Imamat 2:1

Grain Offering Regulations: Offering of Raw Flour

2:1 “‘When a person presents a grain offering ¹  to the Lord, his offering must consist of choice wheat flour, ²  and he must pour olive oil on it and put frankincense ³  on it.

Imamat 4:2

4:2 “Tell the Israelites, ‘When a person sins by straying unintentionally ⁴  from any of the Lord’s commandments which must not be violated, and violates any ⁵  one of them ⁶  –

Imamat 4:28

4:28 or his sin that he committed ⁷  is made known to him, ⁸  he must bring a flawless female goat ⁹  as his offering for the sin ¹⁰  that he committed.

Imamat 5:3

5:3 or when he touches human uncleanness with regard to anything by which he can become unclean, ¹¹  even if he did not realize it, but he himself has later come to know it and is guilty;

Imamat 13:2

13:2 “When someone has ¹²  a swelling ¹³  or a scab ¹⁴  or a bright spot ¹⁵  on the skin of his body ¹⁶  that may become a diseased infection, ¹⁷  he must be brought to Aaron the priest or one of his sons, the priests. ¹⁸ 

Imamat 13:5

13:5 The priest must then examine it on the seventh day, and if, ¹⁹  as far as he can see, the infection has stayed the same ²⁰  and has not spread on the skin, ²¹  then the priest is to quarantine the person for another seven days. ²² 

Imamat 13:30

13:30 the priest is to examine the infection, ²³  and if ²⁴  it appears to be deeper than the skin ²⁵  and the hair in it is reddish yellow and thin, then the priest is to pronounce the person unclean. ²⁶  It is scall, ²⁷  a disease of the head or the beard. ²⁸ 

Imamat 13:49

13:49 if the infection ²⁹  in the garment or leather or warp or woof or any article of leather is yellowish green or reddish, it is a diseased infection and it must be shown to the priest.

Imamat 15:18-19

15:18 When a man has sexual intercourse with a woman and there is a seminal emission, ³⁰  they must bathe in water and be unclean until evening.

Female Bodily Discharges

15:19 “‘When a woman has a discharge ³¹  and her discharge is blood from her body, ³²  she is to be in her menstruation ³³  seven days, and anyone who touches her will be unclean until evening.

Imamat 20:12-14

20:12 If a man has sexual intercourse with his daughter-in-law, both of them must be put to death. They have committed perversion; ³⁴  their blood guilt is on themselves. 20:13 If a man has sexual intercourse with a male as one has sexual intercourse with a woman, ³⁵  the two of them have committed an abomination. They must be put to death; their blood guilt is on themselves. 20:14 If a man has sexual intercourse with both a woman and her mother, ³⁶  it is lewdness. ³⁷  Both he and they must be burned to death, ³⁸  so there is no lewdness in your midst.

Imamat 20:16

20:16 If a woman approaches any animal to have sexual intercourse with it, ³⁹  you must kill the woman, and the animal must be put to death; their blood guilt is on themselves.

Imamat 20:18

20:18 If a man has sexual intercourse with a menstruating woman and uncovers her nakedness, he has laid bare her fountain of blood and she has exposed the fountain of her blood, so both of them ⁴⁰  must be cut off from the midst of their people.

Imamat 20:20

20:20 If a man has sexual intercourse with his aunt, he has exposed his uncle’s nakedness; they must bear responsibility for their sin, they will die childless.

Imamat 22:14

22:14 “‘If a man eats a holy offering by mistake, ⁴¹  he must add one fifth to it and give the holy offering to the priest. ⁴² 

Imamat 24:16

24:16 and one who misuses ⁴³  the name of the Lord must surely be put to death. The whole congregation must surely stone him, whether he is a foreigner or a native citizen; when he misuses the Name he must be put to death.

Imamat 25:20

25:20 If you say, ‘What will we eat in the seventh year if we do not sow and gather our produce?’

Imamat 25:25

25:25 “‘If your brother becomes impoverished and sells some of his property, his near redeemer is to come to you and redeem what his brother sold. ⁴⁴ 

Imamat 25:29

Release of Houses

25:29 “‘If a man sells a residential house in a walled city, ⁴⁵  its right of redemption must extend ⁴⁶  until one full year from its sale; ⁴⁷  its right of redemption must extend to a full calendar year. ⁴⁸ 

Imamat 25:49

25:49 or his uncle or his cousin ⁴⁹  may redeem him, or anyone of the rest of his blood relatives – his family ⁵⁰  – may redeem him, or if ⁵¹  he prospers he may redeem himself.

Imamat 27:14

Redemption of Vowed Houses

27:14 “‘If a man consecrates his house as holy to the Lord, the priest will establish its conversion value, whether good or bad. Just as the priest establishes its conversion value, thus it will stand. ⁵² 

[2:1]  ¹ sn The “grain offering” ( מִנְחָה[minkhah]; here קָרְבַּן מִנְחָה, [qorbban minkhah], “an offering of a grain offering”) generally accompanied a burnt or peace offering to supplement the meat with bread (the libation provided the drink; cf. Num 15:1-10), thus completing the food “gift” to the Lord. It made atonement (see the note on Lev 1:4) along with the burnt offering (e.g., Lev 14:20) or alone as a sin offering for the poor (Lev 5:11-13).

[2:1]  ² tn The Hebrew term for “choice wheat flour” (סֹלֶת, selet) is often translated “fine flour” (cf. KJV, NAB, NIV, NCV), but it refers specifically to wheat as opposed to barley (B. A. Levine, Leviticus [JPSTC], 10). Moreover, the translation “flour” might be problematic, since the Hebrew term may designate the “grits” rather than the more finely ground “flour” (see J. Milgrom, Leviticus [AB], 1:179 as opposed to Levine, 10, and J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 30).

[2:1]  ³ sn This is not just any “incense” (קְטֹרֶת, qÿtoret; R. E. Averbeck, NIDOTTE 3:913-16), but specifically “frankincense” (לְבֹנָה, lÿvonah; R. E. Averbeck, NIDOTTE 2:756-57).

[4:2]  ⁴ tn Heb “And a person, when he sins in straying.” The English translation of “by straying” (בִּשְׁגָגָה [bishgagah] literally, “in going astray; in making an error”) varies greatly, but almost all suggest that this term refers to sins that were committed by mistake or done not knowing that the particular act was sinful (J. Milgrom, Leviticus [AB], 1:228-29). See, e.g., LXX “involuntarily”; Tg. Onq. “by neglect”; KJV “through ignorance”; ASV, RSV, NJPS “unwittingly”; NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT “unintentionally”; NAB, NEB “inadvertently”; NCV “by accident.” However, we know from Num 15:27-31 that committing a sin “by straying” is the opposite of committing a sin “defiantly” (i.e., בְּיַד רָמָה [bÿyad ramah] “with a raised hand,” v. 30). In the latter case the person, as it were, raises his fist in presumptuous defiance against the Lord. Thus, he “blasphemes” the Lord and has “despised” his word, for which he should be “cut off from among his people” (Num 15:30-31). One could not bring an offering for such a sin. The expression here in Lev 4:2 combines “by straying” with the preposition “from” which fits naturally with “straying” (i.e., “straying from” the Lord’s commandments). For sins committed “by straying” from the commandments (Lev 4 throughout) or other types of transgressions (Lev 5:1-6) there was indeed forgiveness available through the sin offering. See R. E. Averbeck, NIDOTTE 2:94-95.

[4:2]  ⁵ tn This is an emphatic use of the preposition מִן (min; see R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 56-57, §325).

[4:2]  ⁶ tn The “when” clause (כִּי, ki) breaks off here before its resolution, thus creating an open-ended introduction to the following subsections, which are introduced by “if” (אִם [’im] vv. 3, 13, 27, 32). Also, the last part of the verse reads literally, “which must not be done and does from one from them.”

[4:28]  ⁷ tn Heb “or his sin which he sinned is made known to him”; cf. NCV “when that person learns about his sin.”

[4:28]  ⁸ tn Lev 4:27b-28a is essentially the same as 4:22b-23a (see the notes there).

[4:28]  ⁹ tn Heb “a she-goat of goats, a female without defect”; NAB “an unblemished she-goat.”

[4:28]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “on his sin.”

[5:3]  ¹¹ tn Heb “or if he touches uncleanness of mankind to any of his uncleanness which he becomes unclean in it.”

[13:2]  ¹² tn Heb “A man, if [or when] he has….” The term for “a man, human being” (אָדָם, ’adam; see the note on Lev 1:2) in this case refers to any person among “mankind,” male or female, since either could be afflicted with infections on the skin.

[13:2]  ¹³ tn Some of the terms for disease or symptoms of disease in this chapter present difficulties for the translator. Most modern English versions render the Hebrew term שְׂאֵת (sÿ’et) as “swelling,” which has been retained here (see the explanation in J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 189). Some have argued that “deeper (עָמֹק, ’amoq) than the skin of his body” in v. 3 means that “this sore was lower than the surrounding skin” (J. Milgrom, Leviticus [AB], 1:773), in which case “swelling” would be an inappropriate translation of שְׂאֵת in v. 2. Similarly, שְׂאֵת also occurs in v. 19, and then v. 20 raises the issue of whether or not it appears to be “lower (שָׁפָל, shafal) than the skin” (cf. also 14:37 for a mark on the wall of a house), which may mean that the sore sinks below the surface of the skin rather than protruding above it as a swelling would (B. A. Levine, Leviticus [JPSTC], 76-77). Thus, one could translate here, for example, “discoloration” (so Milgrom and II שְׂאֵת “spot, blemish on the skin” in HALOT 1301 s.v. II שְׂאֵת) or “local inflammation, boil, mole” (so Levine). However, one could interpret “lower” as “deeper,” i.e., visibly extending below the surface of the skin into the deeper layers as suggested by J. E. Hartley, Leviticus (WBC), 188, 192. “Swelling” often extends deeply below the surface of the skin, it is certainly a common symptom of skin diseases, and the alternation of these two terms (i.e., “deeper” and “lower”) in vv. 25-26 below shows that they both refer to the same phenomenon (see also the note on v. 20 below), so it is retained in the present translation.

[13:2]  ¹⁴ tn The etymology and meaning of this term is unknown. It could mean “scab” (KJV, ASV, NASB) or possibly “rash” (NIV, NLT), “flaking skin,” or an “eruption” (NRSV) of some sort.

[13:2]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “shiny spot” or “white spot,” but to render this term “white spot” in this chapter would create redundancy in v. 4 where the regular term for “white” occurs alongside this word for “bright spot.”

[13:2]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “in the skin of his flesh” as opposed to the head or the beard (v. 29).

[13:2]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “a mark [or stroke; or plague] of disease.” In some places in this context (vv. 2, 3) it could be translated “a contagious skin disease.” Although the Hebrew term צָרָעַת (tsara’at) rendered here “diseased” is translated in many English versions as “leprosy,” it does not refer to Hanson’s disease, which is the modern technical understanding of the term “leprosy” (HALOT 1057 s.v. צָרְעַת a). There has been much discussion of the proper meaning of the term and the disease(s) to which it may refer (see, e.g., J. Milgrom, Leviticus [AB], 1:774-76, 816-26; J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 187-89; and the literature cited by them). The further description of the actual condition in the text suggests that the regulations are concerned with any kind of infectious diseases that are observable on the surface of the skin and, in addition to that, penetrate below the surface of the skin (vv. 3-4) or spread further across the surface of the skin (vv. 5-8). It is true that, in the OT, the term “disease” is often associated specifically with white “scaly” skin diseases that resemble the wasting away of the skin after death (see Milgrom who, in fact, translates “scale disease”; cf., e.g., Exod 4:6-7 and Num 12:9-12, esp. v. 12), but here it appears to be a broader term for any skin disease that penetrates deep or spreads far on the body. Scaly skin diseases would be included in this category, but also other types. Thus, a “swelling,” “scab,” or “bright spot” on the skin might be a symptom of disease, but not necessarily so. In this sense, “diseased” is a technical term. The term “infection” can apply to any “mark” on the skin whether it belongs to the category of “disease” or not (compare and contrast v. 3, where the “infection” is not “diseased,” with v. 4, where the “infection” is found to be “diseased”).

[13:2]  ¹⁸ tn Or “it shall be reported to Aaron the priest.” This alternative rendering may be better in light of the parallel use of the same expression in Lev 14:2, where the priest had to go outside the camp in order to inspect the person who had been diseased. Since the rendering “he shall be brought to Aaron the priest” might confuse matters there, this expression should be rendered “it shall be reported” both here in 13:2 (cf. also v. 9) and in 14:2. See, however, the further note on 14:2 below, where it is argued that the diseased person would still need to “be brought” to the priest even if this happened outside the camp. Most English versions retain the idea of the afflicted person being “brought” to the priest for inspection.

[13:5]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “and behold” (so KJV, ASV).

[13:5]  ²⁰ tn Heb “the infection has stood in his eyes”; ASV “if in his eyes the plague be at a stay.”

[13:5]  ²¹ tn Although there is no expressed “and” at the beginning of this clause, there is in the corresponding clause of v. 6, so it should be assumed here as well.

[13:5]  ²² tn Heb “a second seven days.”

[13:30]  ²³ tn Heb “and the priest shall see the infection.”

[13:30]  ²⁴ tn Heb “and behold.”

[13:30]  ²⁵ tn Heb “its appearance is deep ‘from’ (comparative מִן, min, “deeper than”) the skin.”

[13:30]  ²⁶ tn This is the declarative Piel of the verb טָמֵא (tame’; cf. the note on v. 3 above).

[13:30]  ²⁷ tn The exact identification of this disease is unknown. Cf. KJV “dry scall”; NASB “a scale”; NIV, NCV, NRSV “an itch”; NLT “a contagious skin disease.” For a discussion of “scall” disease in the hair, which is a crusty scabby disease of the skin under the hair that also affects the hair itself, see J. E. Hartley, Leviticus (WBC), 192-93, and J. Milgrom, Leviticus (AB), 1:793-94. The Hebrew word rendered “scall” (נֶתֶק, neteq) is related to a verb meaning “to tear; to tear out; to tear apart.” It may derive from the scratching and/or the tearing out of the hair or the scales of the skin in response to the itching sensation caused by the disease.

[13:30]  ²⁸ tn Heb “It is scall. It is the disease of the head or the beard.”

[13:49]  ²⁹ tn Heb “and the infection is.” This clause is conditional in force, and is translated as such by almost all English versions.

[15:18]  ³⁰ tn Heb “And a woman who a man lies with her a lying of seed.”

[15:19]  ³¹ tn See the note on Lev 15:2 above.

[15:19]  ³² tn Heb “blood shall be her discharge in her flesh.” The term “flesh” here refers euphemistically to the female sexual area (cf. the note on v. 2 above).

[15:19]  ³³ tn See the note on Lev 12:2 and R. E. Averbeck, NIDOTTE 1:925-27.

[20:12]  ³⁴ tn The Hebrew term תֶּבֶל (tevel, “perversion”) derives from the verb “to mix; to confuse” (cf. KJV, ASV “they have wrought confusion”).

[20:13]  ³⁵ tn Heb “[as the] lyings of a woman.” The specific reference here is to homosexual intercourse between males.

[20:14]  ³⁶ tn Heb “And a man who takes a woman and her mother.” The Hebrew verb “to take” in this context means “to engage in sexual intercourse.”

[20:14]  ³⁷ tn Regarding “lewdness,” see the note on Lev 18:17 above.

[20:14]  ³⁸ tn Heb “in fire they shall burn him and them.” The active plural verb sometimes requires a passive translation (GKC 460 §144.f, g), esp. when no active plural subject has been expressed in the context. The present translation specifies “burned to death” because the traditional rendering “burnt with fire” (KJV, ASV; NASB “burned with fire”) could be understood to mean “branded” or otherwise burned, but not fatally.

[20:16]  ³⁹ tn Heb “to copulate with it” (cf. Lev 20:16).

[20:18]  ⁴⁰ tn Heb “and the two of them.”

[22:14]  ⁴¹ tn Heb “And a man, if he eats a holy thing in error” (see the Lev 4:2 not on “straying,” which is the term rendered “by mistake” here).

[22:14]  ⁴² sn When a person trespassed in regard to something sacred to the Lord, reparation was to be made for the trespass, involving restitution of that which was violated plus one fifth of its value as a fine. It is possible that the restoration of the offering and the additional one fifth of its value were made as a monetary payment (see, e.g., B. A. Levine, Leviticus [JPSTC], 150). See the regulations for the “guilt offering” in Lev 5:16; 6:5 [5:24 HT] and the notes there.

[24:16]  ⁴³ sn See the note on v. 11 above.

[25:25]  ⁴⁴ tn Heb “the sale of his brother.”

[25:29]  ⁴⁵ tn Heb “a house of a residence of a walled city.”

[25:29]  ⁴⁶ tn Heb “shall be.”

[25:29]  ⁴⁷ tn Heb “of its sale.”

[25:29]  ⁴⁸ tn Heb “days its right of redemption shall be” (see B. A. Levine, Leviticus [JPSTC], 176).

[25:49]  ⁴⁹ tn Heb “the son of his uncle.”

[25:49]  ⁵⁰ tn Heb “or from the remainder of his flesh from his family.”

[25:49]  ⁵¹ tc The LXX, followed by the Syriac, actually has “if,” which is not in the MT.

[27:14]  ⁵² tn The expression “it shall stand” may be a technical term for “it shall be legally valid”; cf. NLT “assessment will be final.”