Note that this verse has been restructured in Good News Translation. This may be a good model for other languages to follow.

A bull or a lamb: the first word used here is not restricted in meaning to the male of the species, but may also include females. New International Version has “cow,” and both Good News Translation and Moffatt have the still more general word “animal” to cover both terms used here.

A part too long or too short: see 21.18. The first term indicates a limb that is overgrown or out of proper proportion. The meaning of the second term is uncertain. Both the Greek and Latin versions have “which have their tail cut off,” but this seems far too limited. It probably carries the meaning of retarded or arrested growth of any body part. These two terms seem to refer to conditions due to birth defects rather than resulting from accidents as alluded to in the previous verse.

It cannot be accepted: see verse 20.

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 .