The leaders of Israel, heads of their fathers’ houses, the leaders of the tribes refers to Israelite leaders who were both family heads and tribal leaders. The Hebrew word rendered leaders both times is nasiʾ (see the comments on 1.16). This term refers to a prominent and distinguished leader, for example, a much respected sheikh of a tribe. So leaders seems a rather flat translation. A better rendering is “chiefs” (Revised English Bible) or “chieftains” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), as long as such a term does not have unwanted ethnic or political connotations. Chewa renders the leaders of Israel as “the great ones of Israel.” The Hebrew expression for heads of their fathers’ houses refers to leaders of extended families, which include three or four generations (see the comments on 1.2). For the leaders of the tribes, see 1.16. For the difference in size between fathers’ houses and tribes, see the brief discussion on kinship terms at 1.4. Consistent expressions should be used in the case of all such technical terms, not only within the book of Numbers, but throughout the Pentateuch and the Old Testament as a whole.
Who were over those who were numbered is literally “they who standing over those who enrolled.” The Israelite leaders in view here were “the same men who were in charge of the census” (Good News Bible) in chapter 1. Numbered renders the same Hebrew verb (paqad) translated “number” in verse 3 (see the comments there). It is better rendered “enrolled” (New Revised Standard Version), “registered” (New Living Translation), or “recorded.” The Hebrew has no past tense forms here corresponding with were and were numbered. The past tense forms in Revised Standard Version, Good News Bible, and many other translations give the wrong suggestion that the census had already taken place. But as noted above, the date in 7.1 is actually earlier than the date given in 1.1. So a good model here is “who supervise/oversee those enrolled” or “who were going to supervise/oversee those to be enrolled.”
Offered and brought their offerings before the LORD: The Hebrew verb for offered is hiqrib (literally “bring near, present”), which is a technical term referring to the offering of a sacrifice (see 3.4). Good News Bible combines the verbs offered and brought by saying simply “brought,” which other languages may find helpful. Offerings renders the Hebrew word qorban, which is a generic word for any kind of offering (see 5.15). This word is singular in Hebrew, but in this context, where many people bring offerings, the plural word offerings may be a more natural translation than “offering” (King James Version) in many languages. “Gifts” (Contemporary English Version) is also an appropriate translation, if this word may be used with reference to God in the target language. Qorban comes from the same Hebrew root as hiqrib, which is q r b. Nominal or verbal forms of this root occur 36 times in chapter 7, indicating the thematic importance of “giving” to the LORD. Although the text does not explicitly say so, it is safe to assume, given the formality of the offertory ceremony in verses 2-3, that the LORD had commanded it. He then tells Moses what to do with the offerings in verses 4-5.
Six covered wagons and twelve oxen, a wagon for every two of the leaders, and for each one an ox: Wagons were two or four-wheeled carts used for travel or the transport of loads. The Israelites leaders gave these wagons to haul Tabernacle items. Such vehicles were pulled by draft animals, usually oxen, donkeys, or horses. The meaning of the rare Hebrew word rendered covered (so also Septuagint, Vulgate) is highly uncertain. Covered wagons may be rendered “transport wagons” or simply “wagons” (Good News Bible), but some commentators feel that these wagons were indeed covered in order to protect the Tabernacle contents from dust and to shade them from public view. In some languages a more specific term such as “oxcarts” (Chewa) may be appropriate. The Hebrew word for oxen is baqar and the word for ox is shor. Both these Hebrew words are general terms, covering cows, bulls, and oxen. Baqar is the most general word for cattle, and shor is a general word for individual cattle. However, in this context the animals in view are intended to pull the wagons, so most translations use the specific words oxen and ox.
They offered them before the tabernacle: The Israelite leaders brought their offerings to the front of the Tabernacle. For the Hebrew verb rendered offered, see the comments above.
Verses 1-3 form a single long and complex sentence in Revised Standard Version. This sentence is far too long to be natural or easy to follow in many languages, so translators may need to break it down into two or more sentences, as in Good News Bible.
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 .