Take a bunch of hyssop refers to a small plant sometimes called “marjoram” (Revised English Bible, Translator’s Old Testament, Moffatt). It has small white flowers in bunches at the end of the stem, so a “sprig” (Good News Translation) of it could be used as a brush for daubing. The botanical accuracy, however, is not important, especially if the plant is not known in the receptor culture. One may say “Take a small, bushy plant,” or “Take some hyssop grass.” And dip it in the blood refers to the blood of the slain animal. The basin has not yet been mentioned, but it obviously refers to “the bowl containing the animal’s blood” (Good News Translation). Translators should use a term for basin or “bowl” that describes some common container in the receptor culture that would naturally be used to hold water or even blood. (Good News Translation‘s footnote shows another possible meaning of the Hebrew word for basin, but most scholars understand it as “bowl.”)

The lintel and the two doorposts are explained in the comment on verse 7. Touch should probably be changed to “smear” (Revised English Bible), “apply” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), or “wipe” in this context, since the blood was to be clearly seen by the LORD (verse 23).

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 .