2:1 Then we turned and set out toward the desert land on the way to the Red Sea 14 just as the Lord told me to do, detouring around Mount Seir for a long time.
3:18 At that time I instructed you as follows: “The Lord your God has given you this land for your possession. You warriors are to cross over before your fellow Israelites 32 equipped for battle.
4:25 After you have produced children and grandchildren and have been in the land a long time, 42 if you become corrupt and make an image of any kind 43 and do other evil things before the Lord your God that enrage him, 44
6:1 Now these are the commandments, 49 statutes, and ordinances that the Lord your God instructed me to teach you so that you may carry them out in the land where you are headed 50 6:2 and that you may so revere the Lord your God that you will keep all his statutes and commandments 51 that I am giving 52 you – you, your children, and your grandchildren – all your lives, to prolong your days.
6:10 Then when the Lord your God brings you to the land he promised your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to give you – a land with large, fine cities you did not build,
7:1 When the Lord your God brings you to the land that you are going to occupy and forces out many nations before you – Hittites, 56 Girgashites, 57 Amorites, 58 Canaanites, 59 Perizzites, 60 Hivites, 61 and Jebusites, 62 seven 63 nations more numerous and powerful than you –
7:7 It is not because you were more numerous than all the other peoples that the Lord favored and chose you – for in fact you were the least numerous of all peoples.
7:16 You must destroy 69 all the people whom the Lord your God is about to deliver over to you; you must not pity them or worship 70 their gods, for that will be a snare to you.
8:1 You must keep carefully all these commandments 74 I am giving 75 you today so that you may live, increase in number, 76 and go in and occupy the land that the Lord promised to your ancestors. 77
9:7 Remember – don’t ever forget 86 – how you provoked the Lord your God in the desert; from the time you left the land of Egypt until you came to this place you were constantly rebelling against him. 87
10:1 At that same time the Lord said to me, “Carve out for yourself two stone tablets like the first ones and come up the mountain to me; also make for yourself a wooden ark. 101
10:12 Now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you except to revere him, 107 to obey all his commandments, 108 to love him, to serve him 109 with all your mind and being, 110
12:1 These are the statutes and ordinances you must be careful to obey as long as you live in the land the Lord, the God of your ancestors, 122 has given you to possess. 123
12:20 When the Lord your God extends your borders as he said he would do and you say, “I want to eat meat just as I please,” 126 you may do so as you wish. 127
15:7 If a fellow Israelite 142 from one of your villages 143 in the land that the Lord your God is giving you should be poor, you must not harden your heart or be insensitive 144 to his impoverished condition. 145
15:19 You must set apart 149 for the Lord your God every firstborn male born to your herds and flocks. You must not work the firstborn of your bulls or shear the firstborn of your flocks.
16:18 You must appoint judges and civil servants 157 for each tribe in all your villages 158 that the Lord your God is giving you, and they must judge the people fairly. 159
17:8 If a matter is too difficult for you to judge – bloodshed, 160 legal claim, 161 or assault 162 – matters of controversy in your villages 163 – you must leave there and go up to the place the Lord your God chooses. 164
17:14 When you come to the land the Lord your God is giving you and take it over and live in it and then say, “I will select a king like all the nations surrounding me,” 17:15 you must select without fail 166 a king whom the Lord your God chooses. From among your fellow citizens 167 you must appoint a king – you may not designate a foreigner who is not one of your fellow Israelites. 168 17:16 Moreover, he must not accumulate horses for himself or allow the people to return to Egypt to do so, 169 for the Lord has said you must never again return that way.
18:1 The Levitical priests 170 – indeed, the entire tribe of Levi – will have no allotment or inheritance with Israel; they may eat the burnt offerings of the Lord and of his inheritance. 171
19:14 You must not encroach on your neighbor’s property, 178 which will have been defined 179 in the inheritance you will obtain in the land the Lord your God is giving you. 180
20:1 When you go to war against your enemies and see chariotry 181 and troops 182 who outnumber you, do not be afraid of them, for the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt, is with you.
20:16 As for the cities of these peoples that 183 the Lord your God is going to give you as an inheritance, you must not allow a single living thing 184 to survive.
22:5 A woman must not wear men’s clothing, 191 nor should a man dress up in women’s clothing, for anyone who does this is offensive 192 to the Lord your God.
28:15 “But if you ignore 207 the Lord your God and are not careful to keep all his commandments and statutes I am giving you today, then all these curses will come upon you in full force: 208
28:20 “The Lord will send on you a curse, confusing you and opposing you 209 in everything you undertake 210 until you are destroyed and quickly perish because of the evil of your deeds, in that you have forsaken me. 211
28:25 “The Lord will allow you to be struck down before your enemies; you will attack them from one direction but flee from them in seven directions and will become an object of terror 212 to all the kingdoms of the earth.
28:45 All these curses will fall on you, pursuing and overtaking you until you are destroyed, because you would not obey the Lord your God by keeping his commandments and statutes that he has given 214 you.
28:58 “If you refuse to obey 221 all the words of this law, the things written in this scroll, and refuse to fear this glorious and awesome name, the Lord your God,
29:1 (28:69) 225 These are the words of the covenant that the Lord commanded Moses to make with the people of Israel in the land of Moab, in addition to the covenant he had made with them at Horeb. 226
30:1 “When you have experienced all these things, both the blessings and the curses 231 I have set before you, you will reflect upon them 232 in all the nations where the Lord your God has banished you.
31:9 Then Moses wrote down this law and gave it to the Levitical priests, who carry the ark of the Lord’s covenant, and to all Israel’s elders.
31:14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “The day of your death is near. Summon Joshua and present yourselves in the tent 240 of meeting 241 so that I can commission him.” 242 So Moses and Joshua presented themselves in the tent of meeting.
32:10 The Lord 247 found him 248 in a desolate land,
in an empty wasteland where animals howl. 249
He continually guarded him 250 and taught him; 251
he continually protected him 252 like the pupil 253 of his eye.
32:11 Like an eagle that stirs up 254 its nest,
that hovers over its young,
so the Lord 255 spread out his wings and took him, 256
he lifted him up on his pinions.
32:36 The Lord will judge his people,
and will change his plans concerning 257 his servants;
when he sees that their power has disappeared,
and that no one is left, whether confined or set free.
32:39 “See now that I, indeed I, am he!” says the Lord, 258
“and there is no other god besides me.
I kill and give life,
I smash and I heal,
and none can resist 259 my power.
33:7 And this is the blessing 260 to Judah. He said,
Listen, O Lord, to Judah’s voice,
and bring him to his people.
May his power be great,
and may you help him against his foes.
33:11 Bless, O Lord, his goods,
and be pleased with his efforts;
undercut the legs 261 of any who attack him,
and of those who hate him, so that they cannot stand.
33:21 He has selected the best part for himself,
for the portion of the ruler 262 is set aside 263 there;
he came with the leaders 264 of the people,
he obeyed the righteous laws of the Lord
and his ordinances with Israel.
33:29 You have joy, Israel! Who is like you?
You are a people delivered by the Lord,
your protective shield
and your exalted sword.
May your enemies cringe before you;
may you trample on their backs.
34:1 Then Moses ascended from the deserts of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the summit of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho. 265 The Lord showed him the whole land – Gilead to Dan,
34:9 Now Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had placed his hands on him; 268 and the Israelites listened to him and did just what the Lord had commanded Moses.
1 tn Heb “in” or “on.” Here there is a contrast between the ordinary time of eleven days (v. 2) and the actual time of forty years, so “not until” brings out that vast disparity.
2 sn The eleventh month is Shebat in the Hebrew calendar, January/February in the modern (Gregorian) calendar.
3 sn The fortieth year would be 1406
4 tn Heb “according to all which.”
5 tn Heb “I have placed before you the land.”
6 tn Heb “the
7 tn Heb “swore” (so NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT). This refers to God’s promise, made by solemn oath, to give the patriarchs the land.
8 tn Heb “fathers” (also in vv. 11, 21, 35).
9 tn Heb “their seed after them.”
10 tn Heb “the
11 tn Or “has given you the land” (cf. NAB, NIV, NRSV).
12 tn The Hebrew text includes “in their hand,” which is unnecessary and somewhat redundant in English style.
13 tn Heb “in your tents,” that is, privately.
14 tn Heb “Reed Sea.” See note on the term “Red Sea” in Deut 1:40.
15 tn The Hebrew text does not have the first person pronoun; it has been supplied for purposes of English style (the Lord is speaking here).
16 tn Heb “all the work of your hands.”
17 tn Heb “he has.” This has been converted to first person in the translation in keeping with English style.
18 tn Heb “known” (so ASV, NASB); NAB “been concerned about.”
19 tn Heb “the
20 sn Horites. Most likely these are the same as the well-known people of ancient Near Eastern texts described as Hurrians. They were geographically widespread and probably non-Semitic. Genesis speaks of them as the indigenous peoples of Edom that Esau expelled (Gen 36:8-19, 31-43) and also as among those who confronted the kings of the east (Gen 14:6).
21 tn Most modern English versions, beginning with the ASV (1901), regard vv. 10-12 as parenthetical to the narrative.
22 tn Heb “them”; the referent (the Rephaites) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
23 tn Heb “them”; the referent (the Ammonites) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
24 tc The translation follows the LXX in reading the first person pronoun. The MT, followed by many English versions, has a second person masculine singular pronoun, “your.”
25 tn Heb “hardened his spirit” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV); NIV “made his spirit stubborn.”
26 tn Heb “made his heart obstinate” (so KJV, NASB); NRSV “made his heart defiant.”
27 tn Heb “into your hand.”
28 sn Aroer. Now known as àAraáir on the northern edge of the Arnon river, Aroer marked the southern limit of Moab and, later, of the allotment of the tribe of Reuben (Josh 13:9, 16).
29 tn Heb “the city in the wadi.” This enigmatic reference may refer to Ar or, more likely, to Aroer itself. Epexegetically the text might read, “From Aroer…, that is, the city in the wadi.” See D. L. Christensen, Deuteronomy 1–11 (WBC), 49.
30 sn Wadi Jabbok. Now known as the Zerqa River, this is a major tributary of the Jordan that normally served as a boundary between Ammon and Gad (Deut 3:16).
31 tn Heb “was left to him.” The final phrase “to him” is redundant in English and has been left untranslated.
32 tn Heb “your brothers, the sons of Israel.”
33 tn Heb “the
34 tn Heb “which you are crossing over there.”
35 tn Heb “the
36 tn Heb “much to you” (an idiom).
37 tn Heb “commanding.”
38 tn Heb “in the midst of” (so ASV).
39 tn Heb “to which you are crossing over to possess it.”
40 tn Heb “the
41 tn Heb “commanded.”
42 tn Heb “have grown old in the land,” i.e., been there for a long time.
43 tn Heb “a form of anything.” Cf. NAB, NASB, NRSV, TEV “an idol.”
44 tn The infinitive construct is understood here as indicating the result, not the intention, of their actions.
45 tn In the Hebrew text the form is a participle, which is subordinated to what precedes. For the sake of English style, the translation divides this lengthy verse into two sentences.
46 tn Heb “who hate” (so NAB, NIV, NLT). Just as “to love” (אָהַב, ’ahav) means in a covenant context “to choose, obey,” so “to hate” (שָׂנֵא, sane’) means “to reject, disobey” (cf. the note on the word “loved” in Deut 4:37; see also 5:10).
47 tn Heb “visiting the sin of fathers upon sons and upon a third (generation) and upon a fourth (generation) of those who hate me.” God sometimes punishes children for the sins of a father (cf. Num 16:27, 32; Josh 7:24-25; 2 Sam 21:1-9). On the principle of corporate solidarity and responsibility in OT thought see J. Kaminsky, Corporate Responsibility in the Hebrew Bible (JSOTSup). In the idiom of the text, the father is the first generation and the “sons” the second generation, making grandsons the third and great-grandsons the fourth. The reference to a third and fourth generation is a way of emphasizing that the sinner’s punishment would last throughout his lifetime. In this culture, where men married and fathered children at a relatively young age, it would not be unusual for one to see his great-grandsons. In an Aramaic tomb inscription from Nerab dating to the seventh century b.c., Agbar observes that he was surrounded by “children of the fourth generation” as he lay on his death bed (see ANET 661). The language of the text differs from Exod 34:7, the sons are the first generation, the grandsons (literally, “sons of the sons”) the second, great-grandsons the third, and great-great-grandsons the fourth. One could argue that formulation in Deut 5:9 (see also Exod 20:50) is elliptical/abbreviated or that it suffers from textual corruption (the repetition of the words “sons” would invite accidental omission).
48 tn Heb “the
49 tn Heb “commandment.” The word מִצְוָה (mitsvah) again is in the singular, serving as a comprehensive term for the whole stipulation section of the book. See note on the word “commandments” in 5:31.
50 tn Heb “where you are going over to possess it” (so NASB); NRSV “that you are about to cross into and occupy.”
51 tn Here the terms are not the usual חֻקִּים (khuqqim) and מִשְׁפָּטִים (mishpatim; as in v. 1) but חֻקֹּת (khuqqot, “statutes”) and מִצְוֹת (mitsot, “commandments”). It is clear that these terms are used interchangeably and that their technical precision ought not be overly stressed.
52 tn Heb “commanding.” For stylistic reasons, to avoid redundancy, “giving” has been used in the translation.
53 tn Heb “upright.”
54 tn Heb “the
55 tn Heb “the
56 sn Hittites. The center of Hittite power was in Anatolia (central modern Turkey). In the Late Bronze Age (1550-1200
57 sn Girgashites. These cannot be ethnically identified and are unknown outside the OT. They usually appear in such lists only when the intention is to have seven groups in all (see also the note on the word “seven” later in this verse).
58 sn Amorites. Originally from the upper Euphrates region (Amurru), the Amorites appear to have migrated into Canaan beginning in 2200
59 sn Canaanites. These were the indigenous peoples of the land, going back to the beginning of recorded history (ca. 3000
60 sn Perizzites. This is probably a subgroup of Canaanites (Gen 13:7; 34:30).
61 sn Hivites. These are usually thought to be the same as the Hurrians, a people well-known in ancient Near Eastern texts. They are likely identical to the Horites (see note on the term “Horites” in Deut 2:12).
62 sn Jebusites. These inhabited the hill country, particularly in and about Jerusalem (cf. Num 13:29; Josh 15:8; 2 Sam 5:6; 24:16).
63 sn Seven. This is an ideal number in the OT, one symbolizing fullness or completeness. Therefore, the intent of the text here is not to be precise and list all of Israel’s enemies but simply to state that Israel will have a full complement of foes to deal with. For other lists of Canaanites, some with fewer than seven peoples, see Exod 3:8; 13:5; 23:23, 28; 33:2; 34:11; Deut 20:17; Josh 3:10; 9:1; 24:11. Moreover, the “Table of Nations” (Gen 10:15-19) suggests that all of these (possibly excepting the Perizzites) were offspring of Canaan and therefore Canaanites.
64 tn That is, “set apart.”
65 tn Heb “the
66 tn Or “treasured” (so NIV, NRSV); NLT “his own special treasure.” The Hebrew term סְגֻלָּה (sÿgullah) describes Israel as God’s choice people, those whom he elected and who are most precious to him (cf. Exod 19:4-6; Deut 14:2; 26:18; 1 Chr 29:3; Ps 135:4; Eccl 2:8 Mal 3:17). See E. Carpenter, NIDOTTE 3:224.
67 tn Heb “the God.” The article here expresses uniqueness; cf. TEV “is the only God”; NLT “is indeed God.”
68 tn Heb “who keeps covenant and loyalty.” The syndetic construction of בְּרִית (bÿrit) and חֶסֶד (khesed) should be understood not as “covenant” plus “loyalty” but as an adverbial construction in which חֶסֶד (“loyalty”) modifies the verb שָׁמַר (shamar, “keeps”).
69 tn Heb “devour” (so NRSV); KJV, NAB, NASB “consume.” The verbal form (a perfect with vav consecutive) is understood here as having an imperatival or obligatory nuance (cf. the instructions and commands that follow). Another option is to take the statement as a continuation of the preceding conditional promises and translate “and you will destroy.”
70 tn Or “serve” (so KJV, NIV, NRSV).
71 tn Heb “testings” (so NAB), a reference to the plagues. See note at 4:34.
72 tn Heb “the strong hand and outstretched arm.” See 4:34.
73 tn Heb “the
74 tn The singular term (מִצְוָה, mitsvah) includes the whole corpus of covenant stipulations, certainly the book of Deuteronomy at least (cf. Deut 5:28; 6:1, 25; 7:11; 11:8, 22; 15:5; 17:20; 19:9; 27:1; 30:11; 31:5). The plural (מִצְוֹת, mitsot) refers to individual stipulations (as in vv. 2, 6).
75 tn Heb “commanding” (so NASB). For stylistic reasons, to avoid redundancy, “giving” has been used in the translation (likewise in v. 11).
76 tn Heb “multiply” (so KJV, NASB, NLT); NIV, NRSV “increase.”
77 tn Heb “fathers” (also in vv. 16, 18).
78 tn Heb “manna which you and your ancestors did not know.” By popular etymology the word “manna” comes from the Hebrew phrase מָן הוּא (man hu’), i.e., “What is it?” (Exod 16:15). The question remains unanswered to this very day. Elsewhere the material is said to be “white like coriander seed” with “a taste like honey cakes” (Exod 16:31; cf. Num 11:7). Modern attempts to associate it with various desert plants are unsuccessful for the text says it was a new thing and, furthermore, one that appeared and disappeared miraculously (Exod 16:21-27).
79 tn Heb “in order to make known to you.” In the Hebrew text this statement is subordinated to what precedes, resulting in a very long sentence in English. The translation makes this statement a separate sentence for stylistic reasons.
80 tn Heb “the man,” but in a generic sense, referring to the whole human race (“mankind” or “humankind”).
81 tn The Hebrew term may refer to “food” in a more general sense (cf. CEV).
82 sn Jesus quoted this text to the devil in the midst of his forty-day fast to make the point that spiritual nourishment is incomparably more important than mere physical bread (Matt 4:4; cf. Luke 4:4).
83 tn Heb “if forgetting, you forget.” The infinitive absolute is used for emphasis; the translation indicates this with the words “at all” (cf. KJV).
84 tn Heb “the
85 tn Heb “stiff-necked” (so KJV, NAB, NIV).
sn The Hebrew word translated stubborn means “stiff-necked.” The image is that of a draft animal that is unsubmissive to the rein or yoke and refuses to bend its neck to draw the load. This is an apt description of OT Israel (Exod 32:9; 33:3, 5; 34:9; Deut 9:13).
86 tn By juxtaposing the positive זְכֹר (zekhor, “remember”) with the negative אַל־תִּשְׁכַּח (’al-tishÿkakh, “do not forget”), Moses makes a most emphatic plea.
87 tn Heb “the
88 tn Heb “in the mountain.” The demonstrative pronoun has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons.
89 sn The very finger of God. This is a double figure of speech (1) in which God is ascribed human features (anthropomorphism) and (2) in which a part stands for the whole (synecdoche). That is, God, as Spirit, has no literal finger nor, if he had, would he write with his finger. Rather, the sense is that God himself – not Moses in any way – was responsible for the composition of the Ten Commandments (cf. Exod 31:18; 32:16; 34:1).
90 tn Heb “according to all the words.”
91 tn Heb “the
92 tn On the phrase “metal calf,” see note on the term “metal image” in v. 12.
93 tn Heb “the
94 tn Heb “the
95 tn Heb “the mouth of the Lord your God,” that is, against the commandment that he had spoken.
96 tn Heb “the
97 tn Heb “Lord
98 tn Heb “your inheritance”; NLT “your special (very own NRSV) possession.” Israel is compared to landed property that one would inherit from his ancestors and pass on to his descendants.
99 tn Heb “you have redeemed in your greatness.”
100 tn Heb “by your strong hand.”
101 tn Or “chest” (so NIV, CEV); NLT “sacred chest”; TEV “wooden box.” This chest was made of acacia wood; it is later known as the ark of the covenant.
102 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the
103 tn Heb “according to the former writing.” See note on the phrase “the same words” in v. 2.
104 tn Heb “ten words.” The “Ten Commandments” are known in Hebrew as the “Ten Words,” which in Greek became the “Decalogue.”
105 tn Heb “the
106 tn Heb “the
107 tn Heb “the
108 tn Heb “to walk in all his ways” (so KJV, NIV, NRSV); NAB “follow his ways exactly”; NLT “to live according to his will.”
109 tn Heb “the
110 tn Heb “heart and soul” or “heart and being”; NCV “with your whole being.” See note on the word “being” in Deut 6:5.
111 tn Heb “that not.” The words “I am speaking” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
112 tn Heb “who have not known and who have not seen the discipline of the Lord.” The collocation of the verbs “know” and “see” indicates that personal experience (knowing by seeing) is in view. The term translated “discipline” (KJV, ASV “chastisement”) may also be rendered “instruction,” but vv. 2b-6 indicate that the referent of the term is the various acts of divine judgment the Israelites had witnessed.
113 tn The words “which revealed” have been supplied in the translation to show the logical relationship between the terms that follow and the divine judgments. In the Hebrew text the former are in apposition to the latter.
114 tn Heb “his strong hand and his stretched-out arm.”
115 tn Heb “if hearing, you will hear.” The Hebrew text uses the infinitive absolute to emphasize the verbal idea. The translation renders this emphasis with the word “close.”
116 tn Again, the Hebrew term אָהַב (’ahav) draws attention to the reciprocation of divine love as a condition or sign of covenant loyalty (cf. Deut 6:5).
117 tn Heb “heart and soul” or “heart and being.” See note on the word “being” in Deut 6:5.
118 tn Heb “like the days of the heavens upon the earth,” that is, forever.
119 tn Heb “this commandment.” See note at Deut 5:30.
120 tn Heb “commanding you to do it.” For stylistic reasons, to avoid redundancy, “giving” has been used in the translation and “to do it” has been left untranslated.
121 tn Heb “walk in all his ways” (so KJV, NIV); TEV “do everything he commands.”
122 tn Heb “fathers.”
123 tn Heb “you must be careful to obey in the land the
124 tn Heb “within your gates” (so KJV, NASB); NAB “who belongs to your community.”
125 sn They have no allotment or inheritance with you. See note on the word “inheritance” in Deut 10:9.
126 tn Heb “for my soul desires to eat meat.”
127 tn Heb “according to all the desire of your soul you may eat meat.”
128 tc Heb “in the eyes of the
129 sn These other sacrifices would be so-called peace or fellowship offerings whose ritual required a different use of the blood from that of burnt (sin and trespass) offerings (cf. Lev 3; 7:11-14, 19-21).
130 tn Heb “on the altar of the
131 tn Heb “you must not do thus to/for the
132 tn See note on this term at Deut 7:25.
133 tn Heb “every abomination of the
134 tn Heb “or dreamer of dreams.” See note on this expression in v. 1.
135 tn Heb “the
136 tn Heb “all your heart and soul” (so NRSV, CEV, NLT); or “heart and being” (NCV “your whole being”). See note on the word “being” in Deut 6:5.
137 sn Execution by means of pelting the offender with stones afforded a mechanism whereby the whole community could share in it. In a very real sense it could be done not only in the name of the community and on its behalf but by its members (cf. Lev 24:14; Num 15:35; Deut 21:21; Josh 7:25).
138 tn Or “anything that has been put under the divine curse”; Heb “anything of the ban” (cf. NASB). See note on the phrase “divine judgment” in Deut 2:34.
139 tn Or “set apart.”
140 tn Heb “The
141 tn Or “treasured.” The Hebrew term סְגֻלָּה (sÿgullah) describes Israel as God’s choice people, those whom he elected and who are most precious to him (cf. Exod 19:4-6; Deut 14:2; 26:18; 1 Chr 29:3; Ps 135:4; Eccl 2:8 Mal 3:17). See E. Carpenter, NIDOTTE 3:224.
sn The Hebrew term translated “select” (and the whole verse) is reminiscent of the classic covenant text (Exod 19:4-6) which describes Israel’s entry into covenant relationship with the
142 tn Heb “one of your brothers” (so NASB); NAB “one of your kinsmen”; NRSV “a member of your community.” See the note at v. 2.
143 tn Heb “gates.”
144 tn Heb “withdraw your hand.” Cf. NIV “hardhearted or tightfisted” (NRSV and NLT similar).
145 tn Heb “from your needy brother.”
146 tn The Hebrew text uses the infinitive absolute for emphasis, which the translation indicates with “by all means.”
147 tc Heb “your heart must not be grieved in giving to him.” The LXX and Orig add, “you shall surely lend to him sufficient for his need,” a suggestion based on the same basic idea in v. 8. Such slavish adherence to stock phrases is without warrant in most cases, and certainly here.
148 tn The Hebrew term מִשְׁנֶה (mishneh, “twice”) could mean “equivalent to” (cf. NRSV) or, more likely, “double” (cf. NAB, NIV, NLT). The idea is that a hired worker would put in only so many hours per day whereas a bondslave was available around the clock.
149 tn Heb “sanctify” (תַּקְדִּישׁ, taqdish), that is, put to use on behalf of the
150 tn The words “on that day” are not in the Hebrew text; they are supplied in the translation for clarification (cf. TEV, NLT).
151 tn The Hebrew phrase חַג שָׁבֻעוֹת (khag shavu’ot) is otherwise known in the OT (Exod 23:16) as קָצִיר (qatsir, “harvest”) and in the NT as πεντηχοστή (penthcosth, “Pentecost”).
152 tn Heb “the sufficiency of the offering of your hand.”
153 tn Heb “the
154 tn Heb “the
155 tn Heb “the
156 tn Heb “in all the work of your hands” (so NASB, NIV); NAB, NRSV “in all your undertakings.”
157 tn The Hebrew term וְשֹׁטְרִים (vÿshoterim), usually translated “officers” (KJV, NCV) or “officials” (NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT), derives from the verb שֹׁטֵר (shoter, “to write”). The noun became generic for all types of public officials. Here, however, it may be appositionally epexegetical to “judges,” thus resulting in the phrase, “judges, that is, civil officers,” etc. Whoever the שֹׁטְרִים are, their task here consists of rendering judgments and administering justice.
158 tn Heb “gates.”
159 tn Heb “with judgment of righteousness”; ASV, NASB “with righteous judgment.”
160 tn Heb “between blood and blood.”
161 tn Heb “between claim and claim.”
162 tn Heb “between blow and blow.”
163 tn Heb “gates.”
164 tc Several Greek recensions add “to place his name there,” thus completing the usual formula to describe the central sanctuary (cf. Deut 12:5, 11, 14, 18; 16:6). However, the context suggests that the local Levitical towns, and not the central sanctuary, are in mind.
165 tn Heb “who acts presumptuously not to listen” (cf. NASB).
166 tn The Hebrew text uses the infinitive absolute for emphasis, indicated in the translation by the words “without fail.”
167 tn Heb “your brothers,” but not referring to siblings (cf. NIV “your brother Israelites”; NLT “a fellow Israelite”). The same phrase also occurs in v. 20.
168 tn Heb “your brothers.” See the preceding note on “fellow citizens.”
169 tn Heb “in order to multiply horses.” The translation uses “do so” in place of “multiply horses” to avoid redundancy (cf. NAB, NIV).
170 tn The MT places the terms “priests” and “Levites” in apposition, thus creating an epexegetical construction in which the second term qualifies the first, i.e., “Levitical priests.” This is a way of asserting their legitimacy as true priests. The Syriac renders “to the priest and to the Levite,” making a distinction between the two, but one that is out of place here.
171 sn Of his inheritance. This is a figurative way of speaking of the produce of the land the
172 tn Heb “according to all the desire of his soul.”
173 tn Or “sojourning.” The verb used here refers to living temporarily in a place, not settling down.
174 tn Heb “border.”
175 tn Heb “all this commandment.” This refers here to the entire covenant agreement of the Book of Deuteronomy as encapsulated in the Shema (Deut 6:4-5).
176 tn Heb “commanding”; NAB “which I enjoin on you today.”
177 sn You will add three more cities. Since these are alluded to nowhere else and thus were probably never added, this must be a provision for other cities of refuge should they be needed (cf. v. 8). See P. C. Craigie, Deuteronomy (NICOT), 267.
178 tn Heb “border.” Cf. NRSV “You must not move your neighbor’s boundary marker.”
179 tn Heb “which they set off from the beginning.”
180 tn The Hebrew text includes “to possess it.” This phrase has been left untranslated to avoid redundancy.
181 tn Heb “horse and chariot.”
182 tn Heb “people.”
183 tn The antecedent of the relative pronoun is “cities.”
184 tn Heb “any breath.”
185 tn Heb “the priests, the sons of Levi.”
186 tn Heb “in the name of the
187 tn Heb “by their mouth.”
188 tn Heb “every controversy and every blow.”
189 tn Heb “Atone for.”
190 tn Heb “and do not place innocent blood in the midst of your people Israel.”
191 tn Heb “a man’s clothing.”
192 tn The Hebrew term תּוֹעֵבָה (to’evah, “offense”) speaks of anything that runs counter to ritual or moral order, especially (in the OT) to divine standards. Cross-dressing in this covenant context may suggest homosexuality, fertility cult ritual, or some other forbidden practice.
193 tn Or “just”; Heb “righteous.”
194 tn Heb “so that.” Verses 18-19 are one sentence in the Hebrew text, but the translation divides it into three sentences for stylistic reasons. The first clause in verse 19 gives a result of the preceding clause. When Israel keeps God’s law, God will bless them with fame and honor (cf. NAB “he will then raise you high in praise and renown and glory”; NLT “And if you do, he will make you greater than any other nation”).
195 tn Heb “for praise and for a name and for glory.”
196 tn Heb “and to be.” A new sentence was started here for stylistic reasons.
197 tn Heb “man,” but in a generic sense here.
198 tn The Hebrew term translated here “abhorrent” (תּוֹעֵבָה, to’evah) speaks of attitudes and/or behaviors so vile as to be reprehensible to a holy God. See note on the word “abhorrent” in Deut 7:25.
199 tn Heb “craftsman’s hands.”
200 tn Or “So be it!” The term is an affirmation expressing agreement with the words of the Levites.
201 tn Heb “who rise up against” (so NIV).
202 tn Heb “way” (also later in this verse and in v. 25).
203 tn Heb “the
204 tn Heb “the fruit of your womb” (so NAB, NIV, NRSV); CEV “will give you a lot of children.”
205 tn Heb “the
206 tn Heb “fathers” (also in vv. 36, 64).
207 tn Heb “do not hear the voice of.”
208 tn Heb “and overtake you” (so NIV, NRSV); NAB, NLT “and overwhelm you.”
209 tn Heb “the curse, the confusion, and the rebuke” (NASB and NIV similar); NRSV “disaster, panic, and frustration.”
210 tn Heb “in all the stretching out of your hand.”
211 tc For the MT first person common singular suffix (“me”), the LXX reads either “Lord” (Lucian) or third person masculine singular suffix (“him”; various codices). The MT’s more difficult reading probably represents the original text.
tn Heb “the evil of your doings wherein you have forsaken me”; CEV “all because you rejected the Lord.”
212 tc The meaningless MT reading זַעֲוָה (za’avah) is clearly a transposition of the more commonly attested Hebrew noun זְוָעָה (zÿva’ah, “terror”).
213 tc The LXX reads the plural “kings.”
214 tn Heb “commanded”; NAB, NIV, TEV “he gave you.”
215 tn Heb “lack of everything.”
216 tn Heb “he” (also later in this verse). The pronoun is a collective singular referring to the enemies (cf. CEV, NLT). Many translations understand the singular pronoun to refer to the
217 tn Heb “from the end of the earth.”
218 tn Some translations understand this to mean “like an eagle swoops down” (e.g., NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT), comparing the swift attack of an eagle to the attack of the Israelites’ enemies.
219 tn Heb “the fruit of your womb” (so NAB, NRSV); NASB “the offspring of your own body.”
220 tn Heb “siege and stress.”
221 tn Heb “If you are not careful to do.”
222 tn Or “heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heaven(s)” or “sky” depending on the context.
223 tn Heb “have not listened to the voice of.”
224 tn Heb “the
225 sn Beginning with 29:1, the verse numbers through 29:29 in the English Bible differ from the verse numbers in the Hebrew text (BHS), with 29:1 ET = 28:69 HT, 29:2 ET = 29:1 HT, 29:3 ET = 29:2 HT, etc., through 29:29 ET = 29:28 HT. With 30:1 the verse numbers in the ET and HT are again the same.
226 sn Horeb is another name for Mount Sinai (which some English versions substitute here for clarity, cf. NCV, TEV, CEV, NLT).
227 tn Heb “set him apart.”
228 tn Heb “for evil”; NAB “for doom”; NASB “for adversity”; NIV “for disaster”; NRSV “for calamity.”
229 tn Heb “will say and see.” One expects a quotation to appear, but it seems to be omitted. To avoid confusion in the translation, the verb “will say” is omitted.
230 tn Heb “sons” (so NASB); KJV, ASV, NIV, NRSV “children.”
231 tn Heb “the blessing and the curse.”
232 tn Heb “and you bring (them) back to your heart.”
233 tn Heb “the
234 tn Heb “circumcise” (so KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV); TEV “will give you and your descendents obedient hearts.” See note on the word “cleanse” in Deut 10:16.
235 tn Heb “seed” (so KJV, ASV).
236 tn Heb “the
237 tn Heb “to the
238 tn Or “am no longer able to lead you” (NIV, NLT); Heb “am no longer able to go out and come in.”
239 tn The phrase “this law” is not in the Hebrew text, but English style requires an object for the verb here. Other translations also supply the object which is otherwise implicit (cf. NIV “who do not know this law”; TEV “who have never heard the Law of the Lord your God”).
240 tc The LXX reads “by the door of the tent” in line with v. 10 but also, perhaps, as a reflection of its tendency to avoid over-familiarity with Yahweh and his transcendence.
241 tn Heb “tent of assembly” (מוֹעֵד אֹהֶל, ’ohel mo’ed); this is not always the same as the tabernacle, which is usually called מִשְׁכָּן (mishkan, “dwelling-place”), a reference to its being invested with God’s presence. The “tent of meeting” was erected earlier than the tabernacle and was the place where Yahweh occasionally appeared, especially to Moses (cf. Exod 18:7-16; 33:7-11; Num 11:16, 24, 26; 12:4).
242 tn Heb “I will command him.”
243 tn Heb “he.” Since the pronoun could be taken to refer to Moses, the referent has been specified as “the
244 tc The LXX reads, “as the
245 tn Heb “stiffness of neck” (cf. KJV, NAB, NIV). See note on the word “stubborn” in Deut 9:6.
246 tn Heb “How much more after my death?” The Hebrew text has a sarcastic rhetorical question here; the translation seeks to bring out the force of the question.
247 tn Heb “he.” The referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
248 tn The reference is to “his people/Jacob” (cf. v. 9), that is, Israel (using a collective singular). The singular pronouns are replaced by plural ones throughout vv. 10-14 by some English versions as an aid to the modern reader (cf. NAB, NCV, TEV, NLT).
249 tn Heb “in an empty, howling wasteland.” The word “howling” is derived from a verbal root that typically refers to the wailing of mourners. Here it likely refers to the howling of desert animals, or perhaps to the howling wind, in which case one may translate, “in an empty, windy wasteland.”
250 tn Heb “was surrounding him.” The distinctive form of the suffix on this verb form indicates that the verb is an imperfect, not a preterite. As such it draws attention to God’s continuing care during the period in view. See A. F. Rainey, “The Ancient Hebrew Prefix Conjugation in the Light of Amarnah Canaanite,” Hebrew Studies 27 (1986): 15-16.
251 tn Heb “he gave him understanding.” The form of the suffix on this verb form indicates that the verb is a preterite, not an imperfect. As such it simply states the action factually. See A. F. Rainey, “The Ancient Hebrew Prefix Conjugation in the Light of Amarnah Canaanite,” Hebrew Studies 27 (1986): 15-16.
252 tn The distinctive form of the suffix on this verb form indicates that the verb is an imperfect, not a preterite. As such it draws attention to God’s continuing protection during the period in view. See A. F. Rainey, “The Ancient Hebrew Prefix Conjugation in the Light of Amarnah Canaanite,” Hebrew Studies 27 (1986): 15-16.
253 tn Heb “the little man.” The term אִישׁוֹן (’ishon) means literally “little man,” perhaps because when one looks into another’s eyes he sees himself reflected there in miniature. See A. Harman, NIDOTTE 1:391.
254 tn The prefixed verbal form is an imperfect, indicating habitual or typical behavior. The parallel verb (cf. “hovers” in the next line) is used in the same manner.
255 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the
256 tn The form of the suffix on this and the following verb forms (cf. “lifted him up”) indicates that the verbs are preterites, not imperfects. As such they simply state the action factually. The use of the preterite here suggests that the preceding verb (cf. “spread out”) is preterite as well.
257 tn The translation understands the verb in the sense of “be grieved, relent” (cf. HALOT 689 s.v. נחם hitp 2); cf. KJV, ASV “repent himself”; NLT “will change his mind.” Another option is to translate “will show compassion to” (see BDB 637 s.v. נחם); cf. NASB, NIV, NRSV.
258 tn Verses 39-42 appear to be a quotation of the
259 tn Heb “deliver from” (so NRSV, NLT).
260 tn The words “the blessing” are supplied in the translation for clarity and stylistic reasons.
261 tn Heb “smash the sinews [or “loins,” so many English versions].” This part of the body was considered to be center of one’s strength (cf. Job 40:16; Ps 69:24; Prov 31:17; Nah 2:2, 11). See J. H. Tigay, Deuteronomy (JPSTC), 325.
262 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.
263 tn Heb “covered in” (if from the root סָפַן, safan; cf. HALOT 764-65 s.v. ספן qal).
264 tn Heb “heads” (in the sense of chieftains).
265 sn For the geography involved, see note on the term “Pisgah” in Deut 3:17.
map For the location of Jericho see Map5-B2; Map6-E1; Map7-E1; Map8-E3; Map10-A2; Map11-A1.
266 tn Heb “seed” (so KJV, ASV).
267 tn The Hebrew text includes “with your eyes,” but this is redundant in English and is left untranslated.
268 sn See Num 27:18.