Then the tent of meeting shall set out: The connector Then is literally “And.” This verse does not follow in time after the previous verses, but it interrupts the instructions about the four groups of Israelite tribes in the camp (see the discussion below). Revised English Bible begins this verse with the subordinate conjunction “When,” which fits better in this context. As in 1.51 (see the comments there), it may be impossible or unnatural in some languages to say the tent of meeting (that is, something inanimate) should set out. So Good News Translation says “the Levites are to march carrying the Tent.” Other possible models are “they [indefinite] should carry the Tent of Meeting” and “the Tent of Meeting should be carried.” The verbs in this verse refer to repetitive actions; not just one change of camp is in view here but many. For the tent of meeting, see 1.1.

With the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camps: While the Israelites are traveling, the Levites are to be in the middle of the other Israelites.

As they encamp, so shall they set out, each in position, standard by standard: While traveling, the Israelites must maintain the same positions they have while camping. This sentence refers to the four groups of tribes, since the Hebrew term for standard (see 1.52) is always connected with a division (of three tribes) in this chapter. So Good News Translation refers to “Each division,” and New Afrikaans Version speaks about “the tribes.” The Hebrew expression for each in position (literally “each on/at his hand”) refers to a specifically designated position for each tribe on the march. A model for this sentence is “All the tribes are to travel in the same order that they camp, each in position under the appropriate banner” (similarly New Living Translation).

This verse is a paragraph in its own right and should be formatted as such due to its importance within this chapter (as indicated by its distinct structure and content). It deals with the central place of the Tent of Meeting with the Levites (compare 1.50-53) when the Israelites are traveling between camps, from one place to another, between the two first divisions of tribes and the last two. So this verse interrupts the instructions about the arrangement of the four groups of tribes in a camp. Because the Tent of Meeting is in the center, the verse occurs right here, between verses 3-16 about the first two divisions and verses 18-31 about the last two. The camping arrangement of the priests and Levites around the Tent of Meeting is described in more detail in chapter 3.

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 .