translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: DEU

label: NET translator note

text: 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 ).


text: Heb “commanding” (so NASB). For stylistic reasons, to avoid redundancy, “giving” has been used in the translation (likewise in v. 11 ).


text: Heb “multiply” (so KJV, NASB, NLT); NIV, NRSV “increase.”


text: Heb “fathers” (also in vv. 16, 18 ).


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


text: 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 ).


text: 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.


text: Heb “the man,” but in a generic sense, referring to the whole human race (“mankind” or “humankind”).


text: The Hebrew term may refer to “food” in a more general sense (cf. CEV).


text: Heb “just as a man disciplines his son.” The Hebrew text reflects the patriarchal idiom of the culture.


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


text: Heb “by walking in his ways.” The “ways” of the Lord refer here to his moral standards as reflected in his commandments. The verb “walk” is used frequently in the Bible (both OT and NT) for one’s moral and ethical behavior.


text: Or “wadis.”


text: The Hebrew term may refer to “food” in a more general sense (cf. NASB, NCV, NLT) or “bread” in particular (cf. NAB, NIV, NRSV).


text: The words “be sure” are not in the Hebrew text; vv. 12-14 are part of the previous sentence. For stylistic reasons a new sentence was started at the beginning of v. 12 in the translation and the words “be sure” repeated from v. 11 to indicate the connection.


text: 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 ).


text: 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.


text: Heb “in order to humble you and in order to test you.” See 8:2 .


text: For stylistic reasons a new sentence was started at the beginning of v. 17 in the translation and the words “be careful” supplied to indicate the connection.


text: Heb “my strength and the might of my hand.”


label: NET textual note

text: Smr and Lucian add “Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,” the standard way of rendering this almost stereotypical formula (cf. Deut 1:8; 6:10; 9:5, 27; 29:13; 30:20; 34:4 ). The MT’s harder reading presumptively argues for its originality, however.


text: Heb “if forgetting, you forget.” The infinitive absolute is used for emphasis; the translation indicates this with the words “at all” (cf. KJV).


text: Heb “so you will perish.”


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