The priest shall make an examination: the form used here differs slightly from what is found in the beginning of verses 5 and 6, where object pronouns occur with the verb, “examine him.” In this case there is no object pronoun, but it is understood that the same person is the object of the examination. So this may have to be made clear in the receptor language.

If the eruption has spread: New English Bible has “if it continues to spread.” Moffatt says “if the eruption still spreads.” The idea of “spreading” may mean either that the infected area became larger or that the infection appeared on other parts of the body. But here probably both are intended.

It is leprosy: similar to the Good News Translation reading, New English Bible has “it is a malignant skin disease,” and New International Version “it is an infectious disease.” See comments on the term “leprosy” in the introduction to this chapter.

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 .