And Moses gave to them …: And renders the Hebrew waw conjunction. An appropriate transitional expression is needed here as the narrative shifts from direct speech to the next event, for example, “So” (Good News Translation, NET Bible) or “Then” (New International Version). Verse 33 is a general summary of the threefold allotment of cities in the Transjordan that follows in verses 34-42.

Moses assigned these cities to the sons of Gad and to the sons of Reuben and to the half-tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph. Until this point in chapter 32, there has be no mention of the half-tribe of Manasseh as part of the group of tribes in the Transjordan. A partial explanation for this group’s inclusion is given in verses 39-42. Its connection with the wider context of the final major part of Numbers may be that Zelophehad’s daughters belonged to the clan of Machir of the tribe of Manasseh (verse 39. The translation of this verse should reflect that at Elim is probably the information in focus. Good News Translation‘s explanatory clause here may be adjusted to keep the right focus by saying “because at Elim there were twelve springs and seventy date palms.”

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 .