And shall take part of the blood of the bull is literally “and you [singular] shall take from the blood of the young bull.” The horns of the altar are discussed at 27.2. Contemporary English Version‘s translation will be a helpful model for many languages: “Use a finger to smear some of its blood on each of the four corners of the altar.”

And the rest of the blood is literally “and all of the blood,” but “all the rest of the blood” (New Revised Standard Version) is what is meant. You shall pour out is a different verb from verse 7 and suggests more the idea of spilling it. At the base of the altar is literally “unto the foundation of the altar.” This implies that at least some of the blood was to touch the altar. Fox has “you are to throw against the foundation of the altar.” If this is correct, both Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version seem to give the wrong picture. Another way to express this is “then take the rest of the blood and throw it down against the bottom of the altar.”

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 .