32:42 I will make my arrows drunk with blood,
and my sword will devour flesh –
the blood of the slaughtered and captured,
the chief 2 of the enemy’s leaders!’”
33:21 He has selected the best part for himself,
for the portion of the ruler 3 is set aside 4 there;
he came with the leaders 5 of the people,
he obeyed the righteous laws of the Lord
and his ordinances with Israel.
1 tn Or “selected”; Heb “took.”
2 tn Or “head” (the same Hebrew word can mean “head” in the sense of “leader, chieftain” or “head” in the sense of body part).
3 tn The Hebrew term מְחֹקֵק (mÿkhoqeq; Poel participle of חָקַק, khaqaq, “to inscribe”) reflects the idea that the recorder of allotments (the “ruler”) is able to set aside for himself the largest and best. See E. H. Merrill, Deuteronomy (NAC), 444-45.
4 tn Heb “covered in” (if from the root סָפַן, safan; cf. HALOT 764-65 s.v. ספן qal).
5 tn Heb “heads” (in the sense of chieftains).