Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 31:5

This verse contains two parallel and complementary statements.

The LORD will give them over to you means that God makes it possible for the Israelites to defeat their enemies; them are the peoples they will fight in the land of Canaan.

You shall do to them according to all the commandment which I have commanded you means that the Israelites will destroy their enemies, as the LORD had commanded. So we may render this statement “As I have commanded you, ‘Kill them all!’ ”

All the commandment: see the detailed instructions in 7.1-5.

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 .

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 31:6

This verse contains three pairs of terms that mean the same thing, making for an effective and attractive style in Hebrew. If they are natural and effective, a translation should try to match them.

Be strong and of good courage: see 3.28. This is expressed in New Revised Standard Version as “Be strong and bold”; New Jerusalem Bible has “Be strong, stand firm,” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh “Be strong and resolute,” Good News Translation “Be determined and confident”; or we may say something like “Keep your heart strong and don’t let it waver.”

Do not fear or be in dread: fear and dread mean exactly the same thing, and there may be difficulty in finding two words that will fit naturally. See 1.21, 29. A different way of saying this may be useful in some languages: “Don’t let them frighten you or terrify you.”

It is the LORD your God who goes with you: the idea is not simply to accompany the Israelites, but to provide them leadership and help; God is on their side. So Contemporary English Version has “will always be at your side.” However, in languages where translators are using direct speech, we may say, for example, “I, Yahweh your God, will always be at your side.”

He will not fail you or forsake you: see a similar promise in 4.31. To fail someone is to not keep a promise, not to do what you have promised to do. In this context Yahweh would not fail the Israelites by not helping them, as he said he would, or by deserting (forsake) them. Another way to express this sentence is “I will always help you and will never abandon you.”

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 .

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 31:7

In his charge to Joshua (verses 7-8) Moses repeats in part what God had said to him, using the same expressions.

Summoned: this word in English is used of a person of high rank ordering someone of lower rank to come to him; in this situation that sense fits, since Moses is superior in rank to Joshua. In most contexts, however, the verb also has the sense that the person who is being summoned is going to be reprimanded. This other sense, of course, should be avoided in translation. Both Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version use “called.”

Be strong and of good courage: see verse 6.

You shall go with this people: as is said of Yahweh in verse 6.

The land which the LORD has sworn to their fathers to give them: see 1.8.

You shall put them in possession of it: the verb “take possession of” (see 1.38) is here used as a causative, meaning “you shall cause [or, enable] them to take possession of 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 .

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 31:8

It is the LORD who goes before you; he will be with you: again two statements that mean the same. Yahweh will lead them as they advance into Canaan.

He will not fail you or forsake you: as in verse 6.

Do not fear or be dismayed: here the second verb is different from the one in verse 6, but it has a very similar meaning.

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 .

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 31:10

Moses commanded them: in the context them refers to the Levites and the elders, so translators should have something like “Moses commanded these priests and leaders” or “gave them to the priests and the leaders” (Contemporary English Version).

At the end of every seven years: as the statements in 14.28 and 15.1 show, this means “every seventh year” (New Jerusalem Bible). Bible en français courant has “Every seven years, the year of the forgiveness of debts,” Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje “Every seven years, in the year set for forgiveness of debts,” Contemporary English Version “the year when loans do not need to be repaid.”

The set time of the year of release: this is the year when all debts were forgiven; see 15.1-3. In a number of languages those two clauses may be combined (see Good News Translation).

The feast of booths: known also as Sukkoth (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version “Festival of Shelters”), this seven-day festival began on the date 15 Tishri, which corresponds more or less to the beginning of October (see 16.13-15).

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 .

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 31:12

All the Israelites, men, women, and children are to be present; also all “the foreigners who live in your towns” (Good News Translation); see 1.8.

Assemble: or “call together” (Good News Translation), or even “call all the men, women, … to come together.”

May hear and learn to fear the LORD your God: see 4.10.

Be careful to do all the words of this law: see 26.16; 28.58.

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 .

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 31:13

Their children, who have not known it: this means their descendants, yet to be born. The regular reading of the Law must never cease. Good News Translation has a good model: “In this way your descendants who have never heard the law of the LORD your God”; or we may say “In this way each new generation of your descendants will hear the law….”

As long as you live: this applies not only to the people there who are listening to Moses, but to all Israelites in the future. The Septuagint has “they live,” and this is how Good News Translation translates it, in order to apply the saying to the Israelites yet to be born.

To possess: see 1.8.

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 .

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 31:15

Appeared … in a pillar of cloud: this means a cloud the size and shape of a pillar, but not a solid object. An alternative translation may be “in a cloud in the form of a pillar [or, column].” In cultures where “pillars” or “columns” are unknown, something like “in a thick cloud” is possible. Here the text does not mean that the cloud was God’s means of transportation. A possible alternative model is the following: “And the LORD descended in a cloud in the form of a pillar and stood by the door of the tent of meeting; and the cloud stood by the door of the tent.”

Stood by the door: presumably on the outside of the tent. An alternative way to render this is “outside the entrance to the tent.”

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 .