complete verse (Leviticus 10:14)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Leviticus 10:14:

  • Kupsabiny: “But the chest which was raised up and the hind leg that was offered, eat it in a clean place. Eat (sing.) that meat together with your sons and daughters because that is the portion which has been prepared for you and your children from the fellowship offerings that the people of Israel has offered.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The breast from the wave offering and the thigh from the special gift, you and your sons and daughters may eat it in any ceremonially clean place. For this is your share of the Fellowship Offering of the Israelites.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “‘The breast and the thigh of the animal that was-lifted-up and offered to the LORD which will-be for the priests [you (plur.)] eat with your (sing.) family. [You (plur.)] eat this in any place which we (incl.) consider clean. These have-been-given to you (plur.) as your share from the offerings of the Israelinhon which (is) for a good relationship.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “But you and your sons and daughters are permitted to eat the breast and the thigh that were lifted up in front of Yahweh. Eat them in any place that is holy/acceptable to him. They have been given to you and your descendants as your share of the offerings to enable the Israelis to maintain fellowship with Yahweh.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Leviticus 10:14

But: this marks the contrast between the requirements for the leftover grain offering in the previous verse and the fellowship offering here.

That is waved: see 7.30.

In any clean place: the Septuagint has “holy” instead of clean here. But this is incorrect, since the text intentionally makes a difference. The grain offering was to be eaten only by the priests and therefore in a “holy” place (beside the altar); but the fellowship offering could be eaten by the entire family of the priest, including the daughters, and therefore could not be in the Holy Place, but could be in any place that was ritually clean. In languages where the word for “holy” is the same as the word for clean, special care should be taken to ensure that the idea of any ritually clean place is conveyed here. The technical term used for “the Holy Place” should be avoided.

Your sons and your daughters: Good News Translation translates this simply as “your children,” but in some languages this may not be adequate to emphasize the fact that daughters as well as sons were permitted to eat of this offering. It may be better to say “your sons and also your daughters,” or “your female children as well as the males,” or “the women in the priestly family as well as the men.” There is no indication elsewhere in the Old Testament that Aaron had any daughters, but there is no proof that he did not. However, this regulation is intended as a general one that is applied to the descendants of Aaron as well as to the immediate situation.

Peace offerings: Good News Translation “fellowship offerings.” See 3.1.

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 .