Let me go over: that is, “Let me cross the Jordan River,” or “Let me go to the other side of the Jordan.”

I pray: this represents in English the Hebrew particle of polite entreaty. In many languages it will be necessary to use an equivalent polite formula here; for example, “Please let me cross the Jordan River…” (Contemporary English Version).

The good land: it is good as a place that will make a good country for the Israelites, a fertile land. So we may say “a fertile land,” or “a land that will grow good crops.”

Beyond the Jordan: on the west side of the river.

That goodly hill country: that is, that beautiful, or fine, hill country. For hill country see 1.1.

Lebanon: the Lebanon Mountains, to the north.

In some languages Moses’ quote (verses 24-25) will end with something like “That is what I said to Yahweh.”

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 .