Let not the tribe of the families of the Kohathites be destroyed from among the Levites: The Kohathites were actually not a tribe but a large subdivision of the tribe of Levi. Families renders the Hebrew word mishpachah, which is better translated “clans” (Bible en français courant; see 1.2). Good News Translation renders the tribe of the families of the Kohathites as “the clan of Kohath,” which we do not recommend since the Kohathites had four clans (see 3.27). New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh provides a better model for this phrase by saying “the group of Kohathite clans.” Be destroyed is literally “be cut off” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), which means “be killed” (Good News Translation) in this context. Good News Translation omits the phrase from among the Levites, but translators should keep it if possible. De Nieuwe Bijbelvertaling provides a good model for verse 18 by saying “Make sure that the Kohathite branch of the Levites is not exterminated.” Another possible model is “Let not the Levite clans of Kohath be destroyed/killed.”

But deal thus with them, that they may live and not die when they come near to the most holy things: This sentence introduces how the Kohathites could survive when they handled the Tabernacle’s most sacred objects. But deal thus with them may be rendered “But let them follow this procedure.” For the most holy things, see 4.4. Good News Translation renders verses 18-19a as “Do not let the clan of Kohath 19 be killed by coming near these most sacred objects,” which may be misleading. The point is not that the Kohathite clans were not allowed to come near the most holy objects. They had to come near these objects, but only in the specified manner. Verses 18-20 regulate how they could survive while they carried out their awesome tasks.

Aaron and his sons shall go in and appoint them each to his task and to his burden means Aaron and his sons had to enter the Tabernacle with their fellow Kohathites and assign each one a sacred object to carry. Burden renders the Hebrew word massaʾ (see verse 15). The difference between task and burden is conveyed by Good News Translation, which renders this clause as “Aaron and his sons shall go in and assign each man his task and tell him what to carry.”

Quoted with permission from de Regt, Lénart J. and Wendland, Ernst R. A Handbook on Numbers. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .