Good News Translation shifts from direct to indirect discourse at the beginning of this verse. The nature of the material that follows will make this advisable in a number of languages. But others may wish to retain the direct discourse.

Approach … to uncover nakedness: this expression or one of the shorter forms, “uncover the nakedness of” and “approach,” are used in almost every verse throughout the rest of this chapter. They simply mean “to have sexual intercourse” or “to commit a sex act.” The Living Bible rendering “marry” in verses 10, 11, 15, 17, and 18 is misleading and should be avoided. Since sex is a very private matter, the ways of talking about it are very different from one language to another. It is often spoken of in roundabout ways in expressions like “to hold closely,” “to sleep with four feet,” “to sleep warmly,” or “to make love to.” But the Hebrew expression here can also carry the idea of shame or disgrace associated with a sexual relationship that is unacceptable.

One near of kin: literally “any of the flesh of his body.” This expression is used of any close relation. This includes the extended family as well as the immediate family. In fact, the verses that follow list the various relations that are covered by this term. If necessary, it will be legitimate in the receptor language to make it clear that the relatives in question are female, even though this is not explicitly stated in Hebrew.

I am the LORD: this is the third time (see verses 2 and 5) that these words are repeated. They are translated by Good News Translation in a different form at the beginning of the verse in this context, since there is a shift to indirect discourse.

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 .