And Moses said to them: The generic verb said may be rendered “answered” (Good News Translation) in this context.

Wait is literally “Stand.” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says “Stand by,” Levine has “Stay here,” and Contemporary English Version translates “Wait here.”

That I may hear what the LORD will command concerning you: New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh is similar with “and let me hear what instructions the LORD gives about you.” This clause in Hebrew hints that Moses has to go somewhere to hear the LORD. Presumably, the discussion between the LORD and Moses has to take place privately in the Tent of Meeting (see 7.89; so Olson, page 51). Good News Translation lacks any hint of this. In some languages a certain type of verb meaning “hear” is needed to indicate that this action will not take place immediately, on the spot.

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 .