This shall be yours of the most holy things, reserved from the fire: The demonstrative pronoun This points forward to the specific offerings mentioned later in the verse. The Hebrew pronoun for yours is singular, still referring to Aaron, though of course his descendants are implied. For the Hebrew phrase rendered the most holy things, see 4.4. Here it refers to the same consecrated offerings as in verse 8. Reserved from the fire is literally “from the fire,” which means “not burnt on the altar” (Good News Bible). New International Version makes some of the implied information explicit here by rendering the most holy things, reserved from the fire as “the part of the most holy offerings that is kept from the fire,” and so does De Nieuwe Bijbelvertaling with “What is not burnt of the most holy offerings.” Both Revised Standard Version and Good News Bible place this sentence at the beginning of the verse. But in some languages it may be more natural to put this sentence of general reference after the specific offerings have been mentioned. This is what Contemporary English Version does by closing the verse as follows: “Your share of these sacrifices will be the parts not burned on the altar.”
Every offering of theirs, every cereal offering of theirs and every sin offering of theirs and every guilt offering of theirs …: The first Hebrew word for offering is qorban, which is the vaguest and most common expression for a sacrificial gift (see 5.15). Here it introduces three specific offerings. For cereal offering, see 4.16; for sin offering, see 6.11; and for guilt offering, see 6.12.
Which they render to me is literally “which they give back to me.” With their sacrifices the Israelites gave back to the LORD a small portion of what he had given them in blessing (see 1 Chr 29.14). NET says “which they bring to me.”
Shall be most holy to you and to your sons: The Hebrew expression for most holy is very similar to the one used earlier in this verse. De Nieuwe Bijbelvertaling has “most holy gifts” in both places. Good News Bible clarifies that these sacrifices are most holy since they are offered to God. For every offering of theirs … which they render to me, shall be most holy to you and to your sons, Good News Bible has “Everything that is presented to me as a sacred offering belongs to you and your sons,” and New Living Translation says “This portion of all the most holy offerings … will be most holy, and it belongs to you and your sons.”
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 .