inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Deut 32:31)

Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)

The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).

For this verse, the Jarai and the Adamawa Fulfulde translation both use the inclusive pronoun, including everyone.

enemy / foe

The Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, Ge’ez, and Latin that is translated as “enemy” or “foe” in English is translated in the Hausa Common Language Bible as “friends of front,” i.e., the person standing opposite you in a battle. (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)

In North Alaskan Inupiatun it is translated with a term that implies that it’s not just someone who hates you, but one who wants to do you harm (Source: Robert Bascom), in Tarok as ukpa ìkum or “companion in war/fighting,” and in Ikwere as nye irno m or “person who hates me” (source for this and one above: Chuck and Karen Tessaro in this newsletter ).

In Cherokee it is either translated as “the one(s) who reprimand(s) you” or “the one(s) feared.” (Source: Bender / Belt 2025, p. 47)

complete verse (Deuteronomy 32:31)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Deuteronomy 32:31:

  • Kupsabiny: “Even our enemies have realized,
    that their gods do not have power like our God.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “For their gods are not like our strong defender
    as even our enemies consider.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “For the rock of refuge of our (incl.) enemies is not the same with our (incl.) rock of refuge, and even them they knew it.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Your enemies know that their gods are not powerful like Yahweh, our God,
    so their gods could not have defeated us Israelis.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 32:31

The defeat of the Israelites can be understood only on the assumption that Yahweh had deliberately abandoned them; the gods of the enemies could not have defeated the God of Israel.

Their rock is not as our Rock: it seems clear that here Moses must be the speaker. The abrupt change to the first plural (our Rock … our enemies) may be difficult in some languages; see how Good News Translation has handled this. The comparison is between the power of the gods and the power of Yahweh; so it will be good to say “their rock is [or, their gods are] not as powerful as our Rock [or, our God].”

Even our enemies themselves being judges: this is unintelligible English; presumably it means “as even our enemies themselves admit.” See New International Version “as even our enemies concede.” New Revised Standard Version and Revised English Bible follow the Septuagint, “our enemies are fools”; but this is not recommended.

Alternative translation models for this verse are:

• Even our enemies know [or, admit]
that their gods are not as powerful as our [inclusive] God.

• … their gods are not as powerful a rock as our [inclusive] 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 .