This verse summarizes the work of the priests (that is, Aaron and his sons) at the altar and within the Tabernacle (including both the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place).

And you and your sons with you shall attend to your priesthood for all that concerns the altar and that is within the veil: Since this verse refers to the priests, in contrast to the Levites, the conjunction And is better rendered “But” (Good News Bible). For you and your sons with you, which refers to Aaron and his sons, see verse 1. Good News Bible says “you and your sons alone,” which better expresses the contrast with the Levites. For your priesthood, see verse 1. As there, the Hebrew pronoun for your is plural, referring to Aaron and his sons. Attend to your priesthood may be rendered “serve as priests” (Contemporary English Version). All that concerns the altar refers to “all the priestly rituals associated with the altar” (New Living Translation). New Revised Standard Version renders that is within the veil as “the area behind the curtain,” which is closer to the Hebrew. Good News Bible refers to that area directly, saying “what is in the Most Holy Place.” Another possible model is “what is behind the curtain in the Most Holy Place.” For the veil in front of the Most Holy Place, see 4.5. The priests alone were responsible for all the rituals performed at the altar of sacrifice and everything that went on inside the Tabernacle, daily within the Holy Place and also once a year on the Day of Atonement in the Most Holy Place.

And you shall serve: The Hebrew pronoun for you is plural, referring again to Aaron and his sons. Good News Bible renders this clause as “These things are your responsibility,” and Revised English Bible has “This duty is yours.”

I give your priesthood as a gift: As Revised Standard Version‘s footnote indicates, the Hebrew is literally “I give your priesthood as a service of gift.” Contemporary English Version provides a helpful model here, saying “Your work as priests is a gift from me.” In some languages gift is better rendered “blessing,” which refers to a special benefit bestowed by God.

And any one else who comes near shall be put to death is literally “and the stranger/foreigner/outsider who approaches/encroaches shall be put to death” (see the comments on 3.10). In this context any one else refers to anyone who is not a descendant of Aaron, including any Levite (compare verse 4). In some languages a location will need to be specified after the verb phrase comes near. Good News Bible does this by saying “comes near the sacred objects,” which were located at the Tent of Meeting. For shall be put to death, a just and lawful “execution” should be implied, not “murder” (see 1.51).

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 .