bronze vessel

The Hebrew in Leviticus 6:28 that is translated as “bronze vessel” in English is translated in Elhomwe with “metal pot,” since bronze is not known. (Source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

complete verse (Leviticus 6:28)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Leviticus 6:28:

  • Kupsabiny: “Every clay pot in which the meat is cooked must be broken, and if the utensil it is cooked in is of bronze, it must be rubbed/polished and rinsed with water.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “If the flesh was put in a clay pot, that clay pot must be broken into pieces. If it was put in a bronze pot, it must be thoroughly washed with water.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The clay-pot which is-used-to-boil that offering must be-broken, but if this is-boiled in a metal-pot this pot is-to-be-scrubbed and rinsed/washed with water.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “If the meat is cooked in a clay pot, the pot must be broken afterwards. But if it is cooked in a bronze pot, the pot must be scoured afterwards and rinsed with water.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Leviticus 6:27 - 6:28

These two verses, which interrupt the logical progression from verse 26 to verse 29, develop the theme of the danger of contamination by contact with what is “holy.”

Whatever: as in verse 18, the word may mean either Whatever (Revised Standard Version) or “Whoever” (Moffatt), or both of these at the same time. Good News Translation has taken the latter interpretation, and this is probably correct. Some languages, like Hebrew, may have a single word which refers to both humans and nonhumans.

Shall be holy: that is, shall suffer harmful consequences due to the effect of the positive taboo, since the meat was set aside for God and his special servants alone. See verse 18.

You shall wash: the subject is second person singular in Hebrew, but the person referred to is not clear. It may have a passive meaning as indicated in the Good News Translation rendering. In those languages that do not have passives, the translator should look for an impersonal form such as “they [undetermined] shall wash…” or “someone shall wash….”

That on which it was sprinkled: or “anything that has been stained by the blood” or “that has blood on it.”

In a holy place: that is, in a special place set aside for this purpose. It was probably in the courtyard of the Tent of the LORD’s presence, as in verse 26.

It may be better to restructure verse 28 so that each part begins with a conditional particle: “If it is washed in a clay pot … But if it is washed in a bronze (or, metal) container….”

The earthen vessel: a container made of clay. In ancient times pottery was made by shaping clay on a wheel and then baking the object in a kind of oven. If this kind of container were used for boiling the meat of the sacrifice, it could not be used for any further purpose and would have to be destroyed.

It is boiled: the pronoun it may be understood to refer to the article of clothing mentioned in verse 27, since in some cultures clothes are washed by boiling, and the referent is not clear in Revised Standard Version. But the reference is almost certainly to the meat of the sacrifice. This should be made clear in the receptor language.

A bronze vessel: a container made of metal. Bronze is a mixture of copper and tin. In some cultures there may be no word for bronze, so it is advisable to use a more general term like “metal.” What is important in this context is to distinguish clearly between those containers made of metal and those made of clay. Metal containers could be scoured and rinsed so that the “holiness” of the sacrifice they contained could be removed without destroying the container. This was not the case with a clay container. Note that all the accessories of the altar were made of bronze (Exo 38.3).

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 .