Then you shall deposit them in the tent of meeting before the testimony: Deposit them may be rendered “Place them” (New Revised Standard Version) or “put them” (Good News Bible). The pronoun them refers to the thirteen walking sticks, which Contemporary English Version makes explicit by saying “these sticks.” For the tent of meeting, see 1.1. As explained at 1.50, the Hebrew word for the testimony (haʿedut) does not refer to the LORD’s presence directly, but more indirectly to the verbal text of the covenant, the Ten Commandments, written on the two stone tablets, which were kept in the ark (the covenant chest) as a testimony and solemn reminder of God’s faithfulness to his people. These tablets are called “the two tables of the testimony” in Exo 31.18; 32.15, and simply “the testimony” in Exo 25.16, 21. The phrase “the ark of the testimony” occurs in Exo 25.22; 26.33-34. Translators should maintain consistent wording with reference to these important religious objects. New Jewish Publication Society Version renders before the testimony as “before the Pact.” If this rendering is considered too abstract, translators may say “in front of the Covenant Box” (Good News Bible) or “before the Box of Testimony” (Chewa).

Where I meet with you: In some languages it may be more natural to translate “where I usually [or, regularly] meet with you.” The Hebrew pronoun for you is plural, referring to the people of Israel as a whole. The Septuagint and the Vulgate have a singular second person pronoun, referring to “Moses,” but we recommend the reading in the Hebrew text with the plural pronoun (so also Hebrew Old Testament Text Project).

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 .