Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 31:5

This verse contains two parallel and complementary statements.

The LORD will give them over to you means that God makes it possible for the Israelites to defeat their enemies; them are the peoples they will fight in the land of Canaan.

You shall do to them according to all the commandment which I have commanded you means that the Israelites will destroy their enemies, as the LORD had commanded. So we may render this statement “As I have commanded you, ‘Kill them all!’ ”

All the commandment: see the detailed instructions in 7.1-5.

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 .

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