But Moses said: But renders well the Hebrew waw conjunction at the beginning of this verse since Moses finds it hard to believe that the LORD will find enough meat to feed all the Israelites for a whole month.

The people among whom I am number six hundred thousand on foot: Six hundred thousand on foot is literally “six hundred thousand foot soldiers” (compare Exo 12.37), so this phrase probably refers to only the number of the adult males. It does not include the women and children. Contemporary English Version translates “six hundred thousand grown men.” Good News Translation says simply “600,000 people,” which does not seem adequate. For the possible meaning of the Hebrew word for thousand (ʾelef) as “contingent” or “division” at an earlier stage in the transmission of the Hebrew text, see the comments on 1.20-46.

And thou hast said, ‘I will give them meat, that they may eat a whole month!’: See verses 18-20.

Contemporary English Version expresses well the doubt in Moses’ mind here by rendering this verse as follows:

• Moses replied, “At least six hundred thousand grown men are here with me. How can you say there will be enough meat to feed them and their families for a whole month?

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 .