OET interlinear DEU 32:30

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

אֵיכָ֞ה יִרְדֹּ֤ף אֶחָד֙ אֶ֔לֶף וּ⁠שְׁנַ֖יִם יָנִ֣יסוּ רְבָבָ֑ה אִם־לֹא֙ כִּי־צוּרָ֣⁠ם מְכָרָ֔⁠ם וַֽ⁠יהוָ֖ה הִסְגִּירָֽ⁠ם

how (Some words not found in UHB: how chase one(ms) a_thousand and,two_[people] put_~_to_flight ten_thousand if not that/for/because/then/when rock_of,their he,had_sold_them and=YHWH he,had_delivered_them_up )

Moses is using the question form to challenge his audience to recognize that Israel’s defeat by its enemies could only happen if God allowed it. If a speaker of your language would not use the question form for that purpose, you could translate this as a statement or as an exclamation. Alternate translation: [One could not chase a thousand, or two put ten thousands to flight, unless their Rock sold them and Yahweh gave them up!]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / parallelism

אִם־לֹא֙ כִּי־צוּרָ֣⁠ם מְכָרָ֔⁠ם וַֽ⁠יהוָ֖ה הִסְגִּירָֽ⁠ם

if not (Some words not found in UHB: how chase one(ms) a_thousand and,two_[people] put_~_to_flight ten_thousand if not that/for/because/then/when rock_of,their he,had_sold_them and=YHWH he,had_delivered_them_up )

See the discussion on parallelism in the introduction to this chapter. Alternate translation: [unless their Rock, that is Yahweh, sold them, even gave them up]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

אִם־לֹא֙ כִּי־צוּרָ֣⁠ם מְכָרָ֔⁠ם

if not (Some words not found in UHB: how chase one(ms) a_thousand and,two_[people] put_~_to_flight ten_thousand if not that/for/because/then/when rock_of,their he,had_sold_them and=YHWH he,had_delivered_them_up )

Here Moses is speaking of Yahweh as if he were a Rock that they could climb up to reach safety from danger and that would be a protection for the Israelites. He is then speaking as if God’s allowing the Israelites to be defeated were the same as if he sold them to their enemies. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [unless Yahweh, who protects them like a rock, had allowed them to be defeated]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

צוּרָ֣⁠ם

rock_of,their

See how you translated the similar expression in [verse 4](../32/04.md).