¹tn Heb “dreamer of dreams.” The difference between a prophet (ayb!n`) and one who foretells by dreams (<l@j) oa) was not so much one of office—for both received revelation by dreams (cf. Num 12:6)—as it was of function or emphasis. The prophet was more a proclaimer and interpreter of revelation whereas the one who foretold by dreams was a receiver of revelation. In later times the role of the one who foretold by dreams was abused and thus denigrated as compared to that of the prophet (cf. Jer 23:28).
²tn The expression tp@om oa toa became a formulaic way of speaking of ways of authenticating prophetic messages or other works of God (cf. Deut 28:46; Isa 20:3). The NT equivalent is the Greek term shmeivwn, signs performed (used frequently in the Gospel of John, cf. 2:11, 18; 20:30-31). They could, however, be counterfeited or (as here) permitted to false prophets by the Lord as a means of testing his people.
³tn Heb “dreamer of dreams.” See note on this expression in v. 1.
⁴tn Heb “the Lord your God.” The pronoun has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons to avoid redundancy.
⁵tn Heb “heart and soul”; “heart and being.” See note on the word “being” in Deut 6:5.
⁶tn Heb “dreamer of dreams.” See note on this expression in v. 1.
⁷tn Heb “your midst.” The severity of the judgment here (i.e., capital punishment) is because of the severity of the sin, namely, high treason against the Great King. Idolatry is a violation of the first two commandments (Deut 5:6-10) as well as the spirit and intent of the Shema (Deut 6:4-5).
⁸tn Heb “your brother, the son of your mother.” In a polygamous society it was not rare to have half brothers and sisters by way of a common father and different mothers.
⁹tn In the Hebrew text these words are in the form of a brief quotation, “Let us go and serve other gods.”
¹⁰tn Heb “which you have not known, you or your fathers.” (On “fathers” cf. v. 18).
¹¹tn The Hebrew text uses the infinitive absolute for emphasis, which the translation indicates with the words “without fail.”
¹²tn Heb “to put him to death,” but this is misleading in English for such an action would leave nothing for the others to do.
¹³sn Execution by means of pelting the offender with stones afforded a mechanism whereby the whole community could share in it. In a very real sense it could be done not only in the name of the community and on its behalf but by its members (cf. Lev 24:14; Num 15:35; Deut 21:21; Josh 7:25).
¹⁴sn Some see in this statement an argument for the deterrent effect of capital punishment (Deut 17:13; 19:20; 21:21).
¹⁵tn Heb “men, sons of Belial.” The Hebrew term lu^Y~l!B= has the idea of worthlessness, without morals or scruples (HALOT 130).
¹⁶tc The LXX and Tg read “your” for the MT’s “their.”
¹⁷tn The translation understands the relative clause as a statement by Moses, not as part of the quotation from the evildoers. See also v. 2.
¹⁸tc Theodotian adds “in Israel,” perhaps to broaden the matter beyond the local village.
¹⁹tn The Hebrew text uses the infinitive absolute for emphasis, indicated in the translation by the words “by all means.”
²⁰tn Or “put under divine judgment. The Hebrew word (<r#j@, j@r#<) refers to placing persons or things under God’s judgment, usually to the extent of their complete destruction.Though primarily applied against the heathen, this severe judgment could also fall upon unrepentant Israelites (cf. the story of Achan in Josh 7). See also the note on the phrase “divine judgment” in Deut 2:34.
²¹tn Heb “street.”
²²tn Heb “mound.” The Hebrew word lT@ (T@l) refers to this day to a ruin represented especially by a built-up mound of dirt or debris (cf. Tel Aviv, “mound of grain”).
²³tn Or “anything that has been put under the divine curse”; Heb “anything of the ban.” See note on the phrase “divine judgment” in Deut 2:34.
²⁴tn Heb “commanding.”
²⁵tc The LXX and SP add “and good” to bring the phrase in line with a familiar cliché (cf. Deut 6:18; Josh 9:25; 2 Kgs 10:3; 2 Chr 14:1; etc.). This is an unnecessary and improper attempt to force a text into a preconceived mold.
²⁶tn Heb “in the eyes of the Lord your God.” See note on the word “him” in v. 3.