Said to Moses and Aaron: see 4.1.

Say to the people of Israel …: compare 1.2.

Discharge: this refers to an abnormal fluid that comes out of the male sexual organ as a result of some kind of sickness. Some versions make more explicit the fact that the discharge is the result of some kind of infection. This distinguishes it clearly from the discharge of semen discussed in verses 16 and 17. A good model for some languages may be Bible en français courant, “When a man suffers from an infection of his sexual organs, the resulting discharge is unclean.” Other translations have been more specific, suggesting that the disease in question is probably “gonorrhea.”

From his body: literally “out of his flesh,” as in King James Version. The word “flesh” or body is nothing more than a polite way of referring to the male sexual organ in this context. Some English versions say “member” or “private parts.” Good News Translation puts it more bluntly. In other languages such frankness may be unacceptable. There will be a wide variety of ways of referring to the sexual organs without naming them directly. Whatever term is used, it should meet two requirements: (1) it should be clearly understood; and (2) it should be acceptable terminology in speaking to men and women together (or as nearly so as possible).

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 .