Notice that verses 4-5 are one sentence. However, there are better ways of rearranging the material than the one followed by Revised Standard Version (which is difficult to read aloud effectively); see Good News Translation. It is also possible to combine verses 4 and 5 (see the alternative translation model at the end of verse 6).

But there will be no poor among you: this initial statement is explained by two further comments. These are that (1) the LORD will bless the people, and (2) the people must obey the LORD’s commands (verse 3).

There will be no poor among you: in light of the contradictory statement in verse 11, the affirmation here is not absolute, but dependent on the people’s faithful obedience to Yahweh’s commands. Poor will be expressed in a number of languages as “a person with few possessions.”

The LORD will bless you in the land which the LORD your God gives you for an inheritance to possess: this is frequently stressed, and these terms appear many times in this book. The verb will bless is in a compound form, which makes for an emphatic statement: “he will surely bless you.” For a comment on the translation of bless, see 1.11. For the LORD your God see 1.6. For the terms inheritance and possess, see 1.8, 35. This sentence may be placed at the end of verse 5 (see the alternative model at the end of the comments on 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 .