1 tn Or “Only be.”
2 tn Heb “so you can be careful to do.” The use of the infinitive לִשְׁמֹר (lishmor, “to keep”) after the imperatives suggests that strength and bravery will be necessary for obedience. Another option is to take the form לִשְׁמֹר as a vocative lamed (ל) with imperative (see Isa 38:20 for an example of this construction), which could be translated, “Indeed, be careful!”
3 tn Heb “commanded you.”
4 tn Heb “be wise,” but the word can mean “be successful” by metonymy.
5 tn Heb “in all which you go.”
6 tn Heb “Shinar,” a reference to Babylon (cf. Gen 10:10; 11:2; 14:1). Many modern translations retain the Hebrew name “Shinar” (cf. NEB, NRSV) but some use the more familiar “Babylon” (cf. NIV, NLT).
7 tn Heb “shekels.”
8 tn Heb “if it is bad in your eyes.”
9 tn Or “to serve.”
10 tn Or “will serve.”
11 tn Heb “your fathers.”
12 tn Or “served.”
13 tn Heb “the river,” referring to the Euphrates. This has been specified in the translation for clarity; see v. 3.
14 tn Heb “house.”
15 tn Or “will serve.”