Note that the structure of this verse has been radically altered in Good News Translation. Instead of making the priest the subject of the sentence, he becomes the object of the verbal expression “belongs to.” And the skin of the animal, which is the object of the verb have in Revised Standard Version, becomes the subject of the sentence in Good News Translation (see also New English Bible). Which solution should be adopted in the receptor language will be determined by deciding which structure is more natural sounding. But translators must not automatically follow the form of Good News Translation simply because it is more dynamic in English.

And: in order to make the connection with the previous verse, one may use a stronger transition word. New American Bible has “Similarly….” New Jerusalem Bible renders it “So, too,….” Another possibility is “Also….”

Burnt offering: see 1.4 and the discussion under the section heading at the beginning of chapter 1.

Any man’s burnt offering: some scholars see in this expression an indication that this regulation concerns only the whole burnt offering of a private individual. In this case “for someone” (New American Bible), or “for an individual,” or “for one person” may be appropriate. While most English versions include this detail explicitly, it has been left implicit in Good News Translation. In most languages it will probably be better to make it explicit.

The information given in this verse in unique in all the Old Testament. Nowhere else is any mention made of any part of the whole burnt offering being given to the priest (as a possession rather than as food to be eaten). It should be noted, however, that in 1.8-9 the skin is not specifically mentioned in the list of the parts that are burned on the altar, and that this is not something that can be eaten. Finally, it should be pointed out that the regulation is restricted to a certain kind of whole burnt offering: the expression any man’s burnt offering seems to indicate a sacrifice given by a private individual and probably excludes the regular daily whole burnt offering, which was offered publicly and for the entire community. In that case it is possible that not even the skin belonged to the priest.

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 .