This paragraph is about the census of the tribe of Issachar. It runs parallel to the previous paragraphs in this chapter dealing with the census of other tribes (see the comments on verses 5-7 and 12-14). The clans of Issachar descended from his sons Tola, Puvah, Jashub, and Shimron (see Gen 46.13; 1 Chr 7.1). Instead of Puvah (Puwah in Hebrew), Good News Translation, New International Version, and New Living Translation have “Puah,” which is the spelling used in the Septuagint, the Vulgate, the Peshitta and the Samaritan Pentateuch, and in 1 Chr 7.1 (see the comments on verses 15-18 for variant spellings of names in this census). Instead of Punites, New International Version, New Living Translation, and Revised English Bible have “Puite,” which follows the ancient translations also. However, like Revised Standard Version, we prefer to follow the spelling used in the Hebrew text here for these names (so also Hebrew Old Testament Text).

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 .