And Moses and Aaron came to the front of the tent of meeting: The conjunction And may be rendered “Then” (New Revised Standard Version) or “At that [immediate point in] time” (Chewa). It introduces the next event. The front of the tent of meeting may be translated “the entrance of the Tent of Meeting.”

And the LORD said to Moses: See 1.1.

Get away from the midst of this congregation is literally “Lift yourselves from the midst of this community.” The Hebrew verb here is plural, referring to Moses and Aaron. This verb may be rendered “Withdraw” or “Separate yourselves.” More expressive translations in English are “Stand back!” (Contemporary English Version) and “Stand well clear” (Revised English Bible). This congregation is better translated “this community” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh; see 1.2)

That I may consume them in a moment: See the comments on verse 21.

And they fell on their faces: The pronoun they refers to Moses and Aaron. Good News Translation makes this clear by saying “The two of them,” and so does New Century Version with “Moses and Aaron.” For fell on their faces, see verse 4 and 14.5.

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 .