Discovery BoxDeuteronomy 2:7 
Context2:7 All along the way I, the Lord your God, 1 have blessed your every effort. 2 I have 3 been attentive to 4 your travels through this great wasteland. These forty years I have 5 been with you; you have lacked for nothing.’”
Deuteronomy 4:6
Context4:6 So be sure to do them, because this will testify of your wise understanding 6 to the people who will learn of all these statutes and say, “Indeed, this great nation is a very wise 7 people.”
Deuteronomy 5:9
Context5:9 You must not worship or serve them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God. I punish 8 the sons, grandsons, and great-grandsons for the sin of the fathers who reject 9 me, 10
Deuteronomy 7:19
Context7:19 the great judgments 11 you saw, the signs and wonders, the strength and power 12 by which he 13 brought you out – thus the Lord your God will do to all the people you fear.
Deuteronomy 8:15
Context8:15 and who brought you through the great, fearful desert of venomous serpents 14 and scorpions, an arid place with no water. He made water flow 15 from a flint rock and
Deuteronomy 33:7
Context33:7 And this is the blessing 16 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.
1 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).
2 tn Heb “all the work of your hands.”
3 tn Heb “he has.” This has been converted to first person in the translation in keeping with English style.
4 tn Heb “known” (so ASV, NASB); NAB “been concerned about.”
5 tn Heb “the
6 tn Heb “it is wisdom and understanding.”
7 tn Heb “wise and understanding.”
8 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.
9 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).
10 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).
11 tn Heb “testings” (so NAB), a reference to the plagues. See note at 4:34.
12 tn Heb “the strong hand and outstretched arm.” See 4:34.
13 tn Heb “the
14 tn Heb “flaming serpents”; KJV, NASB “fiery serpents”; NAB “saraph serpents.” This figure of speech (metonymy) probably describes the venomous and painful results of snakebite. The feeling from such an experience would be like a burning fire (שָׂרָף, saraf).
15 tn Heb “the one who brought out for you water.” In the Hebrew text this continues the preceding sentence, but the translation begins a new sentence here for stylistic reasons.
16 tn The words “the blessing” are supplied in the translation for clarity and stylistic reasons.
