And the LORD said to Moses: See 1.1.

Put back the rod of Aaron before the testimony: For before the testimony, which Good News Bible renders “in front of the Covenant Box,” see verse 4.

To be kept as a sign for the rebels: The Hebrew term for sign is the same as in 16.38 and should be rendered the same here. This is a key concept in chapters 16–17: here was another visible warning and reminder that the LORD’s authority and that of his chosen leaders must not be contested. Rebels is literally “sons of rebellion.”

That you may make an end of their murmurings against me: See verse 5, where the same Hebrew noun for murmurings is used. Revised Standard Version follows the reading in the Hebrew text for this clause. New Jewish Publication Society Version changes the text slightly to read “so that their mutterings against Me may cease” (similarly Good News Bible, De Nieuwe Bijbelvertaling). We recommend the reading in the Hebrew text (so also Hebrew Old Testament Text Project).

Lest they die is literally “and they will not die.” PV renders this clause and the previous one as a separate sentence, saying “This way, you will stop the words they say against me, and they will not risk dying.”

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 .