And the LORD said to me, ‘Say to them, Do not go up: there are three levels of direct discourse here; Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, Revised English Bible, and others reduce them to two, by using indirect discourse for the last one. It is possible to reduce the three to one: “And the LORD ordered me to tell them not to attack….” Translators must decide which makes for a more natural account in their language.

I am not in the midst of you: this may be translated “I will not be with you,” “I will not go with you.” If indirect discourse is used, the second plural “you” must be changed to “them”: “I will not be with them.”

Lest you be defeated before your enemies: this is unnatural language in English, and translators should say something like “or else you will be defeated by your enemies” or “otherwise your enemies will defeat you.” This is what will happen if they attack the enemy on their own; since Yahweh will not be with them, they will be defeated. For enemies see verse 39.

An alternative model restructuring this verse is:

• But the LORD said, ‘Do not go and fight. If you do, you will be defeated because I will not be with you.’

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 .