translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: DEU

label: NET translator note

text: Heb “These are the words.”


text: Heb “to all Israel.”


text: Heb “on the other side of the Jordan.” This would appear to favor authorship by someone living on the west side of the Jordan, that is, in Canaan, whereas the biblical tradition locates Moses on the east side (cf. v. 5 ). However the Hebrew phrase בְּעֵבֶר הַיּרְדֵּן ( bÿ ’ ever hayyrÿden ) is a frozen form meaning “Transjordan,” a name appropriate from any geographical vantage point. To this day, one standing east of the Jordan can describe himself as being in Transjordan.


text: The Hebrew term מוֹל ( mol ) may also mean “in front of” or “near” (cf. NCV, TEV, CEV, NLT).


text: The Hebrew term בֵּין ( ben ) may suggest “in the area of.”


text: Heb “in” or “on.” Here there is a contrast between the ordinary time of eleven days (v. 2 ) and the actual time of forty years, so “not until” brings out that vast disparity.


text: Heb “according to all which.”


text: Heb “when he struck [or “smote”].”


text: Heb “who lived.”


text: Heb “this instruction”; KJV, NIV, NRSV “this law”; TEV “God’s laws and teachings.” The Hebrew noun תוֹרָה ( torah ) is derived from the verb יָרָה ( yarah , “to teach”) and here it refers to the Book of Deuteronomy, not the Pentateuch as a whole.


text: Heb “lived”; “dwelled.”


text: Heb “turn”; NAB “Leave here”; NIV, TEV “Break camp.”


text: Heb “go (to).”


text: Heb “its dwelling places.”


text: Heb “the Arabah” (so ASV, NAB, NIV, NRSV).


text: Heb “I have placed before you the land.”


text: Heb “the Lord .” Since the Lord is speaking, it is preferable for clarity to supply the first person pronoun in the translation.


text: Heb “swore” (so NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT). This refers to God’s promise, made by solemn oath, to give the patriarchs the land.


text: Heb “fathers” (also in vv. 11, 21, 35 ).


text: Heb “their seed after them.”


text: Heb “multiplied you.”


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


text: Heb “may he bless you.”


text: The Hebrew verb נְבֹנִים ( nÿvonim , from בִּין [ bin ]) is a Niphal referring to skill or intelligence (see T. Fretheim, NIDOTTE 1:652-53).


text: Or “selected”; Heb “took.”


text: Or “you.” A number of English versions treat the remainder of this verse and v. 17 as direct discourse rather than indirect discourse (cf. KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).


text: Heb “brothers.” The term “brothers” could, in English, be understood to refer to siblings, so “fellow citizens” has been used in the translation.


text: The Hebrew word צֶדֶק ( tsedeq , “fairly”) carries the basic idea of conformity to a norm of expected behavior or character, one established by God himself. Fair judgment adheres strictly to that norm or standard (see D. Reimer, NIDOTTE 3:750).


text: Heb “between a man and his brother.”


text: Heb “his stranger” or “his sojourner”; NAB, NIV “an alien”; NRSV “resident alien.” The Hebrew word גֵּר ( ger ) commonly means “foreigner.”


text: Heb “you,” and throughout the verse (cf. NASB, NRSV).


text: Heb “the small,” but referring to social status, not physical stature.


text: The Hebrew participle has an imminent future sense here, although many English versions treat it as a present tense (“is giving us,” NAB, NIV, NRSV) or a predictive future (“will give us,” NCV).


text: Heb “the Lord your God.” The pronoun (“he”) has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons, to avoid repetition.


text: Or “has given you the land” (cf. NAB, NIV, NRSV).


text: Heb “the thing was good in my eyes.”


text: Or “selected” (so NIV, NRSV, TEV); Heb “took.”


text: Or “the Wadi Eshcol” (so NAB). sn The Eshcol Valley is a verdant valley near Hebron, still famous for its viticulture (cf. Num 13:22-23 ). The Hebrew name “Eshcol” means “trestle,” that is, the frame on which grape vines grow.


text: The Hebrew text includes “in their hand,” which is unnecessary and somewhat redundant in English style.


text: Heb “the mouth of the Lord your God.” To include “the mouth” would make for odd English style. The mouth stands by metonymy for the Lord’s command, which in turn represents the Lord himself.


text: Heb “in your tents,” that is, privately.


text: Heb “have caused our hearts to melt.”


text: Heb “greater.” Many English versions understand this to refer to physical size or strength rather than numbers (cf. “stronger,” NAB, NIV, NRSV; “bigger,” NASB).


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


text: Heb “we have seen.”


text: Heb “the sons of the Anakim.” sn Anakites were giant people ( Num 13:33 ; Deut 2:10, 21; 9:2 ) descended from a certain Anak whose own forefather Arba founded the city of Kiriath Arba, i.e., Hebron ( Josh 21:11 ).


text: Heb “do not tremble and do not be afraid.” Two synonymous commands are combined for emphasis.


text: The Hebrew participle indicates imminent future action here, though some English versions treat it as a predictive future (“will go ahead of you,” NCV; cf. also TEV, CEV).


text: Heb “according to all which he did for you in Egypt before your eyes.”


text: Heb “the Lord your God.” The pronoun (“him”) has been employed in the translation for stylistic reasons.


text: Heb “and swore,” i.e., made an oath or vow.


text: Heb “Not a man among these men.”


text: Heb “the Lord. ” The pronoun (“me”) has been employed in the translation, since it sounds strange to an English reader for the Lord to speak about himself in third person.


text: Heb “the one who stands before you”; NAB “your aide”; TEV “your helper.”


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


text: Heb “would be a prey.”


text: The Hebrew pronoun is plural, as are the following verbs, indicating that Moses and the people are addressed (note v. 41 ).


text: Heb “the Reed Sea.” “Reed” is a better translation of the Hebrew סוּף ( suf ), traditionally rendered “red.” The name “Red Sea” is based on the LXX which referred to it as ἐρυθρᾶς θαλάσσης ( eruqra" qalassh" , “red sea”). Nevertheless, because the body of water in question is known in modern times as the Red Sea, this term was used in the translation. The part of the Red Sea in view here is not the one crossed in the exodus but its eastern arm, now known as the Gulf of Eilat or Gulf of Aqaba.


text: Heb “the mouth of the Lord .” See note at 1:26 .


text: Heb “in that hill country,” repeating the end of v. 43 .


text: Heb “came out to meet.”


text: Heb “the Lord. ” The pronoun (“he”) has been employed in the translation here for stylistic reasons, to avoid redundancy.


text: Heb “did not hear your voice and did not turn an ear to you.”


text: Heb “like the days which you lived.” This refers to the rest of the forty-year period in the desert before Israel arrived in Moab.