What is left of the cereal offering: the part of the grain offering (and of certain animal sacrifices) that was not burned was considered as belonging to the priestly class.
Aaron and his sons: although the wording is slightly different in this verse, the meaning is the same as “Aaron’s sons the priests” (see 1.5, for example). It includes Aaron’s descendants as well as his immediate sons. In this context it may be translated simply “the priests.”
A most holy part: literally “holiest of holy ones,” a construction often used in Hebrew to express the idea of the superlative. These same words are frequently used in the Old Testament with reference to a particular place—“the most holy place”—within the Tent of the LORD’s presence and later in the Temple (see Exo 26.33; 1 Kgs 8.8). In this verse, however, this is not the case. In Leviticus it is used only to designate that which comes from offerings consecrated to God and can only be used for sacred purposes. In this case they were reserved for the priests and their families.
The preposition of which links a most holy part with the offerings by fire should not be translated literally. Here it has the meaning “selected from.” Good News Translation makes the meaning clearer by showing the causal relationship: “since it is taken from the food offered to the LORD.”
The translation of the word holy is particularly difficult in some languages. It is used throughout the Old Testament to qualify more than fifty different nouns. In most cases the primary component of meaning is “set apart from ordinary use” or “dedicated to God.” The idea of moral purity is a secondary component in some contexts, but this is clearly not the case here. The Revised Standard Version addition of part is not recommended. The Good News Translation rendering “it is very holy” is better, but in the receptor language it may be necessary to say something like “it is strictly set apart from ordinary use,” or “… for God’s purposes,” or “… for them [the priests] alone.” Translators should try to avoid using terms meaning physically “clean” or “white” to express the idea of holiness. Some languages have a word for ritual purity which may be adequate if it is accompanied by a proper explanation in the glossary giving details of the Jewish system.
Offerings by fire: see 1.9.
Quoted with permission from Péter-Contesse, René and Ellington, John. A Handbook on Leviticus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1990. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .