OET interlinear NUM 15:32

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / events

וַ⁠יִּהְי֥וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בַּ⁠מִּדְבָּ֑ר וַֽ⁠יִּמְצְא֗וּ

and=they_were sons_of Yisrael in,wilderness and,people_found

The story that this clause introduces probably did not happen immediately after the commands that Yahweh gave to Moses in the previous verses. It may have happened some time before or some time after the events in the previous verses. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could use a word or phrase that introduces an event that may not be in sequence. Alternate translation: [Once, when the sons of Israel were in the wilderness, they found]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

וַֽ⁠יִּמְצְא֗וּ

and,people_found

The implication is that the Israelites were not looking for this man, but they happened to notice him gathering wood. You could include this information if that would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [and they saw]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

מְקֹשֵׁ֥שׁ עֵצִ֖ים

gathering wood

By gathering wood, the author means the man was gathering pieces of wood to use as fuel for a fire. You could indicate this explicitly in your translation if that would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [gathering pieces of wood for a fire]