Two tenths of an ephah: probably about “two kilograms” (British Good News Translation) or “four pounds” (American Good News Translation). Compare 5.11.

Fine flour mixed with oil: see 2.1.

Offered by fire … a pleasing odor: see 1.9.

The drink offering: this term is also found in verses 18 and 37 of this chapter. A “libation” (New Jerusalem Bible) is a liquid offering, usually wine, given to a deity. It is quite common in Middle Eastern cultures. In the case of the Jews, it was poured out at the base of the altar of sacrifice or on the ground. Compare Numbers 15.5 as well as Genesis 35.14.

A fourth of a hin: “one quart” or slightly more (American Good News Translation), or about “one liter” (British Good News Translation). See 19.36.

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 .

They: this subject pronoun is again indefinite, as in verse 11. If it cannot be translated as a passive, the subject may be understood as being the same as in the previous verse, or as a different but equally unspecified group of persons. Some possible models are “Someone arrested him” or “People took him captive.”

Put him in custody: this may have to be translated “arrested him and held him,” or “assigned someone to guard him,” or something similar.

Till the will of the LORD should be declared to them: this passive construction will have to be rendered actively in many languages. Some suggestions are “until the LORD should reveal his will to them” or “waited to find out what the LORD wanted them to do with him.” Compare Good News Translation.

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 .

If a man: commentators argue about whether this refers to the same man as in verse 25 or to a different person. But the meaning is not radically changed in either case. Probably it is better to think of it in terms of a separate case, since there is no definite article in the Hebrew. If this is true, some languages will require a transition word like “Or,” “But,” or “However.”

No one to redeem it: the word used here is the same as in verse 25, but the translation may be shortened here, since the complete information is given in the previous verse.

Then himself becomes prosperous: in some languages one may say “earns a lot of money” or “gets rich.” Good News Translation adds the implicit information “later,” which may be a good idea for a number of other languages.

Finds sufficient means to redeem it: literally “and his own hand reaches (or, acquires) sufficient to his redemption.” That is, his newfound wealth is adequate to pay his master the price required to buy back his land (see the following verse).

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 .

Peace: this is the well-known Hebrew word shalom, which indicates much more than just “calm” or the absence of war. It refers to a more general situation of tranquillity and harmonious relations between people. It is a situation in which everything is as it should be, involving the total well-being of the persons in question.

Lie down: this implies “to go to sleep,” and in many languages this will have to be made explicit, as Good News Translation has done.

None: the corresponding Hebrew word may be taken either as meaning “no one” (the solution of most English versions) or more generally “nothing” (Bible en français courant). In view of the context, “nothing” may be better if it is indeed more general in meaning and would include the idea of “no one.”

I will remove evil beasts: literally “I will cause to cease … evil beasts.” The word translated evil has been variously rendered “vicious” (New Jerusalem Bible), “savage” (New International Version), “dangerous” (New English Bible, Good News Translation), “ravenous” (New American Bible), and “wild” (An American Translation, Moffatt). A word should be sought in the receptor language that refers to animals that are greatly feared and likely to cause harm or injury to people. In some languages this idea is conveyed by “catching animals.”

The sword shall not go through your land: a literal translation of this expression may be amusing if not misleading in some languages. The sword here does not mean simply a single instrument of war. Rather it represents all the dangers and problems involved in a state of war. This phrase may therefore be translated as “Your enemies will no longer make war on you” or “No one will attack your land.”

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 .

So that: see the above discussion on the relationship between verses 40 and 41.

I walked contrary to them: the opposite of “walking contrary to me” in the previous verse. See also verse 21.

Brought them into the land of their enemies: again, this refers to the exile of the people of Israel (see verse 39).

If then: this probably means “if at that time” or “when that time comes, if….” But the exact meaning of these two words is unclear, and their interpretation is tied to the understanding of verses 40-41 as a whole. New Jerusalem Bible has simply “Then…” (see HOTTP, page 205).

Their uncircumcised heart: a literal translation of this expression would be very confusing in most languages. New English Bible has “stubborn spirit,” while Good News Translation leaves this element implicit at this point, but it is probably better to make it explicit in the receptor language. See the discussion under 19.23. Some other possible models are “if their [descendants’] hearts are changed…,” or “if they stop being so stubborn…,” or “if they unblock their hearts….”

Make amends for their iniquity: this phrase presents difficulties with regard to the understanding of both the verb, make amends, and the noun, rendered iniquity in Revised Standard Version, and consequently for the interpretation of the whole. A number of versions have adopted essentially the same interpretation as Revised Standard Version (New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible, and New American Bible). But the noun used here may mean either “guilt” or “punishment for guilt.” The idea of punishment seems more probable in this context, as in 5.1, 7; 10.17; and 16.22; as well as Genesis 4.13. The verb translated make amends in Revised Standard Version is sometimes used in the sense of “accept.” An example of this in Leviticus is God’s accepting a sacrifice in 1.4. Moffatt translates the whole phrase “submit to be punished for their sins,” while New English Bible has “accept their punishment in full,” leaving the idea of guilt implicit. It is especially significant that, while Jerusalem Bible (1966) rendered the whole phrase “atone for their sins,” the more recent New Jerusalem Bible (1985) has “accept the punishment for their guilt.” The latter interpretation is therefore recommended to translators.

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 .

Herds and flocks: although the plural is used in Revised Standard Version here, the words are the same as in 1.2, where they are translated as singular in form.

That pass under the herdsman’s staff: according to Jewish commentators, this expression is an allusion to the way in which animals were selected for the tithe. The animals were counted as they passed single file under the staff of the herdsman. Every tenth animal was marked with a red colored stick, to show that it had been chosen for the tithe. If this image can be retained in the receptor-language translation while at the same time clearly conveying the idea of counting, then this will probably be better. But the details of the actual procedure are less important than the fact that one of every ten animals was to be designated as belonging to the LORD. One possible formulation may be “When you count your animals, cattle, sheep or goats, every tenth animal must be marked as belonging to the LORD.”

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 .