Verses 36-37 form one sentence in the Hebrew. Good News Translation has broken it up into three sentences, which other languages may find helpful.

And the appointed charge of the sons of Merari was to be …: The Hebrew word for charge is mishmeret, which is the same word that occurs in verses 25 and 31 (see the comments there). However, this time it is preceded by another Hebrew word that is similar in meaning, one that means “appointment” or “responsibility.” These two words may be rendered “assigned duties” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). The sons of Merari is better rendered “the descendants of Merari” or simply “the Merarites” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). As in verse 25, the verb was to be is not the Hebrew, but added by Revised Standard Version.

The frames of the tabernacle were the “planks” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) that formed the wooden framework of the Tabernacle. They stood in a vertical, upright position (see Exo 26.15-25; 36.20-30). For tabernacle, which renders the Hebrew word mishkan, see 1.50.

The bars were the horizontal wooden “crossbars” (New International Version) that kept the frames together (see Exo 26.26-29; 36.31-34).

The pillars were the upright “posts” (Good News Translation) from which were hung the curtain before the Most Holy Place and the curtain at the entrance of the Tabernacle (see Exo 26.32, 37; 36.36, 38).

The bases were the metal stands or sockets in which the frames and posts were set up (see Exo 26.19, 21, 25, 32, 37; 36.24, 26, 30, 36, 38).

And all their accessories: Instead of the pronoun their, the Hebrew has “its” (New International Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), which refers to the Tabernacle. In any case, the accessories of all the items in this verse are in view. In this context accessories may be rendered “fittings” or “equipment” (New International Version).

All the service pertaining to these: See the comments on verses 26 and 31. As in those verses, Contemporary English Version actually explains what this service meant, saying “The Merari clans were responsible for setting these things up and taking them down.” It is also helpful that Contemporary English Version puts this sentence at the very end of verses 36-37, that is, after the list of items.

The pillars of the court round about were the posts that held up the curtains surrounding the courtyard of the Tabernacle, including the curtain covering the courtyard’s entrance (see Exo 27.9-18; 38.9-19).

With their bases and pegs and cords: The pronoun their refers to the posts that held up the courtyard curtains. The bases were the metal stands in which these posts were set up (see Exo 27.9-18; 38.9-19). The pegs and cords were the tent pegs and ropes used to hold the posts in place (see Exo 27.19; 38.20). Translators may need to specify that the pegs were “metal,” so that readers do not assume that they were wooden.

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 .