Verses 12-14 deal with defecating (going to the latrine, or toilet) while in camp.

The Hebrew text does not state the purpose for which the encamped Israelites are to have a place outside the camp. It is only understood from the context; and it may be necessary to say something like Good News Translation, “where you can go when you need to relieve yourselves,” or New International Version “where you can go to relieve yourself.”

You shall have a place outside the camp: this means to choose a place or “designate a place” (New International Version). The Contemporary English Version translation “Set up a place outside the camp to be used as a toilet area” is acceptable. Some languages have euphemisms, which are not offensive; Portuguese, for example, says fazer necessidade (“to do what is necessary,” so BÍBLIA para todos Edição Comum, Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje). In languages where direct reference to defecation or urination is not offensive, we may say “designate a place outside the camp where people may go to defecate or urinate.”

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 .