This paragraph is about the census of the tribe of Asher. 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 Asher descended from his sons Imnah, Ishvi and Beriah, and Beriah’s sons Heber and Malchi-el (see Gen 46.17; 1 Chr 7.30-31).

And the name of the daughter of Asher was Serah: Serah is also mentioned in Gen 46.17 and 1 Chr 7.30. In this context of a military census, this sentence seems a striking interruption; it heightens the importance of Serah and the role of women in general (so Cole, page 460). The parentheses in New International Version around this sentence are likely to suggest to some readers that its information is unimportant, so it is better not to use them.

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 .