Bratcher, Robert and Hatton, Howard. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. New York: UBS, 2000.
This states, in a briefer form, the command in 4.2.
In the Hebrew text, and in the Septuagint, this verse is chapter 13, verse 1. The Hebrew chapter and verse numbers will be shown in square brackets, for those who need to use that chapter and verse system.
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 .
The one long sentence, verses 1-4, should be broken up into several sentences. Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version do that; but see another model at the end of the comments on verse 4.
A prophet is a person who announces (or, claims to announce) God’s message to the people. If the usual word for prophet that has been employed in a language means only someone who foretells the future, it will be helpful in this context to say something like the following: “Suppose a person appears who claims to speak God’s message….”
A dreamer of dreams is someone who has dreams that are regarded as messages from God. Some people had the ability to interpret them; for example, Joseph (Genesis 40–41), and Daniel (Daniel 2 and 4); see also Num 12.6 and Joel 2.28.
Gives you a sign or a wonder: it is not certain whether in this context the Hebrew verb gives means “performs [for you]” or “tells [you].” New International Version and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible have “announces to you”; Good News Translation has “promises.” The latter idea of “saying” or “announcing” is recommended by this Handbook. The meaning is that the prophet has proof that a miracle will occur.
A sign or a wonder: any extraordinary event that is seen as a miracle, a demonstration of God’s power (see 4.34; 6.22).
An alternative translation model for this verse is:
• Suppose a prophet or an interpreter of dreams appears and says that he has proof that a miracle is going to happen.
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 .
Comes to pass: that is, “actually happens” or “takes place.”
“Let us go after other gods … and let us serve them”: notice that Revised Standard Version breaks up the prophet’s message with Moses’ own words, which you have not known. This may be acceptable for someone who is reading the text, but the hearer will find it hard to understand. It will be better in a number of languages to combine the two direct quotations, with Moses’ comment following them; for example, “ ‘Let us worship and serve other gods.’ These are gods that you have not served before.” Or we may use indirect speech as Good News Translation does: “in order to lead you to worship and serve gods that you have not worshiped before.”
Go after … serve: this means simply to follow or pledge allegiance to, and worship; it does not mean to search for, or to try to find.
Other gods: this can be rendered “foreign [or, pagan] gods.” For gods see 4.28.
Which you have not known: see 11.28.
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 .
You shall not listen to …: the Israelites are to refuse any appeal to abandon their God, Yahweh, and worship other gods. Other ways to express this are “do not pay any attention to them” (Good News Translation) or “If the prophet says this, don’t listen!” (Contemporary English Version).
The LORD your God is testing you: the same verb occurs in Gen 22.1; it refers to an experience that reveals a person’s character, motives, or integrity.
To know: the meaning of this is that God has to test them before knowing whether they love him. The translation should not try to disguise or modify the vivid human way of speaking about God. The LORD your God is testing you, to know … may also be expressed as “the LORD your God is using him [that prophet] to test you, to find out if….”
You love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul: see 6.5.
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 one verse has six verbs to express the relationship of the Israelites to their God.
Walk after: to follow, as people follow a leader.
Fear: to honor, respect, show reverence for (see 4.10).
Keep (his commands): to obey.
Obey his voice has the same sense, meaning to follow his directions, obey his orders.
Serve: as a worshiper “serves” his or her god.
Cleave to him: be loyal or dedicated to him (10.20).
For the LORD your God see 1.6.
An alternative translation model for verses 1-4 may be:
• A person who claims to announce God’s message, or an interpreter of dreams [or, someone who receives messages from God in dreams], may appear among you and announce that he has proof that a miracle will happen. If what he predicts does happen, he will try to lead you to worship and serve other gods, which you have not worshiped before. But don’t pay any attention to such a person. The LORD your God is using him to test you to find out if you love the LORD with all your heart and soul [or, completely]. Follow the LORD and respect him; obey his commands; serve him and be faithful to him.
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 .
A careless reading of this verse as it appears in Revised Standard Version could connect the verbal phrase to make you leave the way to the words immediately before it, the LORD your God … redeemed you out of the house of bondage. Actually it goes with the description of the person who has taught rebellion against the LORD your God. Good News Translation attempts to solve this problem by making the clause to make you leave the way part of a new sentence. However, another possibility is to place the clause who brought you out of the land … at the beginning of the verse, as follows:
• … be faithful to him. He rescued you from working like slaves in Egypt. So you must put to death any prophet or interpreter of dreams who tells you to rebel against the LORD.
Shall be put to death: such a person is a traitor and must be executed at once. In some languages the passive voice must be transformed to the active; for example, “But you must execute [or, kill] such a prophet or….”
He has taught rebellion against the LORD your God: in the religious realm this is called apostasy; in the political realm it is rebellion or sedition. Here taught rebellion means “urged you to rebel”; Revised English Bible has “preached rebellion”; or we may say “tells you to disobey the LORD.”
Who brought you out of the land of Egypt: see 5.6; 6.12.
Redeemed you out of the house of bondage: see 7.8.
To make you leave the way: the life of obedience to God is often pictured as a journey, a path a person must walk. In a number of languages this figurative language may be retained; for example, “to cause you to stop walking on the path on which the LORD your God commanded you to walk.”
You shall purge the evil: see 17.7, 12. The would-be leader of a rebellion against Yahweh is seen as an impurity or an uncleanness that must be gotten rid of in order to keep the people healthy and clean. Alternative translation models for this final sentence are “You shall put this person to death in order to get rid of this evil thing from among you”; or in languages where it will be difficult to talk about evil apart from the person who does it, “That person is evil, so you must put him to death.”
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 .
Verses 6-9 are another long sentence that must be broken into several shorter and simpler sentences; Good News Translation has six sentences and is a good model to follow. Translators should also study the model of Contemporary English Version, which combines verses 6-10, omitting a number of repetitious phrases that are unnatural style in English.
Your brother, the son of your mother: there is a textual problem here; the Samaritan and the Septuagint have “… the son of your father or the son of your mother.” The Hebrew, as it stands, seems to mean only a brother by your mother, but not by your father. There are several possibilities for the translator: (1) translate the Hebrew (as in New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, and as recommended by Hebrew Old Testament Text Project); (2) follow the Samaritan and Septuagint (as in New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible); (3) just say “your [own] brother” (as Good News Translation, New International Version, Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje, BÍBLIA para todos Edição Comum, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, Bible en français courant do). The best procedure to follow seems to be (3).
The wife of your bosom: New Revised Standard Version “the wife you embrace” or Good News Translation “the wife you love” could be taken to mean that there is also a wife you don’t embrace or love; New Jerusalem Bible “the spouse whom you embrace” is worse. Something like “your dear wife” is the most natural way to say this in English.
Your friend who is as your own soul: that is, “your dearest [or closest, or best] friend.”
Entices you secretly: playing the part of the traitor, the wife or friend comes to the Israelite in private and tries to persuade him to commit idolatry. Good News Translation has “secretly encourage you.” In a number of languages direct speech will be natural style; for example, “Your own brother … may come to you secretly and say, ‘Let’s worship other gods!’ ”
Let us go and serve other gods: see verse 2.
Which neither you nor your fathers have known: see verse 2. Your fathers means “your ancestors.”
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 verse continues the description of the pagan gods referred to in verse 6.
From one end of the earth to the other: all pagan gods are included. Good News Translation does not formally represent these words, which simply emphasize gods of the peoples that are … far off from you. Instead of earth some translations have “from one end of the land…” (Revised English Bible, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, New International Version); but it seems that “earth” is to be preferred (Revised Standard Version, New Jerusalem Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, and others). It means “anywhere on earth.”
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 .