This is what pertains to the Levites: This clause introduces God’s instructions about the age requirement for working Levites in verses 24b-26. Good News Translation leaves this clause implied. However, translators should keep it since it is prominent in the Hebrew text. New Living Translation renders it “This is the rule the Levites must follow,” and New Century Version is similar with “This command is for the Levites.”

From twenty-five years old and upward …: The minimum age for working Levites here is twenty-five, but it is “thirty” in 4.3, 23, 30, 35, 39, 43, 47. Budd (page 94) suggests that the minimum age was reduced due to a shortage of Levites at a later stage in the history of Israel. The possibility for Levites to be of assistance beyond the age of fifty in verse 26 has no parallel in chapter 4, and was perhaps added for the same reason, namely, a later change in the nation’s social or political circumstances. In any case, the text should not be harmonized (as done in the Septuagint, which has “twenty-five” here and in chapter 4), but translated as it stands.

They shall go in to perform the work in the service of the tent of meeting: The Hebrew pronoun for they is singular (literally “he”), referring to individual Levites. Revised Standard Version uses plural pronouns to refer to the Levites in verses 24b-26a, but the Hebrew text uses singular pronouns to refer to them individually. In some languages it may also be more natural to refer to one typical Levite in this context; for example, Good News Translation says “each Levite,” La Nouvelle Bible Segond has “every levite,” and La Bible de Jérusalem Nouvelle translates “the Levite.” To perform the work renders a Hebrew verb and noun from the same root. The Hebrew noun for work is tsavaʾ, which is translated “service” in 4.3 (see the comments there). It can refer to military service (see 1.3, where it is rendered “war”) as well as service in the sanctuary. The Hebrew noun for service is ʿabodah (see 4.4). For the tent of meeting, see 1.1. TNIV provides a helpful model for this clause and the previous phrase, saying “Men twenty-five years old or more shall come to take part in the work at the tent of meeting.”

And from the age of fifty years they shall withdraw from the work of the service and serve no more: This sentence is somewhat repetitive, emphasizing that the Levites had to retire at the age of fifty. Good News Translation says simply “and at the age of fifty he shall retire.” Work and service render the same Hebrew nouns as in the previous sentence. In view of these two terms in the Hebrew, it may be better to specify what the Levites retire from, rather than leaving this implied as in Good News Translation; for example, Chewa renders the work of the service as “the work of serving.” For this whole sentence TNIV has “but at the age of fifty they must retire from their regular service and work no longer.”

But minister to their brethren in the tent of meeting, to keep the charge, and they shall do no service: The Levites who retire may assist their fellow Levites at the Tabernacle, but they must not do the work on their own. The Hebrew word for minister has the sense of “assist” (TNIV) or “help” (Good News Translation) in this context. For keep the charge, which renders the Hebrew expression shamar mishmeret, see the comments on 3.7, where it is translated “perform duties.” Good News Translation renders it well here by saying “performing their duties.” They shall do no service (literally “he shall not serve service”) renders a Hebrew verb (ʿabad) and noun (ʿabodah), which come from the same root (compare 3.7). In the context this clause does not mean that the Levites should not work at all, but that they should not work alone.

Thus shall you do to the Levites in assigning their duties is literally “Thus you shall do to the Levites in/regarding their duties.” This sentence concludes the LORD’s instructions concerning the assignment of work to the Levites. Duties renders the same Hebrew word (mishmeret) translated charge, but here it is plural. (Good News Translation translates “duties” both times.) A literal rendering here could be misleading if do to implies some physical action. New International Version provides a good model for this concluding sentence, saying “This, then, is how you are to assign the responsibilities of the Levites.”

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 .