Swine: or, more familiarly, “pigs.” See also Lev 11.7; Pro 11.27; Isa 65.4; 66.3, 17 (also in the New Testament).

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 .

Anything that dies of itself: the reason for this law, forbidding the eating of any animal that “dies a natural death” (Good News Translation), is that the animal’s blood had not been properly drained out, so that anyone who ate such an animal would be eating blood, which was strictly forbidden (see 12.15, 22-27; Exo 22.31). Such an animal was ritually unclean.

In this case, however, the dead animal could be eaten by the alien who is within your towns, that is, a foreigner who lived permanently among the Israelites (see 1.16). Or it could be sold to a foreigner, that is, some foreigner who might be traveling through the Israelite community. Contemporary English Version expresses this quite clearly with “You may give it to foreigners who live in your town, or sell it to foreigners who are visiting your town.”

A people holy to the LORD your God: see 7.6; 14.2.

You shall not boil a kid in its mother’s milk: for this law see also Exo 23.19; 34.26. Here a kid is the young either of a sheep or a goat; consequently Good News Translation has “a young sheep or goat.” It is thought by some that this was a Canaanite custom and thus abhorrent to the Israelites; but the evidence for such a Canaanite rite is far from conclusive.

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 .

Before the LORD your God: that is, in the place of worship, “In the presence of the LORD your God” (see 9.18 and elsewhere).

In the place he will choose to make his name dwell there: this refers to the central sanctuary. See 12.5, 11, 14, 21.

You shall eat the tithe of your grain, of your wine, and of your oil: these are the three principal agricultural products: wheat and barley, grapes for making wine, and olives for making olive oil.

The firstlings of your herd and flock: Good News Translation “the first-born of your cattle and sheep” is more natural English; but “goats” should also be included. These animals are not included in the tithe of verse 21, but they were eaten by the Israelites as they feasted in the central sanctuary. These animals belonged to Yahweh and so were eaten in the sanctuary as an act of worship (see 12.6, 17; 15.19-23).

That you may learn to fear the LORD your God always: the payment of the tithe to God was to acknowledge God as the owner of the land and as the one who blessed the people with abundant crops. The people’s prosperity was God’s gift, not the result of their hard work. For to fear, in the sense of “honor” and “respect,” see 4.10. For the LORD your God see 1.6.

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• Take ten percent of your grain, wine, and olive oil, and the first-born of every cow, sheep, and goat, to the place where the LORD has chosen for you to worship him. Eat this food and the meat of these animals there. This will teach you to always respect the LORD your God.

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 24-26 are one long sentence with much repetition. Good News Translation offers one model for breaking it up into more manageable units; but even shorter units may be attempted.

And if the way is too long for you … because the place is too far from you: this repetition need not be reproduced literally in translation. These two segments, together with the following which the LORD your God chooses to set his name there, may be brought together in one sentence (see models below).

When the LORD your God blesses you: this refers to the abundant crops that God has provided.

Alternative translation models for this verse are:

• If you live so far away from the one place of worship chosen by God that you cannot carry there the one-tenth of your produce, this is what you should do:….

• It may be that the one place that God has chosen for you to worship him is so far away from your home that you cannot carry there the one-tenth of your produce. If such is the case, then do this:….

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 .

Then you shall turn it into money: this simply means “Sell your crop [or, produce],” that is, sell the one tenth of the crops that is to be taken to the sanctuary. The it refers back to the tithe in verse 24. Contemporary English Version has “then sell this part.”

Bind up the money in your hand: New Revised Standard Version is better in English, “With the money secure in hand.” But the simpler and more natural “take your money with you” (New International Version, Good News Translation) is better again. What is indicated is that the silver pieces would be tied securely in a cloth, or napkin, for easy and safe carrying. Money here does not refer to coins but to pieces of silver, of varying sizes.

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 .

At the central sanctuary the Israelite would buy what he was unable to bring with him, and would celebrate with his family.

Oxen … sheep … wine … strong drink: instead of oxen and sheep the translation may prefer words for their meat, such as “beef” and “lamb” (Good News Translation), since it is the eating of the animals that is in focus; otherwise we can say “cattle and sheep” (New International Version, Revised English Bible).

Wine and strong drink: wine is a fermented drink made from grapes (see 7.13). Strong drink is an alcoholic beverage such as beer; it is a fermented drink, not distilled liquor (such as “scotch” and “bourbon”). New International Version has “other fermented drink,” New Jerusalem Bible “fermented liquor,” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh “other intoxicant,” New Revised Standard Version and Revised English Bible “strong drink.” The Hebrew word is defined as “intoxicating drink, evidently a kind of beer.” It is often paired with wine (Lev 10.9; 1 Sam 1.15; Luke 1.15). So both Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version translate it as “beer.” In some languages readers have understood a literal translation of strong drink to mean “drink that makes you strong”; that is certainly not the sense of the Hebrew term.

Whatever you desire … whatever your appetite craves: this repetition may be effective in Hebrew, but it is not necessarily natural and effective in other languages. In both clauses the same Hebrew noun nefesh (“soul, appetite”) is used, with two different verbs for “crave, desire, want.”

You shall eat there … and rejoice: this can be more naturally rendered “feast with rejoicing” (Revised English Bible), or “eat and enjoy yourselves” (Good News Translation).

You and your household: as usual, the father of the family is the one being addressed, and here his family and the servants and attendants are included; thus “you, your family, and your servants” is a natural translation. In some languages there is a term that includes both family and servants; if so, that should be used here.

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 .