You shall count: literally “you shall count for yourself.” The two pronouns are singular in form but should be understood collectively as referring to the people of Israel as a whole. In some languages the verb here will be better translated “wait,” as in the similar passage in 15.13.

Seven weeks of years: the word translated weeks is actually translated elsewhere as “sabbaths” and has the root meaning “seven” (see 16.31). So the phrases seven weeks of years (used twice) and “seven times seven years” have exactly the same meaning and can be translated once, if the repetition is stylistically unacceptable in the receptor language.

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 .

He: the reference here is to the lay person who is making the offering and not to the priests mentioned in verse 5, since that would require a plural subject.

Flay the burnt offering: the reference is clearly to the bull which has not yet been burned, so Good News Translation says “the animal.” It also has the common language “skin” in place of the technical term flay. But in other languages it will be clearer to say “remove the skin of the animal” or “take away the skin from the animal.”

Cut it into pieces: the animal is simply cut into quarters, with the head and the suet (or fat) as separate pieces, so the translation should not give the impression that it is carved into many small pieces as if preparing to cook it for eating. Since it would be difficult to place the entire bull on the altar, it was a matter of practical necessity to cut it into manageable parts, but it was not necessary to cut it into small pieces.

The actions of verses 6 and 7 are probably simultaneous so that it is also possible to translate “While the man skins the animal … the priests light the fire….”

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 .

Aaron’s sons: for the sake of clarity and naturalness, it may be better to say simply “The priests” as in Good News Translation. See 1.5, 7, 8.

It: the singular pronoun in Revised Standard Version reflects a singular in the original, but the Hebrew pronoun clearly refers to all the items listed in verses 3-4. The translation should therefore reflect this fact. New Jerusalem Bible has “these,” and New American Bible, like Good News Translation, translates “all this.”

Upon the burnt offering: the preposition upon is misleading. It should be translated “with” (New Jerusalem Bible and New American Bible), “along with” (Good News Translation), or “in addition to” (New Jerusalem Bible). These were to be burned along with the offerings presented to God each morning. Compare Exodus 29.38-42.

Which is upon the wood on the fire: this information has been left implicit in Good News Translation. This may also be done in many other languages, since “burnt offerings” implies wood and fire. See 1.8.

An offering by fire: or “food offering” as in Good News Translation and New English Bible; see 1.9 and the introductory discussion.

Pleasing odor …: see 1.9.

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 .

This verse is a logical continuation of verse 23, following verse 24 which constitutes a kind of parenthetical statement.

An offering by fire: that is, “a food offering.” See 1.9.

Cut off from his people: see verse 20.

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 .

Verses 22-30 describe the third sacrifice offered as a part of the ceremony of ordination of Aaron and his sons (see Exo 29.19-28). The ritual is quite similar though not identical to the one prescribed in chapter 3 for the “peace offering” or “fellowship offering.”

He: if the referent of the pronoun is in any doubt, it will be necessary to translate using the noun, “Moses,” as in Good News Translation.

The other ram, the ram of ordination: the first ram, mentioned in verse 18, was for the burnt offering; the second was specifically for the ceremony to ordain Aaron and his sons as priests. On the term ordination, see verse 7.37, where the same root word is translated “consecration” in Revised Standard Version.

Laid their hands on the head of the ram: see 1.4; 4.15; and verse 18 above.

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 .

While neither Revised Standard Version nor Good News Translation has translated the conjunction at the beginning of this verse, the word “Finally” is used in New American Bible to show that this is the conclusion of a series of events.

Killed: or “slaughtered.” See 1.5.

The ox … and the ram: see verse 4.

Peace offering: Good News Translation “fellowship offering.” See chapter 3.

Delivered: see verses 12-14.

Threw upon the altar round about: see 1.5.

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 .