complete verse (Leviticus 24:21)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Leviticus 24:21:

  • Kupsabiny: “A person who has killed an animal is to compensate for it and the one who has killed a person is to be killed.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The one who kills an animal must pay for its replacement. But the one who kills a person must be killed.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Whoever kills an animal he must replace/(make-an-exchange-for) this, but the-one-who kills a person must also be-killed.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Whoever kills another person’s animal must give that person a live animal to replace the one that he killed, but anyone who murders another person must be executed.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Leviticus 24:21

He who kills a beast shall make it good: see verse 18.

He who kills a man shall be put to death: see verse 17.

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 .