Said to Moses: see 4.1.

Say to the people …: see 1.2.

If a woman conceives, and bears a male child: the Hebrew language often uses expressions like this, putting together two verbs where the first one indicates the beginning of a process and the second one describes the main action. This type of construction is not normal in many languages, since the first verb is implied by the second. A woman cannot give birth unless she has first conceived. So the verb “conceive” may be left implicit in many languages. The verb translated bears literally means “brings forth seed.” Since each language has its own way of referring to childbirth, the translator must look for the most natural way of expressing this idea to a group of readers or hearers composed of men, women, and children.

In some languages it will be much more natural to say “a son,” as in Good News Translation, in place of a male child, but in others the expression may be just like Revised Standard Version. The Hebrew actually only says “a male,” leaving the word “child” implicit.

Seven days: since the number seven has special significance (see 4.6), some translators may wish to retain it in translation, but in some cases it may be necessary to say “a week,” because that is much more natural.

As: this word indicates a comparison between the uncleanness of the woman at childbirth with the uncleanness at the time of her monthly period of menstruation. The similarity involves both the amount of time required and the consequences of the woman’s uncleanness.

At the time of her menstruation: literally “in the days of her separation for her weakness.” The experience described here is common to women in every culture all over the world. But the way of talking about it varies widely from one language to another, because it is a very private matter. Some of the ways that this idea is expressed in other cultures are “to cause blood to flow,” “to see blood,” “to see the moon,” “to have the sickness of women,” and “to be avoided.” The translator must be sure that the words chosen in the receptor language are natural, understandable, and suitable to the context of regulations concerning cleanness and uncleanness.

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 .