This verse constitutes a transition between verses 1-17, dealing with men, and verses 19-30, which deal with women. It should probably be printed as a separate paragraph, to indicate its transitional nature. However, if there are two section headings in this chapter, verse 18 should be considered a part of the first section rather than the second.

If a man lies with a woman: this is one of the usual ways of referring to the act of sexual intercourse without saying so directly. Some languages may say “If a man sleeps with a woman….” Others use expressions like “to touch,” or “to love,” or simply “to be with a woman.”

The translator should be careful not to give the impression that there is anything morally wrong with the sexual relations mentioned here. This verse concerns normal sexual relations between husband and wife, even though the regulation would also apply to other cases. The translation should also avoid suggesting that, when a couple engage in sexual relations, a sin has been committed.

If there are to be two section headings in this chapter, this will be the place for the second one: “Sexual impurities in women” or “Rules about women.” It should parallel the heading used at the beginning of the chapter, concerning men.

This section is further subdivided into the following sections: verses 19-24 concerning normal menstruation; verses 25-27 dealing with cases that are considered abnormal but are not infectious; and verses 28-30 regarding the problems of purification.

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 .