Moses shifts from the past generation to the present one here, so translators may insert a paragraph break at the beginning of this verse (so Contemporary English Version, New International Readers Version).

And behold: The Hebrew word hinneh rendered behold introduces what Moses wants to stress (compare 23.20). This phrase may be rendered “Now look” (NET Bible), “And now you are doing the same” (Bijbel in Gewone Taal; similarly Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch), or “And/But here you are” (New International Version, New Living Translation).

You have risen in your fathers’ stead: Some languages have their own idiom to express the meaning of this clause; for example, Zürcher Bibel translates “you have taken your fathers’ place” (similarly Good News Translation), Chewa has “you have entered into the place of your parents,” and Revised English Bible says “You are … following in your fathers’ footsteps.” For your fathers, see verse 8.

A brood of sinful men describes the present generation of Gadites and Reubenites, not their fathers. The Hebrew root for the word brood (r b h) can mean “become numerous” or “become great.” So King James Version translates this phrase “an increase of sinful men,” Bijbel: Vertaling in opdracht van het Nederlandsch Bijbelgenootschap has “a multitude of sinful men,” and Bible en français courant and Parole de Vie say “band of sinners.” However, the root r b h can also mean “make numerous,” “make great,” or “rear children,” which is how Revised Standard Version understands it by saying brood (so also New Revised Standard Version, New International Version, New Living Translation, NET Bible, ESV, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Zürcher Bibel). Some languages will have to translate this phrase as “you brood of sinners” (similarly TNIV, Die Bibel: Einheitsübersetzung der Heiligen Schrift) or “a new generation of sinners” (Willibrordvertaling) in order to make clear it clear that it refers to the present generation, not to their fathers. SPCL renders this phrase as “you sons of sinful fathers,” and La Biblia: Traducción en Lenguaje Actual says “you, who are as bad as your ancestors.” These renderings wrongly suggest that sinful men refers to the fathers. The Hebrew phrase here does not focus on sin as sinful nature inherited from the fathers. Instead, it focuses on the sin as committed by the people themselves (compare Gen 13.13; so Levine, page 488).

To increase still more the fierce anger of the LORD against Israel is literally “to add more to the burning nose/anger of the LORD to/toward Israel.” For the Hebrew expression rendered fierce anger, see 25.4. Israel may be translated “the Israelites” (NET Bible) or “the people of Israel.” ESV renders this clause in the same way as Revised Standard Version. Good News Translation has “ready to bring down the fierce anger of the LORD on Israel again,” which seems to be a free rendering. A better model is “and making the LORD even more angry with Israel” (New International Version; similarly Contemporary English Version). In some languages it may be helpful to start a new sentence here, saying “You are making the LORD even angrier with Israel” (New Living Translation) or “Do you want the LORD to become even angrier with Israel?” (similarly La Biblia: Traducción en Lenguaje Actual).

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 .