They said: The pronoun they refers to the family leaders of the clan of Gilead (verse 1). They are speaking to Moses and the other clan leaders of Israel. These leaders are voicing their concern in verses 2-4. Translators may begin a new sentence here.
The LORD commanded my lord: The deferential title my lord (ʾadoniy in Hebrew) refers to Moses, as in 11.28 and 32.25 (see the comments there). The clan leaders of Gilead use the singular pronoun my, which refers to themselves, to indicate that they are speaking “with one voice.” In languages where this singular pronoun will not be natural, translators may render my lord as “you, our lord/master” (Chewa) or “you, sir” (Revised English Bible) to express the speakers’ deference. Good News Translation uses only the pronoun “you,” which does not express the deference; in fact, just the opposite is the case and their statement sounds rather rude in English.
To give the land for inheritance by lot to the people of Israel: With this statement the Gileadites are not yet raising the main point of their case; that only comes in the next sentence. Instead of the verb give, it may be better to say “distribute” (Good News Translation) or “divide” (New Living Translation) in this context. For the Hebrew word rendered inheritance (nachalah), see the comments on at 16.14. For by lot, see 26.55, where Good News Translation translates “by drawing lots” as well. New Living Translation says “by sacred lot,” which other languages may find helpful.
And my lord was commanded by the LORD to give the inheritance of Zelophehad our brother to his daughters: The Gileadites now come to their main point: the case of Zelophehad’s daughters (27.1-11). Good News Translation uses the adverb “also” to convey this. The passive verb was commanded may be awkward in some languages. Good News Translation uses an active verb by beginning this sentence with “He [the LORD] also commanded you…” (similarly Parole de Vie, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, SPCL). However, this rendering seems to ignore the difference that exists in the Hebrew between this passive clause near the end of the verse (my lord was commanded by the LORD) and the active clause near the beginning (The LORD commanded my lord). This difference is taken into account by Contemporary Russian Version, which renders the passive clause as “You, our lord, received from the LORD the command….” Die Bibel: Einheitsübersetzung der Heiligen Schrift is similar with “But my lord also received from the LORD the command….” In these two models the passive clause differs from the active one. However, if translators consider having the active form in both clauses the best stylistic choice in their language, they may want to bring out the relation between the two clauses as follows: “When the LORD commanded … he also commanded…” (similarly Bible en français courant), which makes the second clause the main clause.
In languages in which brother refers only to a younger or older sibling, it is better rendered “relative” (Good News Translation), “kinsman” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), or “clan member” in this context.
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 .