Therefore the name of that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah: Revised Standard Version gives the meaning of the name Kibroth-hattaavah in a footnote (“Graves of craving”), while Good News Translation includes it in the translation. Contemporary English Version does not transliterate this name, but translates it as “Graves for the Greedy.”

Because there they buried the people who had the craving gives the reason why the place was called this. Good News Translation says “because there they buried the people who had craved meat.” For the people who had the craving, see verse 4.

De Nieuwe Bijbelvertaling shows that even a translation which normally does not include explanations of names can still hint at the meaning of Kibroth-hattaavah. It does this by rendering this verse as “That place received the name Kibroth-Hattaavah, with reference to the insatiable people who were buried there.”

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 .