Acts presumptuously: see 1.43. This means to act from pride and self-will, with an arrogant attitude. New Revised Standard Version is good: “presumes to disobey the priest”; also Good News Translation “Anyone who dares to disobey either the judge or the priest on duty.”

Stands to minister there before the LORD your God: that is, in the central sanctuary.

That man shall die: the sentence of death is to be passed on that person. In languages that do not use the passive voice as Good News Translation does, we may say, for example, “they must put to death [or, execute] that man.”

You shall purge the evil from Israel: see verse 7.

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 death sentence will be a most impressive object lesson.

Hear, and fear: when the people hear what has happened, they will be afraid (see 13.11).

And not act presumptuously again: that is, will not dare disobey the Law. Good News Translation has “and no one else will dare to act in such a way.” However, we may use a positive statement as Contemporary English Version does: “they will be afraid and obey the decisions of the 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 .

You may indeed set as king over you him whom the LORD your God will choose: this is the first and most important condition; the choice will be God’s. Nothing is said here as to how God will make his decision known to the people. Good News Translation has a good model.

One from among your brothers: this is simply a way of saying “He must be an Israelite.”

A foreigner, who is not your brother: the repetition is for emphasis, a device that may not work in some languages. The Hebrew verb in verses 14 and 15 that is translated set (three times) by Revised Standard Version is different from the one translated put, but in this context the meaning is the same. For the translation of foreigner see the comment on “alien” at 1.16. The Good News Translation model for the verse is a good alternative one.

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 .

He must not multiply horses for himself: this is a most unnatural use of the English language. New International Version has “The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself.” These are horses used in war; the king is not to have a huge cavalry, as Solomon subsequently had (see 1 Kgs 10.26-29; 2 Chr 1.16; 9.28). In cultures where horses are unknown, we may say something like “animals named ‘horse’ ” at this first occurrence of the term. An illustration of this animal should also be included.

Cause the people to return to Egypt in order to multiply horses: the Hebrew text is not completely clear. Most translations, like Good News Translation, take this to mean that the king is not to send people to Egypt to buy horses; but in a footnote Good News Translation gives an alternative rendering, “send people to Egypt in exchange for horses.” This rendering, which is favored by some, seems to mean sending slaves to Egypt in exchange for horses; or it can mean sending mercenary soldiers. The Hebrew says “on account of [or, for] horses.” It is suggested that the rendering chosen by Good News Translation and most other modern translations be followed.

The LORD has said to you, ‘You shall never return that way again’: this same statement is made in 28.58, but there is no record of Yahweh having made this promise. In some languages indirect speech will be preferable, as in Good News Translation.

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 .

When he sits on the throne of his kingdom: this seems to refer to the day the man God has chosen is installed as king. Revised English Bible has “When he has ascended the throne of his kingdom”; or we may translate more generally, “when he begins to rule [or, reign],” or even “When he becomes king” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version). In cultures where chiefs rule, it may be necessary to talk about “sitting on his chair [or, stool].”

He shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law: the meaning of this part of the sentence is not completely clear. Revised Standard Version takes it to mean that the king himself is to make a copy of this law; but the text may mean “he is to have a copy made for him.” So New Revised Standard Version has “he shall have a copy of this law written for him” (also New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Good News Translation, Bible en français courant, Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje, BÍBLIA para todos Edição Comum).

A book: here, more precisely, a scroll. If neither of these terms is available in a local language, the more general “he is to have a copy of this law made for him” may be used, without indicating the precise form the copy is to take.

There is much difference of opinion over the precise meaning of this law. The Hebrew noun is torah, which can mean:
(1) the complete Torah; this is most unlikely, but Good News Translation “the book of God’s laws and teachings” can be taken to mean this;
(2) the book of Deuteronomy, as we know it (see the use of this law in 1.5); this is the interpretation favored by most;
(3) a section of the book of Deuteronomy, especially chapters 12–26; while possible, this would be very difficult to indicate in translation.

Probably the best translation is to say “this book of the law,” without saying exactly what “this book” means; most readers will probably assume it means the book of Deuteronomy. However, if “book” is difficult to translate, we may simply say “a copy of these [or, God’s] laws.”

It is from the Septuagint translation of this verse that the book Deuteronomy gets its name. The Hebrew is “a copy of this law” (also Josh 8.32); the Septuagint translates “this second record of the law” (a similar translation in Josh 8.32).

From that which is in charge of the Levitical priests: the meaning of the Hebrew text here is disputed.
(1) Many take it as do Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation (and New International Version, Bible en français courant, Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje, BÍBLIA para todos Edição Comum, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy), that the copy is to be made from the original, which is kept by the Levitical priests (in the sanctuary); this seems to be the meaning of the Septuagint.
(2) New Jerusalem Bible and Revised English Bible translate “at the dictation of the Levitical priests.”
(3) New Revised Standard Version has “in the presence of the Levitical priests.”
(4) New Jerusalem Bible has “written … by the Levitical priests,” with a footnote: “Nuance of Heb milliphne uncertain.”

It is recommended that the translation favored by Good News Translation and others be followed, namely, “from the original copy kept by the Levitical priests.” For Levitical priests see 17.9.

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 .

It shall be with him: it is the copy that has been made; “He will keep the copy….”

He shall read in it all the days of his life: the king is to read some portion of the book every day. So we may translate “every day he must read [from] it.”

He may learn to fear the LORD his God: learn may also be rendered as “teach himself to…” or “cause himself to….” For fear see 4.10.

By keeping … and doing: again, a repetition for emphasis; “by learning and obeying,” “by putting into practice.”

All the words of this law and these statutes: these are not two separate sets of laws, but the same torah, that is, all the laws and … statutes (see 4.1) in this torah. To obey the Torah is to fear God. Good News Translation has “obey faithfully everything that is commanded in it.”

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 .

That his heart may not be lifted up above his brethren: the king is not to be conceited or arrogant; he must not think of himself as superior to his fellow-Israelites (New International Version “consider himself better than his brothers”). The word used to translate his brethren should not mean only his blood brothers, that is, sons (and daughters) of his own parents.

Turn aside from the commandment: that is, disregard, pay no attention to, or disobey. For commandment see 4.2.

To the right hand or to the left: see this idiom in 5.32.

That he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children: this means that his royal line is to last a very long time. The Davidic dynasty, in Judah, lasted from about 1010 to 586 B.C., a total of some 424 years. This same kind of promise is made to Israelites as a whole in 5.32–6.2. Instead of children the word “descendants” is preferable. Good News Translation has a helpful translation: “then he will reign for many years, and his descendants will rule Israel for many generations.” Contemporary English Version is shorter, with “he and his descendants will rule Israel for many years.”

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 this shall be the priests’ due: in verses 3-4 Moses says what the priests, the Levites, are to receive (their due) from the other Israelites.

From the people, from those offering a sacrifice: the second phrase defines more precisely the first one.

Ox or sheep: this is more accurately “cattle or sheep” (Good News Translation). The Hebrew term does not mean only a castrated bull, as ox often does in English; it means any member of the bovine (cattle) family. The first part of the verse may thus be expressed as “Whenever you sacrifice a cow or sheep, you must give the priests….”

The shoulder and the two cheeks and the stomach: the parts mentioned are fairly clear. The two cheeks are the jowls (or, more simply, Good News Translation “the jaw”); the stomach is more generally “the inner parts” (New International Version), that is, the internal organs.

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 .