Numbers 9
World English Bible
WEB1Yahweh spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying, 2“Let the children of Israel keep the Passover in its appointed season. 3On the fourteenth day of this month, at evening, you shall keep it in its appointed season. You shall keep it according to all its statutes and according to all its ordinances.” 4Moses told the children of Israel that they should keep the Passover. 5They kept the Passover in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at evening, in the wilderness of Sinai. According to all that Yahweh commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did. 6There were certain men who were unclean because of the dead body of a man, so that they could not keep the Passover on that day, and they came before Moses and Aaron on that day. 7Those men said to him, “We are unclean because of the dead body of a man. Why are we kept back, that we may not offer the offering of Yahweh in its appointed season among the children of Israel?” 8Moses answered them, “Wait, that I may hear what Yahweh will command concerning you.” 9Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 10“Say to the children of Israel, ‘If any man of you or of your generations is unclean by reason of a dead body, or is on a journey far away, he shall still keep the Passover to Yahweh. 11In the second month, on the fourteenth day at evening they shall keep it; they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 12They shall leave none of it until the morning, nor break a bone of it. According to all the statute of the Passover they shall keep it. 13But the man who is clean, and is not on a journey, and fails to keep the Passover, that soul shall be cut off from his people. Because he didn’t offer the offering of Yahweh in its appointed season, that man shall bear his sin. 14“‘If a foreigner lives among you and desires to keep the Passover to Yahweh, then he shall do so according to the statute of the Passover, and according to its ordinance. You shall have one statute, both for the foreigner and for him who is born in the land.’” 15On the day that the tabernacle was raised up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, even the Tent of the Testimony. At evening it was over the tabernacle, as it were the appearance of fire, until morning. 16So it was continually. The cloud covered it, and the appearance of fire by night. 17Whenever the cloud was taken up from over the Tent, then after that the children of Israel traveled; and in the place where the cloud remained, there the children of Israel encamped. 18At the commandment of Yahweh, the children of Israel traveled, and at the commandment of Yahweh they encamped. As long as the cloud remained on the tabernacle they remained encamped. 19When the cloud stayed on the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept Yahweh’s command, and didn’t travel. 20Sometimes the cloud was a few days on the tabernacle; then according to the commandment of Yahweh they remained encamped, and according to the commandment of Yahweh they traveled. 21Sometimes the cloud was from evening until morning; and when the cloud was taken up in the morning, they traveled; or by day and by night, when the cloud was taken up, they traveled. 22Whether it was two days, or a month, or a year that the cloud stayed on the tabernacle, remaining on it, the children of Israel remained encamped, and didn’t travel; but when it was taken up, they traveled. 23At the commandment of Yahweh they encamped, and at the commandment of Yahweh they traveled. They kept Yahweh’s command, at the commandment of Yahweh by Moses.
World English Bible, 2020 stable text edition. Public domain; “World English Bible” is a trademark of eBible.org. eBible.org
Overview
Numbers Chapter 9 recounts the significant events surrounding the Passover and the guidance of the Israelites in the wilderness. The chapter begins with the Lord commanding Moses to instruct the Israelites to celebrate the Passover at its appointed time, which is the fourteenth day of the first month. This observance is a reminder of God's deliverance of the Israelites from slavery in #Egypt, emphasizing the importance of remembering God's faithfulness and the covenant established with His people. The chapter highlights the necessity of adhering to God's commands, as some individuals who were ceremonially unclean or away on a journey express their desire to partake in the Passover. God, through Moses, provides a provision for them, allowing them to celebrate the Passover a month later, demonstrating His mercy and inclusivity for those unable to participate at the designated time. This reflects God's desire for all His people to be included in His redemptive plan, regardless of their circumstances.
The latter part of the chapter describes the cloud that represents the Lord's presence, which guides the Israelites through their journey in the wilderness. Whenever the cloud lifted from the tabernacle, the Israelites would set out, and when it settled, they would encamp. This divine guidance illustrates the importance of following God's lead in our lives, as He directs our paths and provides for our needs. The chapter concludes by emphasizing that the Israelites followed the Lord's command as long as the cloud remained over the tabernacle, reinforcing the theme of obedience and trust in God's timing and direction. The narrative serves as a powerful reminder of God's faithfulness, the significance of remembrance, and the necessity of obedience in the life of faith.
Referenced by
- Exodus 40:38v15Exodus 40:38 mentions the cloud of the Lord over the Tabernacle by day and fire by night, which is reiterated in Numbers 9:15-16 as a sign of God's guidance for Israel.
- 2 Chronicles 30:18-20v102 Chronicles 30:18-20 describes how Hezekiah prayed for those who were not ceremonially clean to partake in the Passover, which relates to the provision in Numbers 9:10-11 for those unable to keep the Passover at its appointed time.
Topics in this chapter
- Passover
- Guidance in the Bible
- Obedience
- Covenant
- Divine Guidance
- Deliverance
- The Presence of God
- Trust
- Faithfulness
- Holy Spirit
- Inclusivity
- Redemption
- Remembrance
- Tabernacle
- Wilderness Journey
- Community
- God's Presence
- Grace
- Holiness
- Israelites
- Leadership in the Bible
- Moses
- Presence of God
- Art in Faith
- Cloud
- Cloud and Fire
- Covenant Community
- Direction in the Bible
- Divine Deliverance
- Egypt
- Eucharist
- Faith
- God
- God's Dwelling
- Guide to Biblical Topics
- Lawgiver
- Mediator
- Mishkan
- Pesach (Passover)
- Purity
- Religious Observance
- Sinai Desert
- Sovereignty of God
- The Commandments
- Timing
- Worship
Related chapters
- Exodus 12Pesach (Passover)PassoverThe Commandments
- Exodus 13Religious ObservanceDirection in the BiblePassover
- Exodus 40Cloud and FireCloudThe Commandments
- 1 Corinthians 5PassoverEucharist
- Deuteronomy 16Religious ObservancePesach (Passover)Passover
- Leviticus 23PassoverLawgiverMediator
- Deuteronomy 5Covenant CommunityThe CommandmentsLawgiver
- Numbers 10Guide to Biblical TopicsCloudTabernacle
- John 16Guide to Biblical Topics
- Leviticus 7LawgiverTabernacleMediator
- Leviticus 24LawgiverEucharistTabernacle
- Nehemiah 9IsraelitesEgypt
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