The families of the sons of Kohath were to encamp on the south side of the tabernacle: As in the previous verses, the Hebrew word for families (mishpachah) is better translated “clans” (Bible en français courant). Again, the singular word “clan” in Good News Translation is misleading. The families of the sons of Kohath may be rendered simply “The Kohathite clans” (New International Version). For were to encamp, see the comments on verse 23.

On the south side of the tabernacle does not contradict 2.10, which speaks about the camp of Reuben being on the south side of the Tent of Meeting. According to 2.17, the camp of the Levites was closer to the Tent than any other tribe’s camp. The camp of Reuben was south of the Tent, but not as close as the camp of the Kohathite clans. This phrase may be rendered “very close to the Tent of Meeting on its southern side.” For tabernacle see 1.50; for south see 2.10.

With Eli-zaphan the son of Uzziel as head of the fathers’ house of the families of the Kohathites: See the comments on verse 24. It remains valid to interpret fathers’ house (literally “father’s house”) in the same way as in 1.2, which is “family.” The Hebrew phrase for head of the fathers’ house of the families of the Kohathites is more accurately rendered “the family leader for the Kohathite clans” (similarly Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). According to this interpretation, Eli-zaphan was one of several family chiefs, the one who led the Kohathites. In the end, however, the complications that go with fathers’ house at this point may have to be avoided in translation. A good model that does this for verse 30 is “The chief of the clans of Kohath was Elizaphan, the son of Uzziel.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch is even less complicated with “Their chief was Elizaphan, the son of Uzziel.”

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 .