But all the congregation said to stone them with stones: The Israelites threatened to stone some of their leaders to death for trying to convince them to obey the LORD. Ironically, such severe punishment was reserved for major religious offenses and breeches of the covenant (see, for example, 15.36; Lev 20.2, 27; 24.23; Deut 13.10; 21.21; 22.21). The Hebrew waw conjunction (literally “And”) begins this clause, which Revised Standard Version and many other translations render But since the Israelite community was acting against the advice of Joshua and Caleb. For all the congregation, which is better rendered “The whole community” (Good News Translation), see verse 1. The verb said may be rendered “threatened” (Contemporary English Version) or “was threatening” (Good News Translation) since the people were just about to commit murder, right before the LORD. Good News Translation renders to stone them with stones as “to stone them to death” to avoid redundancy in English and to make the purpose of the stoning explicit. The Hebrew words for stone and stones do not come from the same root. It is not clear whom the Israelites threatened to stone to death. For some commentators and translations the pronoun them refers to “Moses and Aaron” (Contemporary English Version, Die Bibel: Einheitsübersetzung der Heiligen Schrift) or “Joshua and Caleb” (New Living Translation, Parole de Vie, Alter, Noth, Rashi). It is also possible that it refers to all four of them. The text does not make clear the referent for this pronoun, so we advise translators to leave it open. If a choice has to be made, “Joshua and Caleb” is more plausible, since they are more outspoken in this chapter than Moses and Aaron. Besides, they have just spoken up to contradict the majority of spies.

Then the glory of the LORD appeared at the tent of meeting to all the people of Israel: In Revised Standard Version this sentence begins a new paragraph, but Good News Translation connects it closely with what precedes, beginning with “but suddenly….” Good News Translation‘s connection here corresponds more closely with what the Hebrew word order and verb type express. If a new paragraph is needed after the speech of Joshua and Caleb, then it should begin at the start of verse 10 (so New International Version, NET Bible). The glory of the LORD may be understood as “the dazzling light of the LORD’s presence” (Good News Translation). Rashi noted that this phrase refers to the cloud mentioned in 9.15-23. Translators should refer to this divine manifestation in a consistent way. At or “in” (De Nieuwe Bijbelvertaling, Alter) is an accurate translation of the Hebrew preposition b in the phrase at the tent of meeting. Even inside the Tabernacle, the dazzling light of the LORD’s presence would have been visible to everyone. Good News Translation says “over the Tent,” which seems to follow only the Septuagint. For the tent of meeting, see 1.1. In this context the sudden appearance of the LORD’s majesty would indicate that some calamity was about to befall the people on account of their rebellious behavior.

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 .