Its drink offering shall be a fourth of a hin for each lamb: For drink offering (“libation” in New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), see 4.7 and 15.5. Strictly speaking, the pronoun its refers to the “offering by fire” (verse 6) to which this drink offering belongs. Both the Hebrew pronoun for its and the word for “offering by fire” are masculine. According to Levine (page 374), this pronoun probably refers to the lamb in verse 4, since the Hebrew word for “lamb” is also masculine. Its drink offering may be rendered “The drink offering combined with it [or, belonging to it]” or “The accompanying drink offering” (New International Version, La Bible de Jérusalem Nouvelle, Herziene Statenvertaling; similarly Bijbel: Vertaling in opdracht van het Nederlandsch Bijbelgenootschap). Compare also “the proper drink-offering” (Revised English Bible), “Along with it … the proper liquid offering” (New Living Translation), and “The required libation” (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). For a fourth of a hin, see verse 5.

In the holy place you shall pour out a drink offering of strong drink to the LORD: The Hebrew word for holy place (“sanctuary” in New Revised Standard Version) is qodesh (see the comments on 3.28). Here it seems to refer to the holy altar of sacrifice (see the comments on 4.15), so Good News Translation renders in the holy place as “at the altar,” and Contemporary English Version has “on the altar.” Another possible model is “at the sacred tent” (New International Readers Version). The Hebrew verb for pour out is singular since this is an instruction for people individually (compare verse 4). As noted at 6.3, the Hebrew word for strong drink refers to any kind of intoxicating drink, such as wine and beer. It is unlikely that beer was used for libations, so here strong drink probably refers to some sort of wine (compare 15.5, 7, 10) that was distinct from the ordinary kind (so Alter, page 832; Rashi). Hence Good News Translation says “wine.” Good News Translation omits the phrase to the LORD, but it should be kept. The wine was to be poured out on the altar “as an offering to the LORD” (New Living Translation).

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 .