Verses 10-11a form one sentence in Revised Standard Version, which may be too long or complex for many languages. If so, translators may break it into several sentences (so Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version).

And the priest shall offer one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering: The priest must sacrifice one of the birds as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering. The cleansing on the seventh day is not complete until these two sacrifices are offered on the eighth day. La Nouvelle Bible Segond renders sin offering as “sacrifice for the sin,” which may give the wrong impression that the Nazirite’s sin was intentional. The context here makes it clear that only an unintentional sin is meant. A sin offering was a sacrifice to cleanse people from unintentional sins, so that God would forgive. This offering restored a person to a state of ritual purity when, as in this case, a taboo was unintentionally broken (so Budd, page 72). So a more accurate rendering for sin offering is “purification-offering” (Revised English Bible, De Nieuwe Bijbelvertaling), which focuses on the outcome rather than the cause of this offering. Another possible model is “offering to make a person pure,” but some languages may need to say “sacrifice to make a person pure” since an animal’s death is involved.

A burnt offering (ʿolah in Hebrew) involved burning the whole sacrificial animal, except for the skin (see Lev 1.3-17): no one received any flesh to eat. Revised English Bible says “whole-offering,” which emphasizes that the entire animal was offered to the LORD. This offering also symbolized that the individual was wholly surrendering to the LORD in personal devotion. Other possible models are “sacrifice burnt whole” and “sacrifice of complete burning.”

And make atonement for him: For the Hebrew verb rendered make atonement, which literally means “cover,” see 5.8. The offerings appease or make amends, so that fellowship is restored between the defiled Nazirite and the LORD. Good News Translation expresses this clause well, saying “to perform the ritual of purification for you.”

Because he sinned by reason of the dead body: This clause in Revised Standard Version may give the wrong impression that the Nazirite’s sin was intentional. However, Good News Translation goes too far by omitting the idea of sin completely, saying “because of your contact with a corpse.” New Revised Standard Version is better with “because they incurred guilt by reason of the corpse.” Revised English Bible is similar with “for the sin he has incurred through contact with the dead body.” Our recommended model is “because they incurred sin [or, guilt] through contact with the dead body.”

And he shall consecrate his head that same day: Consecrate is literally “make holy.” Instead of head, Good News Translation has “hair,” as in verse 7. But in this context consecrate his head is better rendered “consecrate himself” or even “reconsecrate themselves” (see the comments on verse 9). That same day refers to the eighth day on which the sacrifices are made.

And separate himself to the LORD for the days of his separation expresses the same idea as the previous clause for emphasis. The Revised Standard Version translation may be confusing. Good News Translation renders this clause clearly, saying “and rededicate to the LORD your time as a nazirite.” The Hebrew verb for separate himself and the noun for separation come from the same root as the word for “Nazirite” (see the comments on verse 2 and 4).

And bring a male lamb a year old for a guilt offering: The Hebrew word for male lamb is keves, which usually refers to a young ram. A young ram is clearly in view here (compare verse 14, where a young ewe is also mentioned). A guilt offering was essentially about making compensation for damage done (see Lev 5.14–6.7), so Good News Translation is more accurate with “repayment offering”. Even better models are “reparation offering” (NET Bible, Bible en français courant) and “restoration offering” (De Nieuwe Bijbelvertaling), since these renderings avoid any possible association with the payment of money.

But the former time shall be void: Defiled Nazirites will not get credit for the time they separated themselves to serve the LORD before going near a corpse. They must start over their vow of separation. The former time refers to all the prior time that the person had spent as a Nazirite. Shall be void (literally “will fall”) may be rendered “doesn’t count” (Good News Translation; similarly New International Version), “shall be lost” (King James Version), or “is not to be included” (Revised English Bible).

Because his separation was defiled explains why such Nazirites will not get credit for their former separation to the LORD. It is because they became ritually impure by going near a corpse. For his separation, which refers to the Nazirite’s vow of separation, see verse 4. Luther changes the Hebrew text to read “his consecrated head” (similarly Good News Translation with “your consecrated hair”), but we prefer the Hebrew text here (so also Hebrew Old Testament Text). For was defiled, see 5.13. De Nieuwe Bijbelvertaling translates this clause as “because of the desecration of his naziriteship.” Another possible model is “because he became defiled during his vow of separation.”

Quoted with permission from de Regt, Lénart J. and Wendland, Ernst R. A Handbook on Numbers. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .