Now this is what you shall do to them is literally “And this is the thing [davar] that you [singular] shall do to them.” Translators may begin this new section by saying “The LORD said to Moses, ….” Now this refers to all the instructions that follow, up to verse 38, where Now this is repeated again for the daily offerings. The word davar may mean “word,” “event,” or “thing.” New American Bible has “rite,” Translator’s Old Testament has “ritual,” and Fox has “ceremony.” One may also express this as “Now these are the things that you are to do to….” Them refers to Aaron and his sons. To consecrate them is literally “to make them holy.” This may mean “to dedicate them” (Good News Translation), or “to set them apart” (Durham). (See the comment at 28.41.) That they may serve me as priests is identical with 28.41. (See also the comment at 28.1.) An alternative translation model for the first part of this verse is “The LORD said to Moses, ‘When you ordain [or, install] Aaron and his sons as my priests, you shall….’ ”

Take one young bull is literally “you [singular] take one young bull, son of a cow.” The words “son of a cow” seem to be unnecessary, for a young bull is, of course, a “son of a cow.” But New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh has “a young bull of the herd,” and Fox has “a steer, a young-one of the herd.” The word for young bull (par) is not the same as that used for “ox” (shor), which is a more generic Hebrew term for a fully grown bovine, or head of cattle (see 21.28.) The par, though young, was already a mature animal. And two rams means two mature male sheep. (See the comment on “sheep” at 2.16.) Without blemish is one word meaning “whole,” or “complete.” This means “without any defects” (Good News Translation), or “have nothing wrong with them” (Contemporary English Version). This refers to the bull as well as to the rams.

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .