1 And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying,
2 Let the children of Israel also keep the passover at his appointed season.
3 In the fourteenth day of this month, at even, ye shall keep it in his appointed season: according to all the rites of it, and according to all the ceremonies thereof, shall ye keep it.
4 And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, that they should keep the passover.
5 And they kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month at even in the wilderness of Sinai: according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did the children of Israel.
6 And there were certain men, who were defiled by the dead body of a man, that they could not keep the passover on that day: and they came before Moses and before Aaron on that day:
7 And those men said unto him, We are defiled by the dead body of a man: wherefore are we kept back, that we may not offer an offering of the LORD in his appointed season among the children of Israel?
8 And Moses said unto them, Stand still, and I will hear what the LORD will command concerning you.
9 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
10 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If any man of you or of your posterity shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or be in a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the passover unto the LORD.
11 The fourteenth day of the second month at even they shall keep it, and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.
12 They shall leave none of it unto the morning, nor break any bone of it: according to all the ordinances of the passover they shall keep it.
13 But the man that is clean, and is not in a journey, and forbeareth to keep the passover, even the same soul shall be cut off from among his people: because he brought not the offering of the LORD in his appointed season, that man shall bear his sin.
14 And if a stranger shall sojourn among you, and will keep the passover unto the LORD; according to the ordinance of the passover, and according to the manner thereof, so shall he do: ye shall have one ordinance, both for the stranger, and for him that was born in the land.
15 And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud covered the tabernacle, namely, the tent of the testimony: and at even there was upon the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until the morning.
16 So it was alway: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night.
17 And when the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, then after that the children of Israel journeyed: and in the place where the cloud abode, there the children of Israel pitched their tents.
18 At the commandment of the LORD the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the LORD they pitched: as long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle they rested in their tents.
19 And when the cloud tarried long upon the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of the LORD, and journeyed not.
20 And so it was, when the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle; according to the commandment of the LORD they abode in their tents, and according to the commandment of the LORD they journeyed.
21 And so it was, when the cloud abode from even unto the morning, and that the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they journeyed: whether it was by day or by night that the cloud was taken up, they journeyed.
22 Or whether it were two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, remaining thereon, the children of Israel abode in their tents, and journeyed not: but when it was taken up, they journeyed.
23 At the commandment of the LORD they rested in the tents, and at the commandment of the LORD they journeyed: they kept the charge of the LORD, at the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.
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
1 And Jehovah spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying,
2 Moreover let the children of Israel keep the passover in its appointed season.
3 In the fourteenth day of this month, at even, ye shall keep it in its appointed season: according to all the statutes of it, and according to all the ordinances thereof, shall ye keep it.
4 And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, that they should keep the passover.
5 And they kept the passover in the first `month', on the fourteenth day of the month, at even, in the wilderness of Sinai: according to all that Jehovah commanded Moses, so did the children of Israel.
6 And there were certain men, who were unclean by reason of the dead body of a man, so that they could not keep the passover on that day: and they came before Moses and before Aaron on that day:
7 and those men said unto him, We are unclean by reason of the dead body of a man: wherefore are we kept back, that we may not offer the oblation of Jehovah in its appointed season among the children of Israel?
8 And Moses said unto them, Stay ye, that I may hear what Jehovah will command concerning you.
9 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
10 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If any man of you or of your generations shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or be on a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the passover unto Jehovah.
11 In the second month on the fourteenth day at even they shall keep it; they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs:
12 they shall leave none of it unto the morning, nor break a bone thereof: according to all the statute of the passover they shall keep it.
13 But the man that is clean, and is not on a journey, and forbeareth to keep the passover, that soul shall be cut off from his people; because he offered not the oblation of Jehovah in its appointed season, that man shall bear his sin.
14 And if a stranger shall sojourn among you, and will keep the passover unto Jehovah; according to the statute of the passover, and according to the ordinance thereof, so shall he do: ye shall have one statute, both for the sojourner, and for him that is born in the land.
15 And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud covered the tabernacle, even the tent of the testimony: and at even it was upon the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until morning.
16 So it was alway: the cloud covered it, and the appearance of fire by night.
17 And whenever the cloud was taken up from over the Tent, then after that the children of Israel journeyed: and in the place where the cloud abode, there the children of Israel encamped.
18 At the commandment of Jehovah the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of Jehovah they encamped: as long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle they remained encamped.
19 And when the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of Jehovah, and journeyed not.
20 And sometimes the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle; then according to the commandment of Jehovah they remained encamped, and according to the commandment of Jehovah they journeyed.
21 And sometimes the cloud was from evening until morning; and when the cloud was taken up in the morning, they journeyed: or `if it continued' by day and by night, when the cloud was taken up, they journeyed.
22 Whether it were two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, abiding thereon, the children of Israel remained encamped, and journeyed not; but when it was taken up, they journeyed.
23 At the commandment of Jehovah they encamped, and at the commandment of Jehovah they journeyed: they kept the charge of Jehovah, at the commandment of Jehovah by Moses.
1 And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, in the wilderness of Sinai, in the second year of their going out of the land of Egypt, in the first month, saying,
2 `Also, the sons of Israel prepare the passover in its appointed season;
3 in the fourteenth day of this month between the evenings ye prepare it in its appointed season; according to all its statutes, and according to all its ordinances ye prepare it.'
4 And Moses speaketh unto the sons of Israel to prepare the passover,
5 and they prepare the passover in the first `month', on the fourteenth day of the month, between the evenings, in the wilderness of Sinai; according to all that Jehovah hath commanded Moses, so have the sons of Israel done.
6 And there are men who have been defiled by the body of a man, and they have not been able to prepare the passover on that day, and they come near before Moses, and before Aaron, on that day,
7 and those men say unto him, `We are defiled by the body of a man; why are we withheld so as not to bring near the offering of Jehovah in its appointed season, in the midst of the sons of Israel?'
8 And Moses saith unto them, `Stand ye, and I hear what Jehovah hath commanded concerning you.'
9 And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying,
10 `Speak unto the sons of Israel, saying, Though any man is unclean by a body or in a distant journey (of you or of your generations), yet he hath prepared a passover to Jehovah;
11 in the second month, on the fourteenth day, between the evenings they prepare it; with unleavened and bitter things they eat it;
12 they do not leave of till morning; and a bone they do not break in it: according to all the statute of the passover they prepare it.
13 `And the man who is clean, and hath not been on a journey, and hath ceased to prepare the passover, even that person hath been cut off from his people; because the offering of Jehovah he hath not brought near, in its appointed season, that man doth bear his sin.
14 `And when a sojourner sojourneth with you, then he hath prepared a passover to Jehovah, according to the statute of the passover, and according to its ordinance, so he doth; one statute is to you, even to a sojourner, and to a native of the land.'
15 And in the day of the raising up of the tabernacle hath the cloud covered the tabernacle, even the tent of the testimony; and in the evening there is on the tabernacle as an appearance of fire till morning;
16 so it is continually; the cloud covereth it, also the appearance of fire by night.
17 And according to the going up of the cloud from off the tent and afterwards do the sons of Israel journey; and in the place where the cloud doth tabernacle, there do the sons of Israel encamp;
18 by the command of Jehovah the sons of Israel journey, and by the command of Jehovah they encamp; all the days that the cloud doth tabernacle over the tabernacle they encamp.
19 And in the cloud prolonging itself over the tabernacle many days, then have the sons of Israel kept the charge of Jehovah, and journey not,
20 and so when the cloud is a number of days over the tabernacle; by the command of Jehovah they encamp, and by the command of Jehovah they journey.
21 And so when the cloud is from evening till morning, when the cloud hath gone up in the morning, then they have journeyed; whether by day or by night, when the cloud hath gone up, then they have journeyed.
22 Whether two days, or a month, or days, in the cloud prolonging itself over the tabernacle, to tabernacle over it, the sons of Israel encamp, and journey not; and in its being lifted up they journey;
23 by the command of Jehovah they encamp, and by the command of Jehovah they journey; the charge of Jehovah they have kept, by the command of Jehovah in the hand of Moses.
1 And Jehovah spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after their departure from the land of Egypt, saying,
2 Let the children of Israel also hold the passover at its set time;
3 on the fourteenth day in this month between the two evenings, ye shall hold it at its set time; according to all the rites of it, and according to all the ordinances thereof shall ye hold it.
4 And Moses spoke to the children of Israel, that they should hold the passover.
5 And they held the passover in the first [month] on the fourteenth day of the month, between the two evenings, in the wilderness of Sinai: according to all that Jehovah had commanded Moses, so did the children of Israel.
6 And there were men, who were unclean through the dead body of a man, and could not hold the passover on that day; and they came before Moses and before Aaron on that day.
7 And those men said to him, We are unclean by reason of the dead body of a man: why are we kept back, that we may not present the offering of Jehovah at its set time among the children of Israel?
8 And Moses said to them, Stay, and I will hear what Jehovah commands concerning you.
9 And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying,
10 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If any one of you or of your generations be unclean by reason of a dead body or be on a journey afar off, yet he shall hold the passover to Jehovah.
11 In the second month, on the fourteenth day, between the two evenings, shall they hold it; with unleavened bread and bitter herbs shall they eat it.
12 They shall leave none of it until the morning, nor break a bone thereof: according to every ordinance of the passover shall they hold it.
13 But a man that is clean, and is not on a journey, and forbeareth to hold the passover, that soul shall be cut off from among his peoples; because he presented not the offering of Jehovah at its set time: that man shall bear his sin.
14 And if a stranger shall sojourn among you, and would hold the passover to Jehovah, according to the rite of the passover, and according to the ordinance thereof, so shall he do. Ye shall have one rite, both for the stranger and for him that is born in the land.
15 And on the day that the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle of the tent of testimony; and at even it was upon the tabernacle as the appearance of fire, until the morning.
16 So it was continually: the cloud covered it, and at night it was as the appearance of fire.
17 And when the cloud rose from the tent, then the children of Israel journeyed; and at the place where the cloud stood still, there the children of Israel encamped.
18 According to the commandment of Jehovah the children of Israel journeyed, and according to the commandment of Jehovah they [remained] encamped; all the days that the cloud dwelt upon the tabernacle they encamped.
19 And when the cloud was long upon the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of Jehovah, and journeyed not.
20 And if it were so that the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle, according to the commandment of Jehovah they encamped, and according to the commandment of Jehovah they journeyed.
21 And if it were so that the cloud was there from the evening until the morning, and that the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they journeyed; or a day and a night, and the cloud was taken up, they journeyed;
22 or two days, or a month, or many days, when the cloud was long upon the tabernacle, dwelling upon it, the children of Israel [remained] encamped, and journeyed not; but when it was taken up, they journeyed.
23 At the commandment of Jehovah they encamped, and at the commandment of Jehovah they journeyed: they kept the charge of Jehovah according to the commandment of Jehovah through Moses.
1 Yahweh 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 "Moreover let the children of Israel keep the Passover in its appointed season.
3 On the fourteenth day of this month, at evening, you shall keep it in its appointed season-- according to all its statutes, and according to all its ordinances, you shall keep it."
4 Moses spoke to the children of Israel, that they should keep the Passover.
5 They 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.
6 There 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 before Aaron on that day.
7 Those 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?"
8 Moses answered them, "Wait, that I may hear what Yahweh will command concerning you."
9 Yahweh 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.
11 In the second month, on the fourteenth day at evening they shall keep it; they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.
12 They 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.
13 But 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; according to the statute of the Passover, and according to its ordinance, so shall he do. You shall have one statute, both for the foreigner, and for him who is born in the land.'"
15 On the day that the tabernacle was raised up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, even the Tent of the Testimony: and at evening it was over the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until morning.
16 So it was continually. The cloud covered it, and the appearance of fire by night.
17 Whenever 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.
18 At 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.
19 When the cloud stayed on the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of Yahweh, and didn't travel.
20 Sometimes 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.
21 Sometimes 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.
22 Whether 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.
23 At the commandment of Yahweh they encamped, and at the commandment of Yahweh they traveled. They kept the charge of Yahweh, at the commandment of Yahweh by Moses.
1 And the Lord said to Moses, in the waste land of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt,
2 Let the children of Israel keep the Passover at its regular time.
3 In the fourteenth day of this month, at evening, you are to keep it at the regular time, and in the way ordered in the law.
4 And Moses gave orders to the children of Israel to keep the Passover.
5 So they kept the Passover in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, at evening, in the waste land of Sinai: as the Lord gave orders to Moses, so the children of Israel did.
6 And there were certain men who were unclean because of a dead body, so that they were not able to keep the Passover on that day; and they came before Moses and before Aaron on that day:
7 And these men said to him, We have been made unclean by the dead body of a man; why may we not make the offering of the Lord at the regular time among the children of Israel?
8 And Moses said to them, Do nothing till the Lord gives me directions about you.
9 And the Lord said to Moses,
10 Say to the children of Israel, If any one of you or of your families is unclean because of a dead body, or is on a journey far away, still he is to keep the Passover to the Lord:
11 In the second month, on the fourteenth day, in the evening, they are to keep it, taking it with unleavened bread and bitter-tasting plants;
12 Nothing of it is to be kept till the morning, and no bone of it is to be broken: they are to keep it by the rules of the Passover.
13 But the man who, not being unclean or on a journey, does not keep the Passover, will be cut off from his people: because he did not make the offering of the Lord at the regular time, his sin will be on him.
14 And if a man from another country is among you and has a desire to keep the Passover to the Lord, let him do as is ordered in the law of the Passover: there is to be the same rule for the man from another nation and for him who had his birth in the land.
15 And on the day when the House was put up, the cloud came down on it, on the Tent of witness; and in the evening there was a light like fire over the House till the morning.
16 And so it was at all times: it was covered by the cloud, and by a light as of fire by night.
17 And whenever the cloud was taken up from over the House, then the children of Israel went journeying on; and in the place where the cloud came to rest, there the children of Israel put up their tents.
18 At the order of the Lord the children of Israel went forward, and at the order of the Lord they put up their tents: as long as the cloud was resting on the House, they did not go away from that place.
19 When the cloud was resting on the House for a long time the children of Israel, waiting for the order of the Lord, did not go on.
20 Sometimes the cloud was resting on the House for two or three days; then, by the order of the Lord, they kept their tents in that place, and when the Lord gave the order they went on.
21 And sometimes the cloud was there only from evening to morning; and when the cloud was taken up in the morning they went on their journey again: or if it was resting there by day and by night, whenever the cloud was taken up they went forward.
22 Or if the cloud came to rest on the House for two days or a month or a year without moving, the children of Israel went on waiting there and did not go on; but whenever it was taken up they went forward on their journey.
23 At the word of the Lord they put up their tents, and at the word of the Lord they went forward on their journey: they kept the orders of the Lord as he gave them by Moses.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on Numbers 9
Commentary on Numbers 9 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
The Passover at Sinai, and Instructions for a Supplementary Passover. - Numbers 9:1-5. On the first institution of the Passover, before the exodus from Egypt, God had appointed the observance of this feast as an everlasting statute for all future generations (Exodus 12:13, Exodus 12:24-25). In the first month of the second year after the exodus, that is to say, immediately after the erection of the tabernacle (Exodus 40:2, Exodus 40:17), this command was renewed, and the people were commanded “to keep the Passover in its appointed season, according to all its statutes and rights;” not to postpone it, that is, according to an interpretation that might possibly have been put upon Exodus 12:24-25, until they came to Canaan, but to keep it there at Sinai. And Israel kept it in the wilderness of Sinai, in exact accordance with the commands which God had given before (Ex 12). There is no express command, it is true, that the blood of the paschal lambs, instead of being smeared upon the lintel and posts of the house-doors (or the entrances to the tents), was to be sprinkled upon the altar of burnt-offering; nor is it recorded that this was actually done; but it followed of itself from the altered circumstances, inasmuch as there was not destroying angel to pass through the camp at Sinai and smite the enemies of Israel, whilst there was an altar in existence now upon which all the sacrificial blood was to be poured out, and therefore the blood of the paschal sacrifice also.
(Note: If we take into consideration still further, the fact that the law had already been issued that the blood of all the animals slain for food, whether inside or outside the camp, was to be sprinkled upon the altar (Leviticus 17:3-6), there can be no doubt that the blood of the paschal lambs would also have to be sprinkled upon the altar, notwithstanding the difficulties referred to by Kurtz , arising from the small number of priests to perform the task, viz., Aaron, Eleazar, and Ithamar, as Nadab and Abihu were now dead. But (1) Kurtz estimates the number of paschal lambs much too high, viz., at 100,000 to 140,000; for when he reckons the whole number of the people at about two millions, and gives one lamb upon an average to every fifteen or twenty persons, he includes infants and sucklings among those who partook of the Passover. But as there were only 603,550 males of twenty years old and upwards in the twelve tribes, we cannot reckon more than about 700,000 males as participants in the paschal meal, since the children under ten or twelve years of age would not come into the calculation, even if those who were between eight and twelve partook of the meal, since there would be many adults who could not eat the Passover, because they were unclean. Now if, as Josephus affirms ( de bell. jud. vi. 9, 3), there were never less than ten, and often as many as twenty, who joined together in the time of Christ ( οὐκ ἔλασσον ἀνδρῶν δέκα ... πολλοί δέ καὶ σὺν εἴκοσιν ἀθροίζονται ), we need not assume that there were more than 50,000 lambs required for the feast of Passover at Sinai; because even if all the women who were clean took part in the feast, they would confine themselves as much as possible to the quantity actually needed, and one whole sheep of a year old would furnish flesh enough for one supper for fifteen males and fifteen females. (2) The slaughtering of all these lambs need not have taken place in the narrow space afforded by the court, even if it was afterwards performed in the more roomy courts of the later temple, as has been inferred from 2 Chronicles 30:16 and 2 Chronicles 35:11. Lastly, the sprinkling of the blood was no doubt the business of the priests. But the Levites assisted them, so that they sprinkled the blood upon the altar “out of the hand of the Levites” (2 Chronicles 30:16). Moreover, we are by no means in a condition to pronounce positively whether three priests were sufficient or not at Sinai, because we have no precise information respecting the course pursued. The altar, no doubt, would appear too small for the performance of the whole within the short time of hardly three hours (from the ninth hour of the day to the eleventh). But if it was possible, in the time of the Emperor Nero, to sprinkle the blood of 256,500 paschal lambs (for that number was actually counted under Cestius ; see Josephus, l. c .) upon the altar of the temple of that time, which was six, or eight, or even ten times larger, it must have been also possible, in Moses' time, for the blood of 50,000 lambs to be sprinkled upon the altar of the tabernacle, which was five cubits in length, and the same in breadth.)
There were certain men who were defiled by human corpses (see Leviticus 19:28), and could not eat the Passover on the day appointed. These men came to Moses, and asked, “ Why are we diminished (prevented) from offering the sacrificial gift of Jehovah at its season in the midst of the children of Israel (i.e., in common with the rest of the Israelites)?” The exclusion of persons defiled from offering the Passover followed from the law, that only clean persons were to participate in a sacrificial meal ( Leviticus 7:21), and that no one could offer any sacrifice in an unclean state.
Moses told them to wait (stand), and he would hear what the Lord, of whom he would inquire, would command.
Jehovah gave these general instructions: “ Every one who is defiled by a corpse or upon a distant
(Note: The רחקה is marked as suspicious by puncta extraordinaria , probably first of all simply on the ground that the more exact definition is not found in Numbers 9:13. The Rabbins suppose the marks to indicate that rechokah is not to be taken here in its literal sense, but denotes merely distance from Jerusalem, or from the threshold of the outer court of the temple. See Mishnah Pesach ix. 2, with the commentaries of Bartenora and Maimonides , and the conjectures of the Pesikta on the ten passages in the Pentateuch with punctis extraordinariis , in Drusii notae uberiores ad h. v. )
journey, of you and your future families, shall keep the Passover in the second month on the fourteenth, between the two evenings ,” and that in all respects according to the statute of this feast, the three leading points of which - viz., eating the lamb with unleavened bread and bitter herbs, leaving nothing till the next day, and not breaking a bone ( Exodus 12:8, Exodus 12:10, Exodus 12:46), - are repeated here. But lest any one should pervert this permission, to celebrate the Passover a month later in case of insuperable difficulties, which had only been given for the purpose of enforcing the obligation to keep the covenant meal upon every member of the nation, into an excuse for postponing it without any necessity and merely from indifference, on the ground that he could make it up afterwards, the threat is held out in Numbers 9:13, that whoever should omit to keep the feast at the legal time, if he was neither unclean nor upon a journey, should be cut off; and in Numbers 9:14 the command is repeated with reference to foreigners, that they were also to keep the law and ordinance with the greatest minuteness when they observed the Passover: cf. Exodus 12:48-49, according to which the stranger was required first of all to let himself be circumcised. In Numbers 9:14 , יהיה stands for תּהיה , as in Exodus 12:49; cf. Ewald, §295, d . ו ... ו et ... et , both...and.
Numbers 9:15
Signs for Removing and Encamping. - On their way through the desert from the border of Egypt to Sinai, Jehovah Himself had undertaken to guide His people by a cloud, as the visible sign and vehicle of His gracious presence (Exodus 13:21-22). This cloud had come down upon the dwelling when the tabernacle was erected, whilst the glory of the Lord filled the holy of holies (Exodus 40:34-38). In Numbers 9:15 the historian refers to this fact, and then describes more fully what had been already briefly alluded to in Exodus 40:36-37, namely, that when the cloud rose up from the dwelling of the tabernacle it was a sign for removing, and when it came down upon the dwelling, a sign for encamping. In Numbers 9:15 , “ on the day of the setting up of the dwelling, ” Exodus 40:34-35, is resumed; and in Numbers 9:15 the appearance of the cloud during the night, from evening till morning, is described in accordance with Exodus 40:38. (On the fact itself, see the exposition of Exodus 13:21-22). העדת לאהל משׁכּן , “ the dwelling of the tent of witness ” ( ל used for the genitive to avoid a double construct state: Ewald , §292, a ). In the place of ohel moëd , “tent of the meeting of Jehovah with His people,” we have here “ tent of witness ” (or “testimony”), i.e., of the tables with the decalogue which were laid up in the ark of the covenant ( Exodus 25:16), because the decalogue formed the basis of the covenant of Jehovah with Israel, and the pledge of the gracious presence of the Lord in the tabernacle. In the place of “dwellings of the tent of witness,” we have “ dwelling of witness” (testimony) in Numbers 10:11, and “tent of witness” in Numbers 18:2; Numbers 17:8, to denote the whole dwelling, as divided into the holy place and the holy of holies, and not the holy of holies alone. This is unmistakeably evident from a comparison of the verse before us with Exodus 40:34, according to which the cloud covered not merely one portion of the tabernacle, but the whole of the tent of meeting ( ohel moëd ). The rendering, “the cloud covered the dwelling at the tent of witness,” i.e., at that part of it in which the witness (or “testimony”) was kept, viz., the holy of holies, which Rosenmüller and Knobel adopt, cannot be sustained, inasmuch as ל has no such meaning, but simply conveys the idea of motion and passage into a place or condition (cf. Ewald , §217, d ); and the dwelling or tabernacle was not first made into the tent of witness through the cloud which covered it.
Numbers 9:16
The covering of the dwelling, with the cloud which shone by night as a fiery look, was constant, and not merely a phenomenon which appeared when the tabernacle was first erected, and then vanished away again.
Numbers 9:17
“ In accordance with the rising of the cloud from the tent, then afterwards the children of Israel broke up, ” i.e., whenever the cloud ascended up from the tent, they always broke up immediately afterwards; “ and at the place where the cloud came down, there they encamped .” The שׁכן , or settling down of the cloud, sc., upon the tabernacle, we can only understand in the following manner, as the tabernacle was all taken to pieces during the march: viz., that the cloud visibly descended from the height at which it ordinarily soared above the ark of the covenant, as it was carried in front of the army, for a signal that the tabernacle was to be set up there; and then this had been done, it settled down upon it.
Numbers 9:18
As Jehovah was with His people in the cloud, the rising and falling of the cloud was “the command of the Lord” to the Israelites to break up or to pitch the camp. As long, therefore, as the cloud rested upon the dwelling, i.e., remained stationary, they continued their encampment.
Numbers 9:19-23
Whether it might rest many days long ( האריך , to lengthen out the resting), or only a few days (Genesis 34:30), or only from evening till morning, and then rise up again in the morning, or for a day and a night, or for two days, or for a month, or for days ( yamim ), i.e., a space of time not precisely determined (cf. Genesis 4:3; Genesis 40:4), they encamped without departing. “ Kept the charge of the Lord ” (Numbers 9:19 and Numbers 9:23), i.e., observed what was to be observed towards Jehovah (see Leviticus 8:35). With אשׁר וישׁ , “was it that,” or “did it happen that,” two other possible cases are introduced. After Numbers 9:20 , the apodosis, “ they kept the charge of the Lord, ” is to be repeated in thought from Numbers 9:19. The elaboration of the account (Numbers 9:15-23), which abounds with repetitions, is intended to bring out the importance of the fact, and to awaken the consciousness not only of the absolute dependence of Israel upon the guidance of Jehovah, but also of the gracious care of their God, which was thereby displayed to the Israelites throughout all their journeyings.