Consider this day: the verb means “think about,” “ponder,” “remember” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, New Revised Standard Version), “take thought” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). This day is constantly emphasized (see 10.8, 15).

Since I am not speaking to your children …: Revised Standard Version places this within parentheses, since the direct object of the verb consider is the discipline of the LORD your God. There are other, better ways of handling this; Good News Translation has “Remember today what you have learned…. It was you, not your children, who had these experiences,” and Contemporary English Version has a slightly different model: “Remember, he corrected you and not your children.” The emphasis is on the fact that the people who are there in Moab with Moses, and not their children, are the ones who experienced all those events. Then Moses lists the very things they saw (see verses 3, 7). For the LORD your God see 1.6.

The discipline of the LORD your God: the Hebrew noun can mean the act of disciplining, or “training,” as New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, New International Version have it (see the verb in 8.5); or it can mean “lesson,” “instruction” (so Good News Translation “what you have learned”; see also New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). Either meaning fits well in the context, but it may be that the meaning “lesson” or “instruction” is to be preferred.

His greatness: instead of an abstract noun, a verbal phrase may be better: “how great [or mighty, or powerful] he is.” Contemporary English Version has “You are the ones who saw the LORD use his great power.”

Mighty hand … outstretched arm: see 4.34. In some languages translators may need to combine greatness, mighty hand, and outstretched arm by using one expression such as “mighty power.”

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 .

His signs: see 4.34. Instead of the noun phrase his deeds, it may be better to say “the [great, or terrible] things [or, miracles] he did.” These are the plagues God sent upon the land of Egypt (in 4.34 the plagues are referred to as “signs and wonders”).

Pharaoh the king of Egypt: here the title “Pharaoh” is used as a proper name (see 6.21). For king see 1.4.

All his land: the sense is either “all his people” or “the entire country” (Good News Translation), probably the latter.

An alternative translation model for verses 2 and 3 is:

• Think today about what the LORD taught you through your experiences with him. It was you, not your children, who experienced these things. You are the ones who saw the LORD use his great power, when he did great miracles in Egypt and caused Pharaoh the king of Egypt and his whole land to suffer terribly.

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 .

Here Moses recalls the destruction of the Egyptian army at the Red Sea (Exo 14.23-29).

The army … their horses … their chariots: all these words are also found in Exo 14.23. Army refers to the Egyptian soldiers or fighting men, and in many languages it will be expressed as “all the Egyptian soldiers.” The Egyptian war chariots were pulled by two horses. In many languages translators will need to use a descriptive phrase for chariots; for example, “horse-drawn war carts” or “war carts pulled by two horses.” It will be helpful in cultures where horses are unknown to use a descriptive phrase, for example, “animal called ‘horse,’ ” and include an illustration of this animal, preferably pulling a chariot.

He made the water of the Red Sea overflow them: that is, as explained in the account in Exodus, God allowed the waters of the Sea to fall back in place and drown the Egyptians. For Red Sea see 1.40.

As they pursued after you: the Egyptian soldiers rode in their chariots as they pursued the Israelites. It will therefore be helpful to place this clause at the beginning of the verse as follows: “When the Egyptian soldiers chased you in their war carts pulled by horses, you saw the LORD drown them in the Red Sea and destroy them completely [or, decisively].”

To this day: this means “and so things remain to this day” (Revised English Bible). New International Version has “the LORD brought lasting ruin on them.”

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 .

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 .

For this incident see Numbers 16; Korah, the leader of the rebellion, is not mentioned here. See the Good News Translation model.

The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up: in many languages the idea of the earth opening its mouth will be an acceptable poetic metaphor. In others, however, it may not be natural to use this kind of language, in which the earth is pictured as a huge monster devouring its victims. The reader should not find the language unnatural or ridiculous. In such a case it will be helpful to show that Yahweh caused this event to occur; for example, “You saw how Yahweh caused the earth to open up underneath the tents of Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab from the tribe of Reuben. They, their families, their … fell down into the earth [or, this hole] and disappeared.”

Their households: this means all the members of their families (the heads of families are being referred to).

Every living thing that followed them: this includes servants and animals (see the same term in Gen 7.4, 23). Good News Translation makes this clear with “and all their servants and animals.”

In the midst of all Israel: the disaster took place right there in the camp, where all the other Israelites saw it happen. So Good News Translation has “In the sight of everyone.”

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 conclusion ties in with verse 2.

All the great work: this includes all the extraordinary things God did as he led the people those forty years in the wilderness. Contemporary English Version has a helpful model: “with your own eyes, you saw the LORD’s mighty power do all these things.” But we may also express this as “… you saw the LORD use his mighty power to do all these things.”

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 .