And the people came to Moses, and said: Since this quote frame introduces a confession of sin by the surviving Israelites, the generic verb said may be rendered “confessed” or “admitted” (Contemporary English Version). Another appropriate verb here is “cried out” (New Living Translation), since the people also ask Moses to pray that God will take away the poisonous snakes.

We have sinned: Aaron made this same confession in 12.11 (see the comments there), so translators should use similar language here.

For we have spoken against the LORD and against you: See verse 5. The Hebrew particle ki rendered for introduces how the Israelites sinned. Good News Translation translates it “when,” which fits well here.

Pray to the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us: In Hebrew this is not a blunt command to Moses. The people politely ask Moses to pray that the LORD remove the snakes. Contemporary English Version provides a helpful model here, saying “Now please ask him [the LORD] to make these snakes go away.”

So Moses prayed for the people may be rendered “So Moses prayed to the LORD on behalf of [or, for the benefit of] the people.”

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 .