Verses 19-23 may seem quite repetitive but they give strong emphasis to the point made in verse 18. The LORD’s continual guidance of his people as well as the people’s continual obedience are stressed in these verses. The poetic prose of the text underscores this relationship of reciprocity: the LORD leads, his people follow.

Even when the cloud continued over the tabernacle many days is literally “And when the cloud was long over the Tabernacle many days.” For the cloud and the tabernacle, see verse 15. A possible model for this clause is “Even when the cloud stayed over the Tabernacle for a long time.”

The people of Israel kept the charge of the LORD: The Hebrew expression for kept the charge is shamar mishmeret, which has been discussed at 1.53. Here kept the charge of the LORD most likely means “kept the obligation owed to [or, the requirement set by] the LORD.” Good News Translation says simply “obeyed the LORD.”

And did not set out: For set out, see verse 17.

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 .