In some languages it may be more appropriate to begin this verse with something like “Therefore you may eat…” or “Here, then, are the ones you may eat:….” The repetition of the phrase according to its kind, as in verses 13-19, may be dropped or left implicit. Although the Hebrew lists four different kinds of insects here, Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation have reduced this to three.

The problem is dealt with in New Jerusalem Bible by borrowing certain Hebrew terms: “the various kinds of solham locust, hargol locust and hagab locust.” But this is not a satisfactory solution in a common language translation. An attempt should be made to find well-known words that correspond more or less to the biblical ideas. If the correspondence is not exact, an explanation may be offered in a footnote. In languages where there are very few words for this type of insect, a more general statement like “the various kinds of crickets and grasshoppers” may be required. It may even be necessary in some languages to say simply “all kinds of grasshoppers,” but this is not advised unless it is impossible to do otherwise.

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 .