Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 32:31

The defeat of the Israelites can be understood only on the assumption that Yahweh had deliberately abandoned them; the gods of the enemies could not have defeated the God of Israel.

Their rock is not as our Rock: it seems clear that here Moses must be the speaker. The abrupt change to the first plural (our Rock … our enemies) may be difficult in some languages; see how Good News Translation has handled this. The comparison is between the power of the gods and the power of Yahweh; so it will be good to say “their rock is [or, their gods are] not as powerful as our Rock [or, our God].”

Even our enemies themselves being judges: this is unintelligible English; presumably it means “as even our enemies themselves admit.” See New International Version “as even our enemies concede.” New Revised Standard Version and Revised English Bible follow the Septuagint, “our enemies are fools”; but this is not recommended.

Alternative translation models for this verse are:

• Even our enemies know [or, admit]
that their gods are not as powerful as our [inclusive] God.

• … their gods are not as powerful a rock as our [inclusive] 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 .

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 32:32 - 32:33

Verses 32-33 describe how worthless are the pagan enemies, how corrupt and sinful they are. Notice the careful progression: their vine … their grapes … their clusters … their wine.

Some background information on Sodom and Gomorrah may be supplied in a footnote (see below), to make the text clear to the reader.

Good News Translation has shifted slightly and made the enemies themselves the term of comparison, not their actions; Bible en français courant does this also, “As for them, they are no better than the people of Sodom and Gomorrah…,” with a footnote, “The people of Sodom and Gomorrah were well known for their immorality; see Gen 18.20-21; 19.4-11.” This is a good alternative model to follow. However, we may also keep the picture of a vine and translate as follows:

• Their enemies are like a grapevine
planted in the fields of Sodom and Gomorrah. *

Their grapes are grapes of poison, their clusters are bitter: these two lines have the same meaning. It is unlikely that a literal translation will make sense in any language. Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje provides a good model to follow: “They are like grapevines that bear worthless grapes, bitter and poisonous grapes,” or following on from the first two lines:
* They [the vines] produce grapes [or, fruit]
that are bitter and poisonous [or, full of bitter poison].

Verse 33 should continue without a break, if possible. Its two lines also have the same meaning. Again Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje is a good model: “they are like wine made of snake’s poison, the deadly poison of serpents.”

Serpents … asps: in this context these nouns mean the same. In modern English serpents (Revised Standard Version, New International Version, New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible) no longer makes much sense. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh has “asps … vipers,” New Jerusalem Bible “snakes … vipers.”

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 32:34

In verses 34-35 God is the speaker; then in verses 36-38 Moses is probably the speaker, although Yahweh often refers to himself in the third person, and it is possible that these verses are an instance of that. In many languages it will be good to introduce Yahweh as the speaker in this verse; for example, “The LORD says, ‘Don’t I….’ ” Notice, however, that Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version keep “the LORD” in the third person; that is also possible.

Is not this: that is, his plans to punish Israel’s enemies (verse 35) and vindicate his people (verse 36). So we may translate “Yahweh says, ‘What I have planned to do to the Israelites and their enemies, I am keeping….’ ”

Laid up in store … sealed up in my treasuries: this is a way of saying that God’s plan is safe and secure, and cannot be taken from him. Instead of a rhetorical question, a declaration may be better. So New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says “Lo, I have it all put away, sealed up in my storehouses,” and Biblia Dios Habla Hoy has “All of this I am keeping for myself, I am guarding it as a treasure.” The emphasis is not on the worth of it but on Yahweh’s determination to keep all his plans strictly to himself, not sharing them with anyone. In this verse Good News Translation departs too far from the focus of the original.

A possible alternative translation model for this verse is:

• Yahweh says,
“What I have planned to do to the Israelites and their enemies
I am keeping for myself.
I am guarding it as I would a treasure.”

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 32:35

Vengeance is mine: this renders the Hebrew text, “to me vengeance.” The Samaritan text and the Septuagint have “the day [of vengeance]” as a runover from verse 34. Hebrew Old Testament Text Project favors this ({C} rating), although of the modern versions only Revised English Bible, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, and Biblia Dios Habla Hoy agree. The Handbook recommends that translators follow this. So verse 35 should begin “For the day of recompense and vengeance…” or “For the day [or, time] when I will take revenge and punish them will soon come.”

And recompense: though the enemies are God’s instrument in punishing his people, still they are responsible for what they have done, and they will be punished. The Revised Standard Version text (if followed) can be rendered “I will take revenge, I will punish.”

For the time when their foot shall slip: this can follow on from the previous line, but it seems better to make this an independent statement, as New International Version has done, “In due time their foot will slip,” or Bible en français courant “when the day of their fall arrives,” or we may even say “Suddenly they will fall!”

The day of their calamity … their doom: the next two lines have the same sense, pointing to the punishment that God will send on the enemies in the form of disasters and destruction. For calamity see 29.21.

At hand … comes swiftly: these two expressions also have the same meaning, emphasizing that the enemies will be punished very soon.

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• For the day when I will take revenge
and punish them will soon come!
Suddenly their foot will slip,
and all sorts of disasters will quickly follow.

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 32:36

Will vindicate … have compassion: these two verbs do not have the same meaning; one indicates action, the other speaks of the emotion that prompts the action. A translation may wish to reverse the two statements. To vindicate is a term from the law court, meaning that the judge gives judgment in favor of an accused person, thereby demonstrating that that person is innocent of wrongdoing.

His people … his servants: again, these are exact parallels. His servants should not be taken to indicate only those who serve God in priestly functions; it means all the Israelites. An alternative model reversing the order of the two lines is the following:

• The LORD will have mercy on [or feel sorry for] his servants the Israelites and will declare them innocent.

When he sees that their power is gone: the literal meaning should be expressed; God will act when he becomes aware of his people’s pitiful situation.

There is none remaining, bond or free: the text as translated seems to say that all the Israelites will have disappeared. The exaggerated language of poetry allows for this, and the translator should keep this meaning. A possible alternative translation model is:

• And no Israelite, whether slave or free person, remains alive.

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 32:37

In verses 37-38 there is another shift in the pronouns referring to the people of Israel, from the third plural in verse 37 and the first part of verse 38 to the second person of direct address in the last part of verse 38.

Then he will say: it will be helpful for translators to show who Yahweh is speaking to here; for example, “Then Yahweh will ask his people” (see Good News Translation).

Their gods: the gods of the pagans, that Israel had gone to for help; so Good News Translation, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, Bible en français courant, Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje. This makes sense (see verses 16-17) and is recommended to translators.

Where are their gods…? This is not a question for information about their whereabouts, but rather a mocking question. “What happened to those gods of yours in whom you trusted?” God tells the Israelites (end of verse 38) that they should go to them for help.

The rock in which they took refuge: for rock see verse 31. We may also express this as “The powerful gods they went to for protection?” (See also 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 .

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 32:38

The Revised Standard Version text carries on this verse as a continuation of the question that starts in verse 37. In some languages this may be difficult to do, and it will be better to start this verse as a new sentence.

Who ate the fat of their sacrifices: the fat was considered the choicest part of the animal offered in sacrifice. Instead of “who ate the fat of your sacrifices,” Good News Translation and Bible en français courant have “You fed them the fat of your sacrifices,” which may be easier to follow.

Drank the wine of their offerings: this means they drank the wine of the drink offerings; these also are sacrifices. Good News Translation has “and offered them wine to drink.”

Let them rise up and help you: this is a sarcastic suggestion, not a request. It may be expressed as “They ought to get up and help you now.” As elsewhere rise up functions as an auxiliary verb indicating the beginning of the action expressed in the main verb: “Let them help you now!”

Let them be your protectors: this is parallel to the previous line; the Hebrew word translated protectors appears only here in the Old Testament. So the final two lines may be translated:

• They ought to get up and help you now
or come and protect 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 32:39

Verses 39-42 are a single unit of poetry in which God vows to punish the enemies of the Israelites; they are his enemies, too.

See now that I, even I, am he: see 4.35, 39. The Hebrew text says “I, I [am] he,” which the Septuagint translates by “I am.” This is a reference to the name of God, emphasizing the fact that only Yahweh is God. So Bible en français courant translates “Recognize, therefore, I alone am able to save. There is no other god but me.” BÍBLIA para todos Edição Comum has “Pay attention! I am the only God, and there is no other God like me”; and Biblia Dios Habla Hoy has “I am the only God; there are no other gods besides me.” Contemporary English Version has “Don’t you understand? I am the only God; there are no others.”

I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal: his power for hurting and for helping is absolute, and none can stop him when he decides to act.

There is none that can deliver out of my hand: God says that there is no one who can save someone he has decided to punish. The absolute none would include not only human beings but angelic and divine beings as well; so Good News Translation has “no one can oppose what I do,” and Contemporary English Version “and nothing can stop me.”

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 .