Then the LORD said to Aaron introduces what the LORD said next to Aaron. See verse 1.

And behold, I have given you whatever is kept of the offerings made to me …: The conjunction And may be omitted at the beginning of this speech (so Good News Bible). The Hebrew expression rendered behold, I have given has the same emphatic and performative construction as the one translated “behold, I have taken” in verse 6 (see the comments there). It draws attention to the LORD and what he does. Revised English Bible provides a good model here by beginning this clause with “I, the LORD, commit….” Another possibility is “Listen, I hereby give….” (similarly New Jewish Publication Society Version, Bible en français courant, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, De Nieuwe Bijbelvertaling). The Hebrew pronoun for you is singular, referring to Aaron. Whatever is kept renders the Hebrew word mishmeret, which New Revised Standard Version renders more literally as “charge” (see 3.25, where it is suggested that this word may be translated “responsibility”). New Living Translation begins this clause with “I myself have put you in charge….” The offerings made to me is literally “my offerings.” The Hebrew word for offerings is terumah, which has the wide, general meaning of “contribution,” “gift” or “donation,” especially those that go to the priests (see 5.9). Good News Bible renders this phrase as “the special contributions made to me.” Good News Bible also adds “that are not burnt as sacrifices,” which fits the context (verse 9), but this information is not part of verse 8 itself and does not have to be included here.

All the consecrated things of the people of Israel: Revised Standard Version puts this phrase in apposition to the offerings made to me, and so does Budd with “the contributions made to me, namely all the holy things of the people of Israel” (similarly New Revised Standard Version, New Jewish Publication Society Version). However, New International Version places this phrase in the next clause by rendering the first two clauses of God’s speech here as “I myself have put you in charge of the offerings presented to me; all the holy offerings the Israelites give me I give to you…” (similarly De Nieuwe Bijbelvertaling). Translators may place this phrase in either clause. For the Hebrew word rendered consecrated things (qodesh), see 5.9, where it is translated “holy things.” The offerings are holy in the sense that they are offered or dedicated to the LORD. Chewa renders this whole phrase as “the things that the Israelites set aside for me.”

I have given them to you as a portion, and to your sons as a perpetual due: The Hebrew word for portion may be rendered “share” (NCV) or “allotment.” For a good discussion of this word, see A Handbook on Leviticus at Lev 7.35. Perpetual due (literally “prescribed portion of perpetuity”) may be translated “permanent share” (New Living Translation). To you as a portion is parallel to to your sons as a perpetual due. Good News Bible removes the parallelism here by saying “to you and to your descendants as the part assigned to you forever.” Good News Bible renders your sons as “your descendants,” which fits this context better.

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 .