And the people contended with Moses, and said: New Revised Standard Version renders the Hebrew verb for contended (rib) as “quarreled,” which captures its meaning here. But an even better rendering is “disputed” (Revised English Bible, Alter), because this verb often occurs in the context of a legal dispute. It comes from the same root as the name “Meribah” (meaning “strife, quarrel, dispute”), which is used later in this section (verse 13).

Would that we had died when our brethren died before the LORD!: The Hebrew construction here expresses a strong desire, which is literally “If only we had perished when our brothers perished before the LORD” (compare 14.2). Our brethren is better rendered “our fellow Israelites.” New Living Translation translates before the LORD as “in the LORD’s presence,” which may be misleading. Good News Translation has “in front of the LORD’s Tent,” which is too specific. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh gives a more plausible translation here, saying “at the instance [insistence] of the LORD,” and so do De Nieuwe Bijbelvertaling and Willibrordvertaling with “through the intervention of the LORD.” This phrase does not refer to a specific location here. A possible model for this whole clause is “It would have been better if we had died along with the others, whom the LORD caused to die” (similarly Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). The rebellious people are implying that it would have been better to die of the plague through the intervention of the LORD than to die of thirst, for which they imply the LORD is also responsible. With this statement they show their impatience and lack of faith that the LORD would provide should they humbly ask.

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 .