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 .

Take: literally “Take for yourself” (see New English Bible). But mention of self does not seem to have any special significance and is left implicit in most translations.

A bull calf: literally “a calf, a son of the herd” (compare 1.5 where the word “calf” does not appear). The idea of youth (Good News Translation “young bull”) is contained in this additional word and not in the expression “son of….” The word used here is also different from 4.3, where there is no emphasis on the youth of the animal.

A sin offering: see 4.1–5.13.

A ram for a burnt offering: see 1.10-13.

Without blemish: see 1.3 and 22.17-25. The word both has been added in Revised Standard Version to make it clear that this requirement applies to the bull as well as the ram. This may be necessary in a number of other languages.

Before the LORD: that is, to the LORD.

The Good News Translation rendering has been recast in such a way as to indicate a bit more clearly which animal is used for which offering. This may be a helpful model to follow in some other languages.

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 .

And: some languages will require a transition word like “Then.” In others the beginning of a new paragraph will be sufficient to indicate that this is the continuation of the narrative. New Jerusalem Bible and Bible en français courant have a section heading at this point. New Jerusalem Bible has “The priests’ portion in offerings,” and Bible en français courant has “Rules concerning the meat of sacrifices.”

His sons who were left: that is, the two surviving sons following the death of Nadab and Abihu. Some translators may prefer “his two sons who remained alive.”

Cereal offering: Good News Translation “grain offering.” See 2.1.

The offerings by fire: see 1.9.

Eat it unleavened: Good News Translation makes explicit the fact that the remaining grain is not eaten as such, but is first properly prepared according to the regulations in chapter 2. Then it is to be eaten by the priests.

For …: in some cases it may be necessary to be more precise with something like “it is to be eaten by priests because it is a holy offering” or “you priests must eat it because it is very holy.”

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 .

Any part of their carcass: most versions interpret this to mean “any one of their dead bodies.” There is no special emphasis here on a part of a carcass.

Seed for sowing that is to be sown: this awkward English expression is a reflection of the Hebrew form. The meaning, however, is “any seed that is set aside to be planted.” Other renderings are “seed grain to be sown” (New Jerusalem Bible) and “seed intended for growing” (New English Bible).

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 .

Swelling … spot: while Good News Translation has “spot” here, the same word seems to be translated “inflammation” in verse 2 above.

Reddish-white: this may be difficult to express in some languages. Translators should investigate the terms used in the receptor language to describe the kind of color change that takes place when a person has a boil.

It shall be shown to the priest: the passive construction in Revised Standard Version must be made active in some languages. But the formulation of Good News Translation leaves implicit the fact that the affected area must be shown to the priest. In some cases it will be appropriate to use two verbs, “he must go to the priest and show him the spot.”

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 .

The priest: in some cases it may be more natural and equally understandable to use the pronoun here.

Command that they wash the thing: in some languages a causative form will be more natural: “he must cause it to be washed.” See comments on 11.25 with regard to “washing.”

Shut it up seven days more: this is the same expression as at the end of verse 4, but since the context speaks of things rather than persons, a different expression may be used.

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 .

The disease: literally “the mark (or, spot).” The priest actually inspects the affected area of the house. In some languages it may be wise to say this directly.

And if: literally “and behold” as in King James Version. But the obvious meaning is conditional.

Greenish or reddish: see 13.49.

Deeper than the surface: this corresponds to the depressions in the skin mentioned in 13.3. Here the idea may be expressed in a variety of ways. Moffatt has “below the surface of the plaster.” New Jerusalem Bible speaks of the walls of the house being “pitted.” And Good News Translation depicts the fungus as actively “eating into the wall.”

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 .

Sin offering: see chapter 4.

Burnt offering: see chapter 1.

And: as in 14.52, the connection between the two sentences here will be much clearer if a different kind of transition is used. Good News Translation has “In this way”; Moffatt has “so.”

Make atonement for him: compare 12.7. See also 4.20.

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 .