translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: DEU

label: NET translator note

text: Or “rose like the sun” (NCV, TEV).


label: NET textual note

text: Heb “to him.” The LXX reads “to us” ( לָנוּ [ lanu ] for לָמוֹ [ lamo ]), the reading of the MT is acceptable since it no doubt has in mind Israel as a collective singular. tn Heb “him”; the referent (Israel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


text: Or “he shone forth” (NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).


text: With slight alteration ( מִמְרִבַת קָדֵשׁ [ mimrivat qadesh ] for the MT’s מֵרִבְבֹת קֹדֶשׁ [ merivvot qodesh ]) the translation would be “from Meribah Kadesh” (cf. NAB, NLT; see Deut 32:51 ). However, the language of holy war in the immediate context favors the reading of the MT, which views the Lord as accompanied by angelic hosts.


text: The mispointed Hebrew term אֵשְׁדָּת (’ eshdat ) should perhaps be construed as אֵשְׁהַת (’ eshhat ) with Smr.


text: Heb “peoples.” The apparent plural form is probably a misunderstood singular (perhaps with a pronominal suffix) with enclitic mem ( ם ). See HALOT 838 s.v. עַם B.2.


text: Heb “his holy ones.” The third person masculine singular suffix of the Hebrew MT is problematic in light of the second person masculine singular suffix on בְּיָדֶךָ ( bÿyadekha , “your hands”). The LXX versions by Lucian and Origen read, therefore, “the holy ones.” The LXX version by Theodotion and the Vulgate, however, presuppose third masculine singular suffix on בְּיָדָיו ( bÿyadayv , “his hands”), and thus retain “his holy ones.” The efforts to bring pronominal harmony into the line is commendable but unnecessary given the Hebrew tendency to be untroubled by such grammatical inconsistencies. However, the translation harmonizes the first pronoun with the second so that the referent (the Lord) is clear.


text: Heb “hands.” For the problem of the pronoun see note on the term “holy ones” earlier in this verse.


text: The Hebrew term תֻּכּוּ ( tuku , probably Pual perfect of תָּכָה , takhah ) is otherwise unknown. The present translation is based on the reference to feet and, apparently, receiving instruction in God’s words (cf. KJV, ASV). Other options are as follows: NIV “At your feet they all bow down” (cf. NCV, CEV); NLT “They follow in your steps” (cf. NAB, NASB); NRSV “they marched at your heels.”


text: The singular verbal form in the Hebrew text (lit. “he lifts up”) is understood in a distributive manner, focusing on the action of each individual within the group.


text: The Hebrew term תּוֹרָה ( torah ) here should be understood more broadly as instruction.


text: Heb “he was king.” The present translation avoids the sudden shift in person and the mistaken impression that Moses is the referent by specifying the referent as “the Lord .”


text: Heb “and [not] may his men be few” (cf. KJV, NASB, NIV).


text: The words “the blessing” are supplied in the translation for clarity and stylistic reasons.


text: Heb “godly man.” The reference is probably to Moses as representative of the whole tribe of Levi.


text: Heb “smash the sinews [or “loins,” so many English versions].” This part of the body was considered to be center of one’s strength (cf. Job 40:16 ; Ps 69:24 ; Prov 31:17 ; Nah 2:2, 11 ). See J. H. Tigay, Deuteronomy (JPSTC), 325.


text: Heb “he”; the referent (the Lord ) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


text: Heb “between his shoulders.” This suggests the scene in John 13:23 with Jesus and the Beloved Disciple.


text: Heb “from the harvest of the heavens.” The referent appears to be good crops produced by the rain that falls from the sky.


text: Heb “goings forth of the sun.”


text: Heb “and from the harvest of the yield of.” This has been simplified in the translation to avoid redundancy.


text: Heb “the moon.” Many English versions regard this as a reference to “months” (“moons”) rather than the moon itself (cf. NAB, NASB, NRSV, NLT).


text: Heb “head” or “top.”


text: The expression “him who resided in the bush” is frequently understood as a reference to the appearance of the Lord to Moses at Sinai from a burning bush (so NIV, NCV, TEV, CEV, NLT; cf. Exod 2:2-6; 3:2, 4 ). To make this reference clear the word “burning” is supplied in the translation.


text: Or “acceptable”; Heb “righteous” (so NASB).


text: Heb “suck.”


text: Heb “of the sand” (so NRSV, NLT); CEV “the sandy beach.”


text: Heb “forehead,” picturing Gad attacking prey.


text: The Hebrew term מְחֹקֵק ( mÿkhoqeq ; Poel participle of חָקַק , khaqaq , “to inscribe”) reflects the idea that the recorder of allotments (the “ruler”) is able to set aside for himself the largest and best. See E. H. Merrill, Deuteronomy (NAC), 444-45.


text: Heb “covered in” (if from the root סָפַן , safan ; cf. HALOT 764-65 s.v. ספן qal).


text: Heb “heads” (in the sense of chieftains).


text: The words “of your gates” have been supplied in the translation to clarify the referent of “bars.”


text: Or “(who) rides (on) the heavens” (cf. NIV, NRSV, NLT). This title depicts Israel’s God as sovereign over the elements of the storm (cf. Ps 68:33 ). The use of the phrase here may be polemical; Moses may be asserting that Israel’s God, not Baal (called the “rider of the clouds” in the Ugaritic myths), is the true divine king (cf. v. 5 ) who controls the elements of the storm, grants agricultural prosperity, and delivers his people from their enemies. See R. B. Chisholm, Jr., “The Polemic against Baalism in Israel’s Early History and Literature,” BSac 151 (1994): 275.


text: Heb “and from under, arms of perpetuity.” The words “you” and “his” are supplied in the translation for clarification. Some have perceived this line to be problematic and have offered alternative translations that differ significantly from the present translation: “He spread out the primeval tent; he extended the ancient canopy” (NAB); “He subdues the ancient gods, shatters the forces of old” (NRSV). These are based on alternate meanings or conjectural emendations rather than textual variants in the mss and versions.


text: Heb “all alone.” The idea is that such vital resources as water will some day no longer need protection because God will provide security.


text: Or “skies.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם ( shamayim ) may be translated “heaven(s)” or “sky” depending on the context.


text: Or perhaps “drizzle, showers.” See note at Deut 32:2 .