Verse 19 repeats much of what is said in verse 15. For seven days has already been specified. No leaven shall be found, literally “leaven will not be found,” may be expressed as “no yeast is to be found” (New International Version), “no leaven may be found” (New American Bible), or “no leaven must be found” (Revised English Bible). One may also translate “no yeast is allowed in anyone’s home,” or even “you must not allow any yeast in anyone’s home.” If any one eats what is leavened is almost identical with verse 15, the only difference being the form of the noun. (New Revised Standard Version tries to reflect this slight difference, with “what is leavened” for “leavened bread.”) Cut off from the congregation of Israel adds the word congregation to the phrase in verse 15. (See verse 3.)

Whether he is a sojourner refers to a “resident alien” (New American Bible, Translator’s Old Testament). “Stranger” or “foreigner” may give the wrong idea here, for the sojourner was often one who had taken up residence among people not his own (see 2.22 and the comment). Or a native of the land is the alternative to sojourner. In this case, since these verses reflect the later Israelite community, the land does not refer to Egypt. (As explained in the introductory remarks to this chapter, these detailed instructions for ritual observance were inserted into the basic narrative of the exodus long after the Israelites had settled in the Promised Land.) So native means “native-born,” “an Israelite by birth” (Translator’s Old Testament), or “native Israelites” (Contemporary English Version).

Verse 20 also repeats what is said in verse 19. The only new word here is dwellings, which means the same as “houses.” Good News Translation avoids the repetition by combining verses 19 and 20. This tendency to repeat what has already been said adds emphasis to the instructions, but it should be avoided if it sounds unnatural in the receptor language.

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .