And they took in their hands: this is better translated “They gathered [or, picked].” The fruit is not necessarily restricted to fruits as such but may have the broader sense of “produce” (New Revised Standard Version).

The quaint and brought us word again should be “brought back a report to us” (New Revised Standard Version). Some translators will prefer to use direct speech here as Revised Standard Version does, and also combine the expression and brought us word again with the word said and translate: “They reported, ‘The land that the LORD our God is giving us is a fertile land.’ ”

A good land may be rendered “a fine country” (New Jerusalem Bible), “a rich land” (Revised English Bible), or “a very fertile land” (see Good News Translation), or even “a land that produces much fruit [or, produce].”

The LORD our God: see verse 19.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .