translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: DEU

label: NET translator note

text: Heb “the Lord your God.” The pronoun has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons to avoid redundancy.


text: In the Hebrew text the infinitive absolute before the finite verb emphasizes the statement. The imperfect has an obligatory nuance here. Cf. ASV “shalt (must NRSV) utterly destroy them”; CEV “must destroy them without mercy.”


text: Heb “covenant” (so NASB, NRSV); TEV “alliance.”


text: That is, “set apart.”


text: 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.


text: Heb “the Lord ’s.” See note on “He” in 7:6 .


text: For the verb אָהַב (’ ahav , “to love”) as a term of choice or election, see note on the word “loved” in Deut 4:37 .


text: Heb “oath.” This is a reference to the promises of the so-called “Abrahamic Covenant” (cf. Gen 15:13-16 ).


text: Heb “swore on oath.”


text: Heb “fathers” (also in vv. 12, 13 ).


text: Heb “by a strong hand” (NAB similar); NLT “with such amazing power.”


text: Heb “hand” (so KJV, NRSV), a metaphor for power or domination.


text: Heb “the God.” The article here expresses uniqueness; cf. TEV “is the only God”; NLT “is indeed God.”


text: 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”).


text: For the term “hate” as synonymous with rejection or disobedience see note on the word “reject” in Deut 5:9 (cf. NRSV “reject”).


text: Heb “he will not hesitate concerning.”


text: Heb “will keep with you the covenant and loyalty.” On the construction used here, see v. 9 .


text: Heb “which he swore on oath.” The relative pronoun modifies “covenant,” so one could translate “will keep faithfully the covenant (or promise) he made on oath to your ancestors.”


text: Heb “will bless the fruit of your womb” (so NAB, NIV, NRSV).


text: 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.”


text: Or “serve” (so KJV, NIV, NRSV).


text: Heb “recalling, you must recall.” The Hebrew text uses the infinitive absolute before the finite verb for emphasis. Cf. KJV, ASV “shalt well remember.”


text: Heb “testings” (so NAB), a reference to the plagues. See note at 4:34 .


text: Heb “the strong hand and outstretched arm.” See 4:34 .


text: Heb “the Lord your God.” The pronoun has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons to avoid redundancy.


text: The meaning of the term translated “hornets” ( צִרְעָה , tsir ’ ah ) is debated. Various suggestions are “discouragement” ( HALOT 1056-57 s.v.; cf. NEB, TEV, CEV “panic”; NCV “terror”) and “leprosy” (J. H. Tigay, Deuteronomy [JPSTC], 360, n. 33; cf. NRSV “the pestilence”), as well as “hornet” (BDB 864 s.v.; cf. NAB, NASB, NIV, NLT). The latter seems most suitable to the verb שָׁלַח ( shalakh , “send”; cf. Exod 23:28 ; Josh 24:12 ).


text: Heb “the remnant and those who hide themselves.”


text: Heb “the Lord your God.” See note on “he” in 7:19 .


text: Heb “he will confuse them (with) great confusion.” The verb used here means “shake, stir up” (see Ruth 1:19 ; 1 Sam 4:5 ; 1 Kgs 1:45 ; Ps 55:2 ); the accompanying cognate noun refers to confusion, unrest, havoc, or panic ( 1 Sam 5:9, 11; 14:20 ; 2 Chr 15:5 ; Prov 15:16 ; Isa 22:5 ; Ezek 7:7; 22:5 ; Amos 3:9 ; Zech 14:13 ).


text: Heb “you will destroy their name from under heaven” (cf. KJV); NRSV “blot out their name from under heaven.”


text: The Hebrew word תּוֹעֵבָה ( to ’ evah , “abhorrent; detestable”) describes anything detestable to the Lord because of its innate evil or inconsistency with his own nature and character. Frequently such things (or even persons) must be condemned to annihilation ( חֵרֶם , kherem ) lest they become a means of polluting or contaminating others (cf. Deut 13:17; 20:17-18 ). See M. Grisanti, NIDOTTE 4:315.


text: Heb “come under the ban” (so NASB); NRSV “be set apart for destruction.” The same phrase occurs again at the end of this verse. sn The Hebrew word translated an object of divine wrath ( חֵרֶם , kherem ) refers to persons or things placed under God’s judgment, usually to the extent of their complete destruction. See note on the phrase “divine judgment” in Deut 2:34 .


text: Or “like it is.”


text: This Hebrew verb ( שָׁקַץ , shaqats ) is essentially synonymous with the next verb ( תָעַב , ta ’ av ; cf. תּוֹעֵבָה , to ’ evah ; see note on the word “abhorrent” in v. 25 ), though its field of meaning is more limited to cultic abomination (cf. Lev 11:11, 13 ; Ps 22:25 ).


text: Heb “detesting you must detest and abhorring you must abhor.” Both verbs are preceded by a cognate infinitive absolute indicating emphasis.