Numbers 9
New King James Version
The Second Passover(A)
9 Now the Lord 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 (B)the Passover at its appointed (C)time. 3 On the fourteenth day of this month, [a]at twilight, you shall [b]keep it at its appointed time. According to all its [c]rites and ceremonies you shall keep it.” 4 So Moses told the children of Israel that they should keep the Passover. 5 And (D)they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month, at twilight, in the Wilderness of Sinai; according to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did.
6 Now there were certain men who were (E)defiled by a human corpse, so that they could not keep the Passover on that day; (F)and they came before Moses and Aaron that day. 7 And those men said to him, “We became defiled by a human corpse. Why are we kept from presenting the offering of the Lord at its appointed time among the children of Israel?”
8 And Moses said to them, “Stand still, that (G)I may hear what the Lord will command concerning you.”
9 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 10 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘If anyone of you or your [d]posterity is unclean because of a corpse, or is far away on a journey, he may still keep the Lord’s Passover. 11 On (H)the fourteenth day of the second month, at twilight, they may keep it. They shall (I)eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 12 (J)They shall leave none of it until morning, (K)nor break one of its bones. (L)According to all the [e]ordinances of the Passover they shall keep it. 13 But the man who is clean and is not on a journey, and ceases to keep the Passover, that same person (M)shall be cut off from among his people, because he (N)did not bring the offering of the Lord at its appointed time; that man shall (O)bear his sin.
14 ‘And if a stranger [f]dwells among you, and would keep the Lord’s Passover, he must do so according to the rite of the Passover and according to its ceremony; (P)you shall have one [g]ordinance, both for the stranger and the native of the land.’ ”
The Cloud and the Fire(Q)
15 Now (R)on the day that the tabernacle was raised up, the cloud (S)covered the tabernacle, the tent of the Testimony; (T)from evening until morning it was above the tabernacle like the appearance of fire. 16 So it was always: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night. 17 Whenever the cloud (U)was [h]taken up from above the tabernacle, after that the children of Israel would journey; and in the place where the cloud settled, there the children of Israel would pitch their tents. 18 At the [i]command of the Lord the children of Israel would journey, and at the command of the Lord they would camp; (V)as long as the cloud stayed above the tabernacle they remained encamped. 19 Even when the cloud continued long, many days above the tabernacle, the children of Israel (W)kept the charge of the Lord and did not journey. 20 So it was, when the cloud was above the tabernacle a few days: according to the command of the Lord they would remain encamped, and according to the command of the Lord they would journey. 21 So it was, when the cloud remained only from evening until morning: when the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they would journey; whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud was taken up, they would journey. 22 Whether it was two days, a month, or a year that the cloud remained above the tabernacle, the children of Israel (X)would remain encamped and not journey; but when it was taken up, they would journey. 23 At the command of the Lord they remained encamped, and at the command of the Lord they journeyed; they (Y)kept the charge of the Lord, at the command of the Lord by the hand of Moses.
Footnotes
- Numbers 9:3 Lit. between the evenings
- Numbers 9:3 observe
- Numbers 9:3 statutes
- Numbers 9:10 descendants
- Numbers 9:12 statutes
- Numbers 9:14 As a resident alien
- Numbers 9:14 statute
- Numbers 9:17 lifted up
- Numbers 9:18 Lit. mouth
Numbers 9
Expanded Bible
The Passover Is Celebrated
9 The Lord spoke to Moses in the ·Desert [Wilderness] of Sinai in the first month of the second year after the Israelites left Egypt [1:1]. He said, 2 “Tell the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] to celebrate the Passover at the appointed time [Ex. 12:14–20; C commemorating the departure from Egypt]. 3 That appointed time is the fourteenth day of this month ·at twilight [L between the two evenings]; they must obey all the rules about it.”
4 So Moses told the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] to celebrate the Passover, 5 and they did; it was in the ·Desert [Wilderness] of Sinai ·at twilight [L between the two evenings] on the fourteenth day of the first month. The ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] did everything just as the Lord commanded Moses.
6 But some of the people could not celebrate the Passover on that day because they were unclean [C in a ritual sense; 5:2] from touching a dead body. So they went to Moses and Aaron that day and 7 said to Moses, “We are unclean because of touching a dead body. But why should we be kept from offering gifts to the Lord at this appointed time? Why can’t we join the other ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel]?”
8 Moses said to them, “Wait, and I will find out what the Lord says about you.”
9 Then the Lord said to Moses, 10 “Tell the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] this: ‘If you or your descendants become unclean [C in a ritual sense] because of a dead body, or if you are away on a trip during the Passover, you must still celebrate the Lord’s Passover. 11 But celebrate it at ·twilight [L between the two evenings] on the fourteenth day of the second month. Eat the lamb with bitter herbs [Ex. 12:8] and bread made without ·yeast [leaven]. 12 Don’t leave any of it until the next morning or break any of its bones [Ex. 12:46]. When you celebrate the Passover, follow all the rules [2 Chr. 30:1–27]. 13 Anyone who is clean and is not away on a trip but does not eat the Passover must be cut off from the people. That person did not give an offering to the Lord at the appointed time and must be punished for the sin.
14 “‘·Foreigners [Resident aliens] among you may celebrate the Lord’s Passover, but they must follow all the rules. You must have the same rules for ·foreigners [resident aliens] as you have for ·yourselves [L natives; citizens].’”
The Cloud Above the Tent
15 On the day the ·Holy Tent [Tabernacle], the Tent of the ·Agreement [Testimony; Treaty; Covenant], was set up, a cloud covered it. From dusk until dawn the cloud above the ·Tent [Tabernacle] looked like fire [Ex. 40:34–38]. 16 The cloud stayed above the ·Tent [Tabernacle], and at night it looked like fire. 17 When the cloud moved from its place over the Tent, the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] moved, and wherever the cloud stopped, the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] camped. 18 So the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] moved at the Lord’s command, and they camped at his command. While the cloud stayed over the ·Tent [Tabernacle], they remained camped. 19 Sometimes the cloud stayed over the ·Tent [Tabernacle] for a long time, but the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] obeyed the Lord and did not move. 20 Sometimes the cloud was over it only a few days. At the Lord’s command the people camped, and at his command they moved. 21 Sometimes the cloud stayed only from dusk until dawn; when the cloud lifted the next morning, the people moved. When the cloud lifted, day or night, the people moved. 22 The cloud might stay over the ·Tent [Tabernacle] for two days, a month, or a year. As long as it stayed, the people camped, but when it lifted, they moved. 23 At the Lord’s command the people camped, and at his command they moved. They obeyed the Lord’s order that he commanded through Moses.
Numbers 9
New International Version
The Passover
9 The Lord spoke to Moses in the Desert of Sinai in the first month(A) of the second year after they came out of Egypt.(B) He said, 2 “Have the Israelites celebrate the Passover(C) at the appointed time.(D) 3 Celebrate it at the appointed time, at twilight on the fourteenth day of this month,(E) in accordance with all its rules and regulations.(F)”
4 So Moses told the Israelites to celebrate the Passover,(G) 5 and they did so in the Desert of Sinai(H) at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month.(I) The Israelites did everything just as the Lord commanded Moses.(J)
6 But some of them could not celebrate the Passover on that day because they were ceremonially unclean(K) on account of a dead body.(L) So they came to Moses and Aaron(M) that same day 7 and said to Moses, “We have become unclean because of a dead body, but why should we be kept from presenting the Lord’s offering with the other Israelites at the appointed time?(N)”
8 Moses answered them, “Wait until I find out what the Lord commands concerning you.”(O)
9 Then the Lord said to Moses, 10 “Tell the Israelites: ‘When any of you or your descendants are unclean because of a dead body(P) or are away on a journey, they are still to celebrate(Q) the Lord’s Passover, 11 but they are to do it on the fourteenth day of the second month(R) at twilight. They are to eat the lamb, together with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.(S) 12 They must not leave any of it till morning(T) or break any of its bones.(U) When they celebrate the Passover, they must follow all the regulations.(V) 13 But if anyone who is ceremonially clean and not on a journey fails to celebrate the Passover, they must be cut off from their people(W) for not presenting the Lord’s offering at the appointed time. They will bear the consequences of their sin.
14 “‘A foreigner(X) residing among you is also to celebrate the Lord’s Passover in accordance with its rules and regulations. You must have the same regulations for both the foreigner and the native-born.’”
The Cloud Above the Tabernacle
15 On the day the tabernacle, the tent of the covenant law,(Y) was set up,(Z) the cloud(AA) covered it. From evening till morning the cloud above the tabernacle looked like fire.(AB) 16 That is how it continued to be; the cloud covered it, and at night it looked like fire.(AC) 17 Whenever the cloud lifted from above the tent, the Israelites set out;(AD) wherever the cloud settled, the Israelites encamped.(AE) 18 At the Lord’s command the Israelites set out, and at his command they encamped. As long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they remained(AF) in camp. 19 When the cloud remained over the tabernacle a long time, the Israelites obeyed the Lord’s order(AG) and did not set out.(AH) 20 Sometimes the cloud was over the tabernacle only a few days; at the Lord’s command they would encamp, and then at his command they would set out. 21 Sometimes the cloud stayed only from evening till morning, and when it lifted in the morning, they set out. Whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud lifted, they set out. 22 Whether the cloud stayed over the tabernacle for two days or a month or a year, the Israelites would remain in camp and not set out; but when it lifted, they would set out. 23 At the Lord’s command they encamped, and at the Lord’s command they set out. They obeyed the Lord’s order, in accordance with his command through Moses.
Numbers 9
The Message
Passover
9 1-3 God spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai in the first month of the second year after leaving Egypt: “Have the People of Israel celebrate Passover at the set time. Celebrate it on schedule, on the evening of the fourteenth day of this month, following all the rules and procedures.”
4-5 Moses told the People of Israel to celebrate the Passover and they did—in the Wilderness of Sinai at evening of the fourteenth day of the first month. The People of Israel did it all just as God had commanded Moses.
6-7 But some of them couldn’t celebrate the Passover on the assigned day because they were ritually unclean on account of a corpse. So they presented themselves before Moses and Aaron on Passover and told Moses, “We have become ritually unclean because of a corpse, but why should we be barred from bringing God’s offering along with other Israelites on the day set for Passover?”
8 Moses said, “Give me some time; I’ll find out what God says in your circumstances.”
9-12 God spoke to Moses: “Tell the People of Israel, If one or another of you is ritually unclean because of a corpse, or you happen to be off on a long trip, you may still celebrate God’s Passover. But celebrate it on the fourteenth day of the second month at evening. Eat the lamb together with unraised bread and bitter herbs. Don’t leave any of it until morning. Don’t break any of its bones. Follow all the procedures.
13 “But a man who is ritually clean and is not off on a trip and still fails to celebrate the Passover must be cut off from his people because he did not present God’s offering at the set time. That man will pay for his sin.
14 “Any foreigner living among you who wants to celebrate God’s Passover is welcome to do it, but he must follow all the rules and procedures. The same procedures go for both foreigner and native-born.”
The Cloud
15-16 The day The Dwelling was set up, the Cloud covered The Dwelling of the Tent of Testimony. From sunset until daybreak it was over The Dwelling. It looked like fire. It was like that all the time, the Cloud over The Dwelling and at night looking like fire.
17-23 When the Cloud lifted above the Tent, the People of Israel marched out; and when the Cloud descended the people camped. The People of Israel marched at God’s command and they camped at his command. As long as the Cloud was over The Dwelling, they camped. Even when the Cloud hovered over The Dwelling for many days, they honored God’s command and wouldn’t march. They stayed in camp, obedient to God’s command, as long as the Cloud was over The Dwelling, but the moment God issued orders they marched. If the Cloud stayed only from sunset to daybreak and then lifted at daybreak, they marched. Night or day, it made no difference—when the Cloud lifted, they marched. It made no difference whether the Cloud hovered over The Dwelling for two days or a month or a year, as long as the Cloud was there, they were there. And when the Cloud went up, they got up and marched. They camped at God’s command and they marched at God’s command. They lived obediently by God’s orders as delivered by Moses.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson

