1 And the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto Moses H4872 in the wilderness H4057 of Sinai, H5514 in the first H7223 month H2320 of the second H8145 year H8141 after they were come out H3318 of the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 saying, H559
2 Let the children H1121 of Israel H3478 also keep H6213 the passover H6453 at his appointed season. H4150
3 In the fourteenth H702 H6240 day H3117 of this month, H2320 at even, H6153 ye shall keep H6213 it in his appointed season: H4150 according to all the rites H2708 of it, and according to all the ceremonies H4941 thereof, shall ye keep H6213 it.
4 And Moses H4872 spake H1696 unto the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 that they should keep H6213 the passover. H6453
5 And they kept H6213 the passover H6453 on the fourteenth H702 H6240 day H3117 of the first H7223 month H2320 at even H6153 in the wilderness H4057 of Sinai: H5514 according to all that the LORD H3068 commanded H6680 Moses, H4872 so did H6213 the children H1121 of Israel. H3478
6 And there were certain men, H582 who were defiled H2931 by the dead body H5315 of a man, H120 that they could H3201 not keep H6213 the passover H6453 on that day: H3117 and they came H7126 before H6440 Moses H4872 and before H6440 Aaron H175 on that day: H3117
7 And those H1992 men H582 said H559 unto him, We are defiled H2931 by the dead body H5315 of a man: H120 wherefore are we kept back, H1639 that we may not offer H7126 an offering H7133 of the LORD H3068 in his appointed season H4150 among H8432 the children H1121 of Israel? H3478
8 And Moses H4872 said H559 unto them, Stand still, H5975 and I will hear H8085 what the LORD H3068 will command H6680 concerning you.
9 And the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto Moses, H4872 saying, H559
10 Speak H1696 unto the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 saying, H559 If any H376 man H376 of you or of your posterity H1755 shall be unclean H2931 by reason of a dead body, H5315 or be in a journey H1870 afar off, H7350 yet he shall keep H6213 the passover H6453 unto the LORD. H3068
11 The fourteenth H702 H6240 day H3117 of the second H8145 month H2320 at even H6153 they shall keep H6213 it, and eat H398 it with unleavened bread H4682 and bitter H4844 herbs.
12 They shall leave H7604 none of it unto the morning, H1242 nor break H7665 any bone H6106 of it: according to all the ordinances H2708 of the passover H6453 they shall keep H6213 it.
13 But the man H376 that is clean, H2889 and is not in a journey, H1870 and forbeareth H2308 to keep H6213 the passover, H6453 even the same soul H5315 shall be cut off H3772 from among his people: H5971 because he brought H7126 not the offering H7133 of the LORD H3068 in his appointed season, H4150 that man H376 shall bear H5375 his sin. H2399
14 And if a stranger H1616 shall sojourn H1481 among you, and will keep H6213 the passover H6453 unto the LORD; H3068 according to the ordinance H2708 of the passover, H6453 and according to the manner H4941 thereof, so shall he do: H6213 ye shall have one H259 ordinance, H2708 both for the stranger, H1616 and for him that was born H249 in the land. H776
15 And on the day H3117 that the tabernacle H4908 was reared up H6965 the cloud H6051 covered H3680 the tabernacle, H4908 namely, the tent H168 of the testimony: H5715 and at even H6153 there was upon the tabernacle H4908 as it were the appearance H4758 of fire, H784 until the morning. H1242
16 So it was alway: H8548 the cloud H6051 covered H3680 it by day, and the appearance H4758 of fire H784 by night. H3915
17 And when H6310 the cloud H6051 was taken up H5927 from the tabernacle, H168 then after H310 that the children H1121 of Israel H3478 journeyed: H5265 and in the place H4725 where the cloud H6051 abode, H7931 there the children H1121 of Israel H3478 pitched their tents. H2583
18 At the commandment H6310 of the LORD H3068 the children H1121 of Israel H3478 journeyed, H5265 and at the commandment H6310 of the LORD H3068 they pitched: H2583 as long as H3117 the cloud H6051 abode H7931 upon the tabernacle H4908 they rested H2583 in their tents.
19 And when the cloud H6051 tarried long H748 upon the tabernacle H4908 many H7227 days, H3117 then the children H1121 of Israel H3478 kept H8104 the charge H4931 of the LORD, H3068 and journeyed H5265 not.
20 And so it was, H3426 when the cloud H6051 was a few H4557 days H3117 upon the tabernacle; H4908 according to the commandment H6310 of the LORD H3068 they abode H2583 in their tents, and according to the commandment H6310 of the LORD H3068 they journeyed. H5265
21 And so it was, H3426 when the cloud H6051 abode from even H6153 unto the morning, H1242 and that the cloud H6051 was taken up H5927 in the morning, H1242 then they journeyed: H5265 whether it was by day H3119 or by night H3915 that the cloud H6051 was taken up, H5927 they journeyed. H5265
22 Or whether it were two days, H3117 or a month, H2320 or a year, H3117 that the cloud H6051 tarried H748 upon the tabernacle, H4908 remaining H7931 thereon, the children H1121 of Israel H3478 abode H2583 in their tents, and journeyed H5265 not: but when it was taken up, H5927 they journeyed. H5265
23 At the commandment H6310 of the LORD H3068 they rested H2583 in the tents, and at the commandment H6310 of the LORD H3068 they journeyed: H5265 they kept H8104 the charge H4931 of the LORD, H3068 at the commandment H6310 of the LORD H3068 by the hand H3027 of Moses. H4872
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Numbers 9
Commentary on Numbers 9 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 9
Nu 9:1-5. The Passover Enjoined.
2-5. Let the children of Israel also keep the passover at his appointed season, &c.—The date of this command to keep the passover in the wilderness was given shortly after the erection and consecration of the tabernacle and preceded the numbering of the people by a month. (Compare Nu 9:1 with Nu 1:1, 2). But it is narrated after that transaction in order to introduce the notice of a particular case, for which a law was provided to meet the occasion. This was the first observance of the passover since the exodus; and without a positive injunction, the Israelites were under no obligation to keep it till their settlement in the land of Canaan (Ex 12:25). The anniversary was kept on the exact day of the year on which they, twelve months before, had departed from Egypt; and it was marked by all the peculiar rites—the he lamb and the unleavened bread. The materials would be easily procured—the lambs from their numerous flocks and the meal for the unleavened bread, by the aid of Jethro, from the land of Midian, which was adjoining their camp (Ex 3:1). But their girded loins, their sandaled feet, and their staff in their hand, being mere circumstances attending a hurried departure and not essential to the rite, were not repeated. It is supposed to have been the only observance of the feast during their forty years' wandering; and Jewish writers say that, as none could eat the passover except they were circumcised (Ex 12:43, 44, 48), and circumcision was not practised in the wilderness [Jos 5:4-7], there could be no renewal of the paschal solemnity.
Nu 9:6-14. A Second Passover Allowed.
6, 7. there were certain men, who were defiled by the dead body of a man—To discharge the last offices to the remains of deceased relatives was imperative; and yet attendance on a funeral entailed ceremonial defilement, which led to exclusion from all society and from the camp for seven days. Some persons who were in this situation at the arrival of the first paschal anniversary, being painfully perplexed about the course of duty because they were temporarily disqualified at the proper season, and having no opportunity of supplying their want were liable to a total privation of all their privileges, laid their case before Moses. Jewish writers assert that these men were the persons who had carried out the dead bodies of Nadab and Abihu [Le 10:4, 5].
8-14. Moses said unto them, Stand still, and I will hear what the Lord will command concerning you—A solution of the difficulty was soon obtained, it being enacted, by divine authority, that to those who might be disqualified by the occurrence of a death in their family circle or unable by distance to keep the passover on the anniversary day, a special license was granted of observing it by themselves on the same day and hour of the following month, under a due attendance to all the solemn formalities. (See on 2Ch 30:2). But the observance was imperative on all who did not labor under these impediments.
14. if a stranger shall sojourn among you, and will keep the passover—Gentile converts, or proselytes, as they were afterwards called, were admitted, if circumcised, to the same privileges as native Israelites, and were liable to excommunication if they neglected the passover. But circumcision was an indispensable condition; and whoever did not submit to that rite, was prohibited, under the sternest penalties, from eating the passover.
Nu 9:15-23. A Cloud Guides the Israelites.
15. the cloud covered the tabernacle—The inspired historian here enters on an entirely new subject, which might properly have formed a separate chapter, beginning at this verse and ending at Nu 10:29 [Calmet]. The cloud was a visible token of God's special presence and guardian care of the Israelites (Ex 14:20; Ps 105:39). It was easily distinguishable from all other clouds by its peculiar form and its fixed position; for from the day of the completion of the tabernacle it rested by day as a dark, by night as a fiery, column on that part of the sanctuary which contained the ark of the testimony (Le 16:2).
17. when the cloud was taken up—that is, rose to a higher elevation, so as to be conspicuous at the remotest extremities of the camp. That was a signal for removal; and, accordingly, it is properly called (Nu 9:18) "the commandment of the Lord." It was a visible token of the presence of God; and from it, as a glorious throne, He gave the order. So that its motion regulated the commencement and termination of all the journeys of the Israelites. (See on Ex 14:19).
19. when the cloud tarried long upon the tabernacle, … then Israel kept the charge of the Lord, and journeyed not—A desert life has its attractions, and constant movements create a passionate love of change. Many incidents show that the Israelites had strongly imbibed this nomad habit and were desirous of hastening to Canaan. But still the phases of the cloud indicated the command of God: and whatsoever irksomeness they might have felt in remaining long stationary in camp, "when the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle many days, they kept the charge of the Lord, and journeyed not." Happy for them had they always exhibited this spirit of obedience! and happy for all if, through the wilderness of this world, we implicitly follow the leadings of God's Providence and the directions of God's Word!