But if the man has no kinsman to whom restitution may be made for the wrong: This first half of the verse implies a situation in which the victim has died. This exceptional situation was not yet covered in the earlier law of Lev 6.1-7. The man refers to the person who has been wronged, “the injured party” (New Revised Standard Version). Some languages may need to make explicit that “that person has died” (Good News Translation). Otherwise, why would a kinsman even be mentioned? The Hebrew word for kinsman is goʾel, which means “redeemer.” Here it refers to a “near relative” (Good News Translation) who can claim the restitution for himself. New International Version says “close relative,” and New Revised Standard Version has “next of kin.” The Hebrew does not specify what kind of male relative the kinsman would be. First, he would be a brother, and then an uncle or cousin on the father’s side, and after them some other near relative (so Budd, page 57). The Hebrew word for restitution (“payment” in Good News Translation) is the same one used in verse 7 (see the comments there).

The restitution for wrong shall go to the LORD for the priest: If there is no close relative, the restitution belongs to the LORD and must be given to the priests. To and for render the same Hebrew preposition (l ). This variation between to and for finds no support in the Hebrew, and makes the translation only more complicated. Clearer models for this clause are “the restitution belongs to the LORD and must be given to the priest” (New International Version), “the object must be given to the Lord, that is, put before the priest” (Bible en français courant), and even “the restitution must be given to the LORD, that is, to the priests.” There is no specific priest in mind here, so the priest is better rendered “a priest” or “the priests.”

In addition to the ram of atonement with which atonement is made for him: Good News Translation starts a new sentence here, saying “This payment is in addition to…,” which is a good model. Revised Standard Version may give the wrong impression that the instruction about the ram of atonement is only relevant when the victim, the person who was harmed, has died (the first part of verse 8). But instead, the instruction about the ram also applies when the victim is still alive. This is also clear from Lev 6.6-7 (5.25-26 in Hebrew). The sacrifice of the ram of atonement with which atonement is made for him implies that the repayment with interest is not adequate by itself to accomplish the ritual of forgiveness. Good News Translation clarifies what atonement means by saying “the ram used to perform the ritual of purification for the guilty person.” With which atonement is made for him is literally “with which he [the priest] makes atonement for him.” Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation do not reflect that the priest is the subject here, but Bible en français courant explicitly mentions him. The Hebrew verb for “makes atonement” literally means “cover,” that is, appease, make amends, or perhaps even reconcile (see Lev 17.11.) To translate the phrase a tenth of an ephah, some translations give a rough equivalent by using a receptor language expression, such as “three kilos” (Bible en français courant), “two and a quarter kilos” (Bijbel in Gewone Taal), or “two pounds” (Good News Translation). As these translations show, there is no certainty concerning the amount of barley in view here. It is better to provide the reader with a meaningful equivalent rather than being overly concerned about the precise value of a tenth of an ephah; for example, “a tenth of a measure” (La Bible de Jérusalem Nouvelle) is a good model. A target language equivalent might be even more appropriate, for example, “one basket” (as long as consistency is maintained in other passages where the ephah is mentioned.) In general, if approximate local dry and liquid measures are available in the language, it is better to use them rather than the anachronistic metric and imperial measurements. The Hebrew expression for barley meal refers to flour made of barley. Barley is a type of grass like wheat and rice. It has hairy kernels that can be ground into flour. It was the cheapest, most common type of cereal grain in Israel, so it was also available to the poor.

He shall pour no oil upon it and put no frankincense on it: Oil refers to “olive oil” (Good News Translation; see 4.9). The Hebrew word for frankincense refers to a resin that was burned for its pleasing aroma. Olive oil and incense were used in the normal grain offerings. Perhaps the possible association with sin or the uncertain status of the accusation makes this grain offering a dry one (so Budd, page 64).

For it is a cereal offering of jealousy gives the reason why olive oil and incense should not be put on this grain offering. For cereal offering, see 4.16. A cereal offering of jealousy means it is “an offering from a suspicious husband” (Good News Translation). The husband’s jealousy makes this grain offering necessary.

A cereal offering of remembrance, bringing iniquity to remembrance means it is a grain offering that reveals sinfulness, in this case whether the man’s wife has committed adultery or not. Good News Translation says “an offering … made to bring the truth to light,” but New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh is better with “a meal offering of remembrance which recalls wrongdoing.” Contemporary English Version has “an offering to find out if she is guilty.” Other possible models are “a grain offering made to bring a wrongdoing to light” or “a grain offering causing people to think [seriously] about sinfulness.”

Quoted with permission from de Regt, Lénart J. and Wendland, Ernst R. A Handbook on Numbers. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .