We can offer the following explanation, prefacing with an observation regarding the order of the verses: The Torah interrupts the verses “and a stranger who approaches shall die” and “there shall be no wrath” with the verse, “The Children of Israel shall encamp, every man at his camp and every man at his division, according to their armies,” and (the beginning of the verse at hand) “The Levites shall encamp around the Tabernacle of the Testimony.”
What is the intention of “and there shall be no wrath”?
If “and there shall be no wrath” is referring to the punishment of “and a stranger who approaches shall die” — directed to the Children of Israel and not to the Levites — then we face two difficulties:
- How do the above-mentioned statements (about the Children of Israel’s encampments) belong in between these two correspondent verses (which both discuss the punishment of a stranger who approaches the Levite service);
- Why are both verses needed? What does “and there shall be no wrath” bring to the table after we already know that “a stranger who approaches shall die”?
If we instead interpret “and there shall be no wrath” as directed specifically to the Levites (resolving both questions above) with the verse teaching us that if the Levites do not encamp around the Tabernacle (even if that does not lead to “a stranger who approaches”) then it would arouse “wrath” —
— with “wrath” in this context (not referring to a punishment of death, but rather) referring to a lighter form of punishment: The Levites are “the King’s legion” and “the Levites shall be Mine,” “given, given, they are to Me.” They must be close to Hashem. However, if they choose not to encamp “around the Tabernacle of the Testimony,” then the opposite will occur, with Hashem revealing His “wrath” on them —
— there would be an even greater difficulty: The verse explicitly states “(and there shall be no wrath) upon the Assembly of the Children of Israel,” clearly indicating that this is discussing (a transgression on the part of) the Children of Israel, and not the Levites!
