Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation: Good News Bible uses direct address for the LORD since Moses is speaking to him. Other languages may also find this adjustment helpful. For the God of the spirits of all flesh, see 16.22, the only other place where this phrase occurs in the Old Testament. Here this unusual phrase, which speaks of the sovereignty of God over all humankind points forward to the need for a man who has such a spirit within him (see 27.18, where the Hebrew word for “spirit” [ruach] is the same). The Hebrew verb for appoint (paqad) is the same one that is used throughout the book to refer to the action of “numbering/enrolling” the people (see 1.3). However, that sense does not fit this context. Appoint may also be rendered “select” or “choose” (New Century Version). For the Hebrew word rendered congregation (ʿedah), see verse 14.
Who shall go out before them and come in before them: This Hebrew idiom designating leadership has a definite military, with the sense of “to lead in battle.” This is clear from Josh 14.11 and 1 Sam 18.16. Alternatively, it has the more general sense of “Who shall lead them in all matters and whom the people shall follow.” The Hebrew uses different forms of the verbs rendered go out and come in in the next clause: who shall lead them out and bring them in. Good News Bible combines these two idiomatic clauses, saying “and can command them in battle.” However, this rendering is misleading in English. Moses is not just speaking about a possibility; rather, he is referring to a definite requirement for the leadership role. Bible en français courant is better with “a leader capable to direct them in all circumstances.”
That the congregation of the LORD may not be as sheep which have no shepherd: This clause gives the purpose for having a leader over the Israelites. The Hebrew waw conjunction rendered that (literally “and”) is better translated “so that” (Good News Bible) in English to introduce this purpose clause. The Israelites are compared to vulnerable sheep here (compare 1 Kgs 22.17; Ezek 34.5). The term shepherd is common in the Prophets as a reference to the king and/or the other leaders of the people (see Isa 44.28; Jer 23.4; Ezek 34.2; Zech 10.2-3; see also 2 Sam 5.2). In cultures that are not familiar with sheep (see 11.22), it may be necessary to render as sheep which have no shepherd as “like sheep that have no shepherd to lead [or, guide/protect] 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 .