This is the service of the families of the sons of the Gershonites in the tent of meeting …: This verse refers back to what precedes and really functions as a summary for the whole subunit about the Gershonites’ duties (compare verse 33). Translations that express this more clearly are “So this is the service…” and “Those, then, are the responsibilities….” For the Hebrew word rendered service, see verse 4. Families renders the Hebrew word mishpachah, which is better translated “clans” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh; see 1.2). Again, Good News Translation‘s singular form “clan” is misleading. The families of the sons of the Gershonites may be rendered simply “the clans of Gershon.”

And their work is to be under the oversight of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest: The Hebrew word rendered work (mishmeret) is the same one translated “charge” in 3.25 (see the comments there). Here it may be rendered “tasks,” “duties” (New International Version), or “responsibilities” (New Revised Standard Version). Under the oversight of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest is literally “in the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.” Ithamar was Aaron’s youngest son (see 3.2). In many languages the rendering Ithamar the son of Aaron may wrongly suggest that Ithamar was Aaron’s only son. “Ithamar son of Aaron” (Good News Translation) is more accurate. It is only Aaron’s youngest son, Ithamar, who is mentioned at this point as the one in charge of the Gershonites’ work (compare verse 27). Their tasks were less central than those of the Kohathites.

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 .