This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari, the whole of their service in the tent of meeting …: This verse refers back to what precedes and really functions as a summary for the whole subunit about the Merarites’ duties (compare verse 28). 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. Like the Hebrew text, Revised Standard Version repeats the word service, but Good News Translation says “responsibilities” and “service,” which is probably more natural. 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 Merari may be rendered simply “the clans of Merari.”

Under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest: See the comments on verse 28. It is only Aaron’s youngest son, Ithamar, who is mentioned at this point as the one in charge of the Merarites’ work. This would suggest that their duties were less central than those of the Kohathites, who were under the supervision of Aaron’s older son, Eleazar (see verse 16).

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 .