If the priest examines it: the wording of both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation can give the impression that the priest may or may not do an examination, but that would be wrong. Therefore many modern versions make it clear that the conditional if refers to the findings of the priest and not to the examination itself. New English Bible and Jerusalem Bible have “But if the priest on examination finds that….” New Jerusalem Bible reorders the same words, “But if on examination the priest finds….” And New International Version has “But if, when the priest examines it, there is no white hair…” (compare verses 3 and 26).

The hair: this is the collective use of the singular hair, but it should be translated by a plural in those languages where this is more natural.

Dim: the word here comes from the same Hebrew root as found in verse 6, where it is translated in the same way in Revised Standard Version. Some versions use the word “faded” (New Jerusalem Bible, New English Bible, and others), while New American Bible has “is already dying out.” It seems to indicate that the condition does not appear too serious but should be watched for a time. For this reason the person is isolated for seven days.

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 .