Curse: or “insult” (New Jerusalem Bible), or “treat … with contempt” (New English Bible). Even if the deaf person were unable to hear the curse, people thought that a curse had its own power to cause harm. And the deaf man would be unable to do anything to counteract it. This part of the book of Leviticus is especially concerned about people who were unable to take care of themselves.

The deaf: this may also be understood as “the dumb” (one who is unable to speak), as in Jerusalem Bible. But most versions take it to mean a person who cannot hear. In actual fact, deaf people are generally unable to speak coherently, and some languages have a single word for “deaf and dumb” that will certainly be appropriate here.

A stumbling block: or “anything that could make a person stumble,” or “any object that will make him fall down.”

Fear your God: or “fear me,” if direct discourse is being used. The verb fear may be translated “show respect for” in some contexts, but here the idea of “stand in awe of” is also a part of the meaning.

I am the LORD: see verse 12.

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 .