The LORD your God: here Moses is addressing the Israelites; if the second person plural “your God” gives the meaning that Yahweh is not the God of Moses, the inclusive first plural should be used: “our God,” or “Yahweh whom we worship.”

Hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate: by the use of two similar expressions, the fact is emphasized that it was Yahweh who caused Sihon to refuse peaceful passage to the Israelites. The language is similar to that of Exo 4.21, which speaks of the king of Egypt. Yahweh made Sihon obstinate, stubborn, defiant. A hard heart indicated a stubborn attitude. In many languages there will be similar figurative expressions for “stubbornness” using the “heart” or “liver”; for example, “Yahweh caused his heart [or, liver] to become hard.”

That he might give him into your hand: see verse 24. Moses is speaking not only of Sihon but of Sihon and his people.

As at this day: see verse 22.

There are better ways of stating the last part of this verse: “in order to hand him over to you, as he has now done” (New Revised Standard Version); “in order that he and his land might become subject to you, as it is to this day” (Revised English Bible).

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 .