The first part of the verse is better translated by New Revised Standard Version: “Although I told you, you would not listen.” Good News Translation expresses it more clearly: “I told you what the LORD had said, but you paid no attention.” Again the people show their lack of faith.

You rebelled against the command of the LORD: this is very much like verse 26.

Were presumptuous: this shows arrogance and pride on their part. New International Version “in your arrogance”; New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh “willfully”; Revised English Bible “defiantly.” They would not obey God’s command. Other ways to express and were presumptuous are “You thought you were big,” “You thought you were so great” (Contemporary English Version), or “You lifted yourselves up,” and so on.

And went up into the hill country: for hill country see verse 7. Contemporary English Version places this clause before and were presumptuous: “You disobeyed him and went into the hill country anyway. You thought you were so powerful….”

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 .