OET interlinear NUM 8:26

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

וְ⁠שֵׁרֵ֨ת אֶת־אֶחָ֜י⁠ו בְּ⁠אֹ֤הֶל מוֹעֵד֙ לִ⁠שְׁמֹ֣ר מִשְׁמֶ֔רֶת וַ⁠עֲבֹדָ֖ה לֹ֣א יַעֲבֹ֑ד

and,he_will_serve DOM brothers_of,his in,the_tent_of meeting to=guard/protect responsibilities and,service not do

Yahweh is not referring to one specific Levite. He means Levites over 50 years old in general. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could use expressions that would be more natural in your language. See how you chose to translate [8:24–25](../08/24.md). Alternate translation: [And they shall minister to their brothers in the tent of meeting to keep keeping, but they shall not serve service]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

וְ⁠שֵׁרֵ֨ת אֶת־אֶחָ֜י⁠ו

and,he_will_serve DOM brothers_of,his

Here, Yahweh is using the term brothers to describe fellow members of the tribe of Levi. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [to the other Levites]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

לִ⁠שְׁמֹ֣ר מִשְׁמֶ֔רֶת וַ⁠עֲבֹדָ֖ה לֹ֣א יַעֲבֹ֑ד

to=guard/protect responsibilities and,service not do

By keep keeping and serve service, Yahweh means to guard the holy things and do the physical work associated with moving them. You could indicate this explicitly in your translation if that would be helpful to your readers. See the chapter introduction for more information. Alternate translation: [to guard the holy things, but he shall not do the physical labor required to move them]

Note 4 topic: writing-poetry

לִ⁠שְׁמֹ֣ר מִשְׁמֶ֔רֶת וַ⁠עֲבֹדָ֖ה לֹ֣א יַעֲבֹ֑ד

to=guard/protect responsibilities and,service not do

Yahweh is using a construction in which a verb and its object come from the same root. You may be able to use the same construction in your language to express the meaning here. Alternatively, your language may have another way of saying this. Alternate translation: [to keep, but he shall not serve]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

יַעֲבֹ֑ד

do

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of service, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [in any way that the Levites serve]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

כָּ֛כָה תַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה לַ⁠לְוִיִּ֖ם בְּ⁠מִשְׁמְרֹתָֽ⁠ם

thus you(ms)_will_make to,Levites in,duties_of,their

By their keepings, Yahweh means the duties and responsibilities that God has assigned to the Levites. You could indicate this explicitly in your translation if that would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [That is what you must command the Levites concerning their keepings]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

בְּ⁠מִשְׁמְרֹתָֽ⁠ם

in,duties_of,their

The implication is that the Levites had specific duties guarding the sanctuary and assisting with its maintenance. You could include this information if that would be helpful to your readers. See the chapter introduction for more information. Alternate translation: [in their guard duties]