Take a census of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi …: For Take a census, which is literally “Lift up the head,” see the comments on 1.2. The Hebrew verb rendered Take is an infinitive, which at this point functions like an imperative. This infinitive does not distinguish between singular and plural, so both Moses and Aaron can be addressed with this verb form. Although Kohath was not Levi’s eldest son, his clans come first in this chapter (compare the census of the Levites in 3.14-39, where the clans of Gershon are listed first). The clans of Kohath were assigned to carry the most holy objects that were in or near the Tent of Meeting. The reason for this is most likely that Kohath, as Aaron’s grandfather (see Exo 6.16-20), was a closer relative to Aaron the High Priest than were Kohath’s two brothers, Gershon (older) and Merari (younger).

By their families and their fathers’ houses: See the comments on 1.2. These two phrases are better rendered “by clans and by families” (Bible en français courant). Good News Translation refers to the sons of Kohath as the “clan of Kohath,” so it has to say “by subclans and families” here. A better model for verse 3 is “Take a census of the Levites who are descendants of Kohath by their clans and families.”

From thirty years old up to fifty years old may be rendered “between the ages of thirty and fifty” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version).

All who can enter the service, to do work in the tent of meeting: On the basis of the Hebrew, there is no reason for translating all who can enter the service. Better models are “all who are subject to service” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) and “all who are eligible to service” (similarly New Living Translation), since the Hebrew here speaks about an obligation (or privilege) to serve as Levites, namely, those who were between the ages of thirty and fifty. The Hebrew word for service is tsavaʾ, which also occurs in verses 23, 30, 35, 39, and 43. It can refer to military service (see 1.3, where it is rendered “war”) as well as service in the Tent of Meeting. This passage makes it clear that Levitical service was just as integral to Israel’s military advance, under the LORD’s leading, as the carrying of weapons (so Budd, page 48). The Hebrew phrase rendered to do the work only occurs here in verse 3 of chapter 4, in connection with the especially important duties of the chosen clans of the Kohathites, to which Aaron and his sons belonged. This phrase does not occur in verses 23 and 30 in connection with the other Levite clans. For the tent of meeting, see 1.1.

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 .