It will be noted that the structures of Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation in this verse differ considerably. In Hebrew the direct discourse begins at the beginning of verse 2, as in Revised Standard Version. In many languages it is not good to have a direct quotation (verse 2b) within another direct quotation (verse 2a). Good News Translation has adopted the solution of not marking anything at all as a direct quotation. The equivalent of the Revised Standard Version direct quotation is preceded in verse 1 by the words “gave him the following rules” in Good News Translation. At this point the translator should take into account what is most natural in the receptor language, either maintaining the direct discourse in verse 2a or shifting to indirect discourse.
Revised Standard Version includes within direct quotes certain information found in the introductory statement in Good News Translation. Good News Translation, on the other hand, leaves implicit the fact that sacrifices are made to the LORD, which the more literal Revised Standard Version makes explicit. If the translation uses direct speech for the rules, it may seem unnatural for the LORD to refer to himself, in “sacrifices to Yahweh,” and it may be better to follow Good News Translation as model. Translators should consider the requirements of their own language with regard to the arrangement of this verse and translate the meaning as naturally as possible. It should also be noted that this problem appears frequently throughout the book of Leviticus (compare, for example, the first verse in chapters 4, 11, 12, 15, 17, 18, and elsewhere).
Speak to the people of Israel, and say to them: in most languages such repetition is unnecessary after the three similar verbs in the previous verse. It should be adequate to say simply “say to the people of Israel.”
When …: in the first five chapters of Leviticus, there are two different words that may be translated “when” or “if.” The Hebrew word ki, normally translated “when,” is found here and in 2.1, 4; 5.1, 3, 4, 5, 15; 6.1, 4. The Hebrew word ʾim, usually rendered “if,” occurs in this chapter in verses 3, 10, and 14, as well as at 2.5, 7; 3.1, 6, 12; 4.3, 13, 27, 32; 5.5, 11, 17. These two words seem to be used almost interchangeably, but they serve as markers indicating paragraph breaks in the discourse. For example, the chapter begins by defining the general case, using the Hebrew conjunction ki, and then three subordinate cases introduced by ʾim (verses 3-9, 10-13, and 14-17), as indicated by Wenham. It is probably best to follow the example of Good News Translation, using “when” at the beginning of each section and “if” to introduce the paragraphs within the section, unless the receptor language has a better way of marking such features of discourse.
Brings an offering: the noun and the verb have the same root, literally “offer an offering.” Good News Translation has “offer their sacrifices.” In Numbers and Ezekiel as well as Leviticus, the Hebrew word for offering is a very general term used to designate anything given as a sacrifice to God. In Nehemiah 10.35 and 13.31 it is even used of nonsacrificial offerings made to God. In this context it should normally be translated by a very generic term in the receptor language rather than using terminology for a specific kind of sacrifice. Whatever term is chosen must cover both animals and plant products that may be burned or given to the priests.
Any man of you: this may be better translated in many languages as “anyone” or “a person.” This will leave implicit the words of you, meaning “among you [Israelites].”
Offering of cattle from the herd or from the flock: literally “offering from the animals from the herd or from the flock.” To translators who do not speak English as their first language, Revised Standard Version may give the impression that the offering only includes cattle. The word herd is usually used to refer to larger animals such as cattle or oxen. On the other hand, flock normally refers to smaller animals such as sheep or goats. And the word translated cattle in Revised Standard Version is actually a very generic word that can refer to domestic animals of any kind. By translating “one of his cattle or one of his sheep or goats,” Good News Translation has made explicit the fact that the larger animals are cattle and the smaller animals refer to sheep or goats. Naturalness in the receptor language should be the determining factor in deciding whether to translate using more specific terms such as cattle, sheep, and goats, or more generic expressions such as “larger animals and smaller animals.” While the terms herd and flock do not appear in Fauna and Flora of the Bible (FFB), the animals included in these groups are discussed.
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 .