Various formulaic phrases recur throughout verses 5-62 and are almost the same for the census of every tribe, with some variation for the tribe of Levi in verses 57-62. These phrases should be rendered consistently in terms of wording and order of occurrence. For each tribe Good News Translation combines the references to the different clans into one phrase, saying “the clans of….”

Verses 5-50 of the second census correspond with 1.20-43 of the first one. The list layout, which Good News Translation and Bible en français courant have for 1.20-46, has been discussed there (see the comments there). However, a list layout would be too complicated here in chapter 26. This is because some verses provide narrative background information, which would interrupt and disturb the list layout (as can be seen in Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). So we advise translators to use a separate paragraph for each tribe (so Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, New International Version, Bible en français courant). New International Version even places a blank line before and after each paragraph, which may help to indicate that this is a list. The numbers can be printed in figures, not only to make the translation easier to read but also because figures are probably more fitting in a numerical list of this kind. Finally, even a translation with few or no verbs would bring out the list character of verses 5-62 more clearly.

Reuben, the first-born of Israel: Good News Translation has “Jacob” instead of Israel (see the comments on 1.20). It is important to indicate that Israel the father is in view here, not Israel the nation. For that reason it may be necessary to state explicitly that Reuben was “the firstborn son of Israel.”

The sons of Reuben: The text does not refer to the actual sons of Reuben here, so New Revised Standard Version renders this phrase as “The descendants of Reuben,” which other languages may find helpful. Good News Translation has “The tribe of Reuben,” which fits well here since Reuben’s clans are listed after this phrase. Good News Translation makes this adjustment throughout verses 5-50.

Of Hanoch, the family of the Hanochites … These are the families of the Reubenites: The Hebrew word for family and families is mishpachah. This word refers to a clan, which is composed of several families (see the comments on 1.2), so New Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation say “clan[s].” The clans of Reuben descended from his sons Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi (see Gen 46.9; 1 Chr 5.3).

And their number was forty-three thousand seven hundred and thirty is literally “and their enrolled [men] were….” Their number is better rendered “the number of those enrolled” (New Revised Standard Version), since the Hebrew word for number is the verb paqad (see 1.3). Contemporary English Version moves this clause to the beginning of verses 5-7. For each tribe in verses 5-50, Contemporary English Version gives the total number at the beginning of the paragraph on that tribe, not at the end. Given the context of a census, this may be a helpful model in some languages.

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 .