In this verse Moses quotes what the other nations will say about the LORD, so it is a quote within a quote. Good News Translation uses indirect speech here, but in some languages direct speech, even when embedded, makes more of an impression on the listener.

Because the LORD was not able to bring this people into the land which he swore to give to them: Once again this people refers to the Israelites (see verse 11). For the land which he swore to give them, see 11.12.

Therefore he has slain them in the wilderness: Good News Translation renders slain as “killed,” but the Hebrew verb here is stronger and really means “slaughtered” or “butchered.” The other nations will be saying this to mock the LORD. For the Hebrew word rendered wilderness (midbar), see 1.1.

Good News Translation inverts the clause order of this verse, giving the result before the reason. This may be a more natural ordering in other languages as well.

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 .