The LORD said to Moses and Aaron: See the comments on 1.1. Said is literally “spoke … saying.” This verse introduces the LORD’s direct speech of verses 2-31. Revised Standard Version marks his speech clearly through the use of quotation marks at the beginning of verse 2 and at the end of verse 31 (so also Bible en français courant, Bijbel in Gewone Taal). Good News Translation does not indicate formally that a direct quotation begins in verse 2, but the words themselves clearly suggest this.

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 .