OET interlinear NUM 16:22

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: translate-symaction

וַ⁠יִּפְּל֤וּ עַל־פְּנֵי⁠הֶם֙

and,they_fell on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in faces_of,their

Falling on their faces was a symbolic action by which Moses and Aaron showed their grief and submission to God. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could explain the significance of this action in the text of your translation or in a footnote. See how you translated the similar words in chapter 14:5. Alternate translation: [And they lay with their faces on the ground to show their grief] or [And they bowed with their faces to the ground in sorrow]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

אֱלֹהֵ֥י הָ⁠רוּחֹ֖ת לְ⁠כָל־בָּשָׂ֑ר

god_of of,the_spirits to/from=all/each/any/every flesh/meat

The author is using the possessive form to describe God who gives or rules the spirits that belong to or are in all flesh. If a speaker of your language would not use the possessive form for this, you could express this idea in another way. Alternate translation: [the God who rules the spirits in all flesh] or [the God who gave the spirits to all flesh]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

הָ⁠רוּחֹ֖ת לְ⁠כָל־בָּשָׂ֑ר

of,the_spirits to/from=all/each/any/every flesh/meat

Moses and Aaron are using the spirits of all flesh as a common expression of their culture to mean “the life that is in all living things.” If this phrase does not have that meaning in your language, you could use a comparable expression from your language that does have that meaning, or you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [the life that is in all living things] or [everything that lives]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

הָ⁠אִ֤ישׁ אֶחָד֙ יֶחֱטָ֔א וְ⁠עַ֥ל כָּל־הָ⁠עֵדָ֖ה תִּקְצֹֽף

the=man one(ms) sins and,towards all/each/any/every the,congregation angry

Moses and Aaron are using the question form to protest the unfairness of punishing everyone for one person’s sin. If a speaker of your language would not use the question form for that purpose, you could translate this as a statement or as an exclamation. Alternate translation: [when one man sins, surely you will not be angry against all the congregation.]