed to him for you [plural] as I did before. I didn’t eat or drink for forty days and nights. You had committed a terrible sin by making that idol, and I was afraid that the LORD was angry enough with you and Aaron to destroy you. So I prayed for you and Aaron as I did before, and the LORD again answered my prayers.

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 11:5

What he did to you in the wilderness: in English, at least, did to you is mostly used to refer to something bad; here it is better to follow Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, Revised English Bible, New International Version, “did for you,” referring to the many things God did for the people during the forty years in the wilderness. For wilderness see 1.1.

Until you came to this place: that is, “right up to the time you arrived here” (Contemporary English Version), meaning Moab, across the Jordan River from Canaan.

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 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 .