This verse and the next one provide information about the length of time it took the Israelites to get to the land of Canaan.

The thirty-eight years is two years short of the standard “forty years” (1.2) from the time the Israelites left Egypt until they entered Canaan. It may be that the author is subtracting the two years it took for them to reach Sinai, as well as the time spent in Kadesh Barnea (Num 1.1; 9.1; 10.11-12). Revised Standard Version is too complicated. The Good News Translation rendering is a more natural one: “This was thirty-eight years after we left Kadesh Barnea.”

The entire generation, that is, the men of war: this is better expressed by New Revised Standard Version, “the entire generation of warriors,” and Revised English Bible, “… of fighting men.”

As the LORD had sworn to them: for “swear” see 1.8.

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 .