With the beginning of a new section, Moses should be reintroduced as the speaker.

The LORD will bring … to a nation: in some languages this will be expressed as “will take.” The verb “bring” or “take” should not suggest that Yahweh will transport them by supernatural means; the idea is that he will bring a foreign king and his army to fight against the Israelites, who will take them into exile as prisoners of war.

You, and your king: that is, the whole nation of Israel. This foresees a time when the Israelites will have kings as their rulers. For king see the comment at 1.5.

Your king whom you set over you: the point of reference here is their future defeat and exile, after they have become a nation and have chosen a king to rule over them. The Septuagint has “your rulers, whoever you appoint over you.” Unlike Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version, translators are encouraged to include this clause. Other ways to express it are “the king you choose” or “the man whom you choose to be your king.” This clause reflects an anti-monarchy bias—the selection of a king was your doing, not Yahweh’s.

A nation that neither you nor your fathers have known: see verse 33; as usual, fathers means ancestors.

You shall serve other gods, of wood and stone: see 4.28.

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 .