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 .