Deuteronomy 3:20
3:20 You must fight 1 until the Lord gives your countrymen victory 2 as he did you and they take possession of the land that the Lord your God is giving them on the other side of the Jordan River. Then each of you may return to his own territory that I have given you.”
Deuteronomy 4:26
4:26 I invoke heaven and earth as witnesses against you 3 today that you will surely and swiftly be removed 4 from the very land you are about to cross the Jordan to possess. You will not last long there because you will surely be 5 annihilated.
1 tn The words “you must fight” are not present in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.
2 tn Heb “gives your brothers rest.”
3 sn I invoke heaven and earth as witnesses against you. This stock formula introduces what is known form-critically as a רִיב (riv) or controversy pattern. It is commonly used in the ancient Near Eastern world in legal contexts and in the OT as a forensic or judicial device to draw attention to Israel’s violation of the Lord’s covenant with them (see Deut 30:19; Isa 1:2; 3:13; Jer 2:9). Since court proceedings required the testimony of witnesses, the Lord here summons heaven and earth (that is, all creation) to testify to his faithfulness, Israel’s disobedience, and the threat of judgment.
4 tn Or “be destroyed”; KJV “utterly perish”; NLT “will quickly disappear”; CEV “you won’t have long to live.”
5 tn Or “be completely” (so NCV, TEV). It is not certain here if the infinitive absolute indicates the certainty of the following action (cf. NIV) or its degree.