OET interlinear NUM 1:2

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

שְׂא֗וּ אֶת־רֹאשׁ֙

take! DOM head

The phrase Lift up the head of is a common expression of this culture to mean “count” or “take a census of.” 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: [count the number of] or [record the total of]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / yousingular

שְׂא֗וּ

take!

The command Lift up is plural here because God is speaking to both Moses and Aaron. So use the plural form in your translation if your language marks that distinction.

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

כָּל

all/each/any/every

The implication is that all refers specifically to the men, as shown later in the verse by “every male.” You could include this information if that would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [all the men of]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

עֲדַ֣ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל

community_of sons_of Yisrael

Yahweh is using the possessive form to describe a congregation that is characterized by being the sons of Israel. If your language would not use the possessive form for this, you could express this idea in another way. Alternate translation: [the congregation that consists of the sons of Israel]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל

sons_of Yisrael

This is the first of many times in this book that sons of Israel refers to the Israelite nation or people group who descended from Israel. See the discussion of how to translate this phrase in the [book introduction](../front/intro.md).

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

לְ⁠מִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖⁠ם לְ⁠בֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֑⁠ם

to=their=clans to,the_house_of their_ancestors_of,their

Here and throughout this chapter, the phrase house of their fathers refers to largest divisions within a single tribe. The word clans refers to the largest divisions of each house of their fathers. Alternate translation: [according to their clans, according to the house of their fathers made up of those clans]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

לְ⁠בֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֑⁠ם

to,the_house_of their_ancestors_of,their

Here, house refers to people who are related. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [according to the family groups of]

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

אֲבֹתָ֑⁠ם

their_ancestors_of,their

Yahweh is using the term fathers to mean “ancestors.” If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [their ancestors]

Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

בְּ⁠מִסְפַּ֣ר שֵׁמ֔וֹת

by_[the],number_of names

The implication is that Moses was to write down the name of each man as he counted them, creating a list or record. You could include this information if that would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [by listing the names of each one counted]

Note 10 topic: figures-of-speech / synecdoche

לְ⁠גֻלְגְּלֹתָֽ⁠ם

to,heads_of,their

Yahweh is using skulls to represent whole persons. He means that each person should be counted only one time. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression from your culture or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [counting each person] or [one by one]