You shall not kill: this does not include all killings (of people), such as killing in war or the execution of criminals. It is more narrowly restricted to murder, that is, the deliberate killing of a fellow human being. In English, at least, the proper translation is “You shall not murder” (Good News Translation, New Revised Standard Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, New International Version, Revised English Bible). This also is the proper translation of the citation of this commandment in the New Testament (Matt 5.21; 19.18; Mark 10.29; Luke 18.20; Rom 13.9; James 2.11). In languages where the various terms for killing are not clearly defined, it may be better to use the more general word for kill and say something like “kill from anger” or “kill deliberately.” Translators should find a term that excludes killing accidentally; it should be a term that means killing that society regards as wrong.

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 .

Neither shall you commit adultery: it is not necessary to begin with Neither, a literal translation of the common Hebrew conjunction waw that may be translated “and,” “but,” “also,” “neither,” and so on, depending on the immediate context. However, in languages where using a conjunction will be natural style, a translator may choose to include it. To commit adultery is for a married individual to have sexual relations with some person who is not his or her spouse. In the context the commandment is directed to men, and adultery was to have relations with another man’s wife or with a woman who was promised in marriage to another man (see 22.22-25).

In translation the prohibition should apply to both sexes. If an equivalent term cannot be found in a language, it may be necessary to say, for example, “You shall not sleep with someone else’s spouse.” Care must be taken not to use a term that is considered crude or vulgar; euphemisms or polite ways of referring to sexual intercourse can be readily found in most languages; and many languages have their own standard idioms or euphemisms for adultery.

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 .

Neither shall you steal: some commentators believe that the primary, if not exclusive, force of this command had to do with kidnaping, that is, taking a fellow Israelite by force. But this is contested, and the prohibition here has to do with taking something belonging to someone else without their permission.

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 .

Neither shall you bear false witness against your neighbor: this has to do with giving false testimony against a fellow Israelite in a trial, a testimony that hurts the other person’s reputation (see 10.16-19; Exo 23.1). The commandment should not be translated simply by “You shall not lie.” However, we may say something like “Do not tell lies about someone when you are giving evidence in court.”

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 .

This commandment, unlike the others, deals with an inner motivation, not with an action. By forbidding the motivation, the resultant action is also forbidden. All the people and things included in the list belong to a person’s male fellow Israelite: they are his property, his cattle, and his slaves. In Exo 20.17 the all-inclusive “your neighbor’s household” comes first, and then the items belonging to that household.

You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife: obviously what can be prohibited and punished is not the desire as such but the attempt to satisfy that desire. The verb covet here is different from the verb translated desire in the following clause, but the two have almost the same meaning (the Septuagint translates both by the same Greek verb). Neighbor here meant “a fellow Israelite,” and as applied to people today it means “a fellow human being,” not just the person living next door. So Good News Translation has “Do not desire another man’s wife.”

After the list of particular items, home, ox … ass (see verse 14), comes the final inclusive summary: or anything that is your neighbor’s.

Here ends the direct quotation of Yahweh’s words that began in 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 .

If translators begin a new section here, it will be a good idea to start the verse with something like “Moses said to the people:….” This Handbook, however, recommends that a new section begin with verse 23.

All your assembly means “all of you who were together [or, gathered].” See 4.10-13 for this verse.

With a loud voice: Yahweh spoke loudly enough for everybody to hear him.

And he added no more: these are all the “words” (commandments) that Yahweh gave directly to the people at Mount Sinai (see 4.13; 9.10; 10.4).

And then he wrote them upon two tables of stone: in modern English “tablets” is used (Good News Translation, New Revised Standard Version, and others) instead of tables (see also 4.13). In the nature of the case the verb “to write” may not be appropriate for what is engraved or inscribed on stone; so something like “carved” or “inscribed” may be better.

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 .

And you said: grammatically “you, the people of Israel,” but actually it refers to the tribal leaders and the elders, who were representing the people; see the previous verse. A translation should make this clear (see Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, New Jerusalem Bible): “… came to me and said, ….”

Behold: for emphasis. The sense is “See,” “Look,” “Listen.”

For LORD our God see 5.2.

Has shown us his glory and greatness: the Israelites had not seen any bodily form (4.15, 32-33, 36) but only “his majestic Presence” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). God’s glory is represented in terms of a bright light. Possible alternative translations are “dazzling light,” “dazzling light of his presence,” or even “dazzling light that shows that God is present [or, near].” God’s greatness is an expression of how people react to the power and majesty of the Creator and sovereign LORD of the universe, particularly in his acts on behalf of the chosen people. So we may say “How powerful he is.”

We have heard his voice out of the fire: see 4.32, 36.

We have this day seen God speak with man and man still live: see 4.33. New Revised Standard Version avoids the exclusive man: “We have seen that God may speak to someone and the person may still live.”

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• and said: Today the LORD our God has shown us the dazzling light that shows that he is here. He has also shown us how powerful he is. We heard his voice coming from the fire, and we have learned that, even if God speaks to someone, that person may still live [or, continue to live].

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 .

Now therefore why should we die?: they fear they run the risk of dying if Yahweh were to speak to them again, and so they ask Moses to act as their mediator (see Exo 20.19). Instead of die it is better to say “risk death” (Good News Translation, Revised English Bible), or “run the risk of dying,” or “take a chance on being killed” (Contemporary English Version).

This great fire will consume us: the fire was not a natural fire but a display of Yahweh’s power, which might destroy them. And if Yahweh were to speak again, they would surely die, as the following verse makes clear.

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 .