Take a census of the sons of Gershon also …: For Take a census, which is literally “Lift up the head,” see the comments on verse 2. The sons of Gershon refers to “the descendants of Gershon” (Bible en français courant).

By their families and their fathers’ houses: See the comments on verse 2. Good News Translation refers to the sons of Gershon as the “clan of Gershon,” so it has to say “by subclans and families” here. A better model for verse 3 is “Take a census of the descendants of Kohath by their clans and families.”

From thirty years old up to fifty years old may be rendered “between the ages of thirty and fifty” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version).

You shall number them: Number renders the Hebrew verb paqad (see the comments on 1.3). It is better translated “register” (Good News Translation), “enroll” (New Revised Standard Version), or “Record” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh).

All who can enter for service renders a similar Hebrew expression translated “all who can enter the service” in verse 3 (see the comments there). As there, this clause is better rendered “all who are subject to service” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) and “all who are eligible to service” (similarly New Living Translation).

To do the work in the tent of meeting: To do the work (literally “to serve/render service”) renders a different Hebrew phrase than the one used in verse 3 (see the comments there). The expression here focuses on submissive work. It seems to underscore the fact that the responsibilities of the Gershonites were indeed less central and perhaps more subordinate than those of the Kohathites. For the tent of meeting, see 1.1.

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 .