Verses 1 and 2 serve as an introduction to the entire section from 4.1 through 5.13.

And the LORD said to Moses: literally “And the LORD spoke to Moses saying.” In this verse there are two different words meaning “speak” and “say.” In most languages this is considered repetitious, and one of the words is omitted as in Revised Standard Version. If, however, such an introductory formula is natural in the receptor language, then it should be used in translation. Good News Translation has rendered it even more dynamically with “The LORD commanded Moses to tell…,” because verse 2 begins with another verb with the same meaning. This formula is repeated more than thirty times with minor variations throughout the book of Leviticus. Compare 1.1.

Say: the same as the first verb in verse 1, but imperative in form. In Revised Standard Version this begins a direct quotation of what the LORD said to Moses, but in Good News Translation the entire section is translated as an indirect quotation. The usual practice of the receptor language should determine whether direct or indirect discourse is to be used here. It is very important to make proper adjustments in the text if indirect discourse is chosen. Similarly, if direct discourse is used, it may sound unnatural in many languages to have the LORD speaking of himself in the third person. It would be more natural to say “I, the LORD” or simply “I.”

People of Israel: literally “sons of Israel.” This could also be translated simply “Israelites.” But it should be determined whether or not the receptor language distinguishes between “Israelites” (the people of ancient Israel) and “Israelis” (citizens of the modern State of Israel founded in 1948).

Any one: the traditional translation of the word used here is “a soul” (see King James Version). But it actually has a wide variety of meanings throughout Scripture and may be translated according to its context as “person,” “self,” “soul,” “life,” “breath,” “throat,” or “corpse.” Each occurrence of the word must be translated according to the particular context in which it is found. In this context it clearly means “person,” which may be translated as “someone,” “anyone,” or “any person.”

Sins: the primary meaning of the Hebrew word used for “sin” here is not a moral one, as if breaking a specific commandment of the Law. It conveys rather the idea of breaking a relationship. At the heart of its meaning is the notion of “missing the mark,” or “failure to attain something,” or “to be out of harmony with someone,” or “not to be in a normal and right relationship with someone.” In this case, it is God that has been harmed.

Unwittingly: that is, involuntarily or unintentionally. The word comes from a root which means “to wander” or “to get lost.” Both New American Bible and New English Bible translate “inadvertently,” while Moffatt speaks of “sinning unawares.” The problem of unintentional sin versus deliberate sin is treated in more detail in Numbers 15.30-36.

Which the LORD has commanded not to be done: taken literally, this would seem to refer to prohibitions or the commandments that are formulated negatively (such as “Do not commit murder” or “Do not steal”), in opposition to those commandments framed in positive terms (such as “Respect your father and your mother…”). But the idea may be a disregard for any of the LORD’s commandments. However, most versions retain the negative meaning: “does what is forbidden” (New International Version) or “does anything prohibited…” (New English Bible).

In Good News Translation the words “would have to observe the following rules” have been added. This idea is implied in the text and serves to introduce the rather long section dealing with the various cases that are described in the following verses. A similar phrase may be necessary in a number of other languages.

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 .