Deuteronomy 4:32

The Uniqueness of Israel’s God

4:32 Indeed, ask about the distant past, starting from the day God created humankind ¹  on the earth, and ask ²  from one end of heaven to the other, whether there has ever been such a great thing as this, or even a rumor of it.

Deuteronomy 11:24

11:24 Every place you set your foot ³  will be yours; your border will extend from the desert to Lebanon and from the River (that is, the Euphrates) as far as the Mediterranean Sea. ⁴ 

Deuteronomy 15:9

15:9 Be careful lest you entertain the wicked thought that the seventh year, the year of cancellation of debts, has almost arrived, and your attitude ⁵  be wrong toward your impoverished fellow Israelite ⁶  and you do not lend ⁷  him anything; he will cry out to the Lord against you and you will be regarded as having sinned. ⁸ 

Deuteronomy 21:16

21:16 In the day he divides his inheritance ⁹  he must not appoint as firstborn the son of the favorite wife in place of the other ¹⁰  wife’s son who is actually the firstborn.

Deuteronomy 23:10

23:10 If there is someone among you who is impure because of some nocturnal emission, ¹¹  he must leave the camp; he may not reenter it immediately.

Deuteronomy 25:15

25:15 You must have an accurate and correct ¹²  stone weight and an accurate and correct measuring container, so that your life may be extended in the land the Lord your God is about to give you.

Deuteronomy 28:13

28:13 The Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you will always end up at the top and not at the bottom, if you obey his ¹³  commandments which I am urging ¹⁴  you today to be careful to do.

Deuteronomy 28:29

28:29 You will feel your way along at noon like the blind person does in darkness and you will not succeed in anything you do; ¹⁵  you will be constantly oppressed and continually robbed, with no one to save you.

Deuteronomy 29:19

29:19 When such a person ¹⁶  hears the words of this oath he secretly ¹⁷  blesses himself ¹⁸  and says, “I will have peace though I continue to walk with a stubborn spirit.” ¹⁹  This will destroy ²⁰  the watered ground with the parched. ²¹ 

[4:32]  ¹ tn The Hebrew term אָדָם (’adam) may refer either to Adam or, more likely, to “man” in the sense of the human race (“mankind,” “humankind”). The idea here seems more universal in scope than reference to Adam alone would suggest.

[4:32]  ² tn The verb is not present in the Hebrew text but has been supplied in the translation for clarification. The challenge has both temporal and geographical dimensions. The people are challenged to (1) inquire about the entire scope of past history and (2) conduct their investigation on a worldwide scale.

[11:24]  ³ tn Heb “the sole of your foot walks.” The placing of the foot symbolizes conquest and dominion, especially on land or on the necks of enemies (cf. Deut 1:36; Ps 7:13; Isa 63:3 Hab 3:19; Zech 9:13). See E. H. Merrill, NIDOTTE 1:992.

[11:24]  ⁴ tn Heb “the after sea,” that is, the sea behind one when one is facing east, which is the normal OT orientation. Cf. ASV “the hinder sea.”

[15:9]  ⁵ tn Heb “your eye.”

[15:9]  ⁶ tn Heb “your needy brother.”

[15:9]  ⁷ tn Heb “give” (likewise in v. 10).

[15:9]  ⁸ tn Heb “it will be a sin to you.”

[21:16]  ⁷ tn Heb “when he causes his sons to inherit what is his.”

[21:16]  ⁸ tn Heb “the hated.”

[23:10]  ⁹ tn Heb “nocturnal happening.” The Hebrew term קָרֶה (qareh) merely means “to happen” so the phrase here is euphemistic (a “night happening”) for some kind of bodily emission such as excrement or semen. Such otherwise normal physical functions rendered one ritually unclean whether accidental or not. See Lev 15:16-18; 22:4.

[25:15]  ¹¹ tn Or “just”; Heb “righteous.”

[28:13]  ¹³ tn Heb “the Lord your God’s.” See note on “he” in 28:8.

[28:13]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “commanding” (so NRSV); NASB “which I charge you today.”

[28:29]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “you will not cause your ways to prosper.”

[29:19]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the subject of the warning in v. 18) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:19]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “in his heart.”

[29:19]  ¹⁹ tn Or “invokes a blessing on himself.” A formalized word of blessing is in view, the content of which appears later in the verse.

[29:19]  ²⁰ tn Heb “heart.”

[29:19]  ²¹ tn Heb “thus destroying.” For stylistic reasons the translation begins a new sentence here.

[29:19]  ²² tn Heb “the watered with the parched.” The word “ground” is implied. The exact meaning of the phrase is uncertain although it appears to be figurative. This appears to be a proverbial observation employing a figure of speech (a merism) suggesting totality. That is, the Israelite who violates the letter and even spirit of the covenant will harm not only himself but everything he touches – “the watered and the parched.” Cf. CEV “you will cause the rest of Israel to be punished along with you.”