Great trials … signs … great wonders: see 4.34; 7.19. These three similar terms are used together for emphasis. They refer primarily to the ten plagues that Yahweh sent on Egypt.

The information in this verse refers back to the clause “all that the LORD did” in the previous verse. So it is possible to combine verses 2 and 3 as follows:

• Moses called together the people of Israel and said to them: “You saw with your own eyes the terrible plagues, the miracles, and the great wonders that Yahweh did to punish the king of Egypt, his officers, and everyone else in the land.”

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 .

Yahweh has kept hidden the meaning of all those miracles, primarily their basic significance, which was that they were the means whereby Yahweh was making the Israelites his own people. This is a theme found elsewhere in the Old Testament, most notably in Isa 6.9-10 (and see its use in Matt 13.14-15; Mark 4.12; Luke 8.10; John 12.40; Acts 28.26-27).

The LORD has not given you: the translation should not make it appear that the Israelites did not have minds, or eyes, or ears. The meaning is that God had not allowed them to understand fully the significance of those events. In some languages translators will be able to retain language similar to the Hebrew; for example, “The LORD didn’t let your hearts [or, minds] understand what your eyes saw and your ears heard.” In other languages the Good News Translation rendering, “he has not let you understand what you have experienced,” expresses the meaning quite clearly, if not with so much emphasis as the Hebrew text has.

To this day: this means “until today” (New Jerusalem Bible). There is no clear hint that things will change and the people will finally understand the meaning of those events.

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 .

I have led you: this could be Moses speaking, but this is unlikely when we consider the clause “that I am the LORD your God” at the end of the following verse. Contemporary English Version solves this problem by saying “He has even told you, ‘For forty years, I, the LORD led you through the desert.’ ”

For wilderness see 1.1.

Clothes have not worn out upon you: this means that, after the forty years that had elapsed since leaving Egypt, they were still wearing the same clothes. The same applies to their sandals, which have not worn off your feet. In Hebrew the same verb “grow old” or “wear out” is used both for the clothes and the sandals; the Septuagint uses two different verbs, and in some languages two verbs will be necessary. However, in many modern translations we find only one verb; for example, “your clothes and sandals never wore out” (Good News Translation, similarly Contemporary English Version).

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 have not eaten bread: that is, during the forty years the Israelites had not eaten bread but only the manna that God sent them every day (see 8.2-5). It may be necessary to make this clear, either in the text, for example, “I gave you special food instead of bread, wine, or beer,” or by means of an explanatory footnote.

Wine or strong drink: this strong drink is not distilled liquor, but something more like “beer” (Good News Translation, Bible en français courant, BÍBLIA para todos Edição Comum, Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje). New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh has “or other intoxicant,” New International Version “other fermented drink,” New Jerusalem Bible “fermented liquor.”

That you may know that I am the LORD your God: that is, all the trials and difficulties they had experienced throughout the forty years were intended to teach them to acknowledge Yahweh as their God, to confess that he is their God. Bible en français courant has “The LORD took care of you so that you might understand that he is your God.” In translation it should be made clear that the speaker here is Yahweh, not Moses (see the note in the previous verse).

A possible alternative translation model combining verses 5 and 6 is the following:

• The LORD has told you, “For forty years, I, the LORD, led you through the wilderness, but your clothes and sandals didn’t wear out, and I gave you special food instead of bread, wine, and beer. I did these things so that you would know that I am the God you serve.”

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 .

Notice the change from you came to against us and we defeated them. In most languages the translation will be less confusing to the reader if the first person (inclusive plural) pronoun is used throughout the verse (see Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version). There is a change in speaker here from Yahweh to Moses.

This place: Moab in particular and the whole Transjordan region in general. “Here” (Contemporary English Version) is a more neutral word.

For the battles against Sihon and Og, see 2.26–3.11; Num 21.21-35.

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 .

Gave it for an inheritance: that is, “gave it to them to possess” (see 4.21).

The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of the Manassites: see 3.12-17. It is better to have “the people of the tribes of Reuben, of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh.”

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 be careful to do see 28.1, 56; for the words of this covenant, see 29.1.

You may prosper: nearly all modern translations understand the Hebrew verb to mean prosper, or “be successful”; see New Revised Standard Version “succeed in everything that you do.” There is no need to provide an alternative translation, as Revised Standard Version does.

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 .

In Revised Standard Version verses 10-13 are one long sentence. As elsewhere, in many languages the text should be broken up into several sentences.

This day means “Today,” as often in the book.

You stand … all of you before the LORD your God: the sense is as in Good News Translation, “you are standing in the presence of the LORD your God.” This is the general statement; then, for emphasis, the various groups of people are named. Before the LORD your God means “in this place where Yahweh is present,” or “in the LORD’s presence” (Contemporary English Version).

The heads of your tribes: the leaders of the twelve tribes. Revised Standard Version‘s textual footnote is unnecessary. The Hebrew “your heads your tribes” means simply “your tribal leaders,” as New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh translates it.

For elders see 5.23; for officers see 1.15.

All the men of Israel: they are mentioned first, and the women and children are listed in the next verse as belonging to them or being related to them. A possible alternative model for this verse for this verse may be:

• Today all of you are standing here in the LORD’s presence, including your leaders and officials….

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 .