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The Second Passover

A year after Israel’s departure from Egypt, the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai. In the first month[a] of that year he said, “Tell the Israelites to celebrate the Passover at the prescribed time, at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month.[b] Be sure to follow all my decrees and regulations concerning this celebration.”

So Moses told the people to celebrate the Passover in the wilderness of Sinai as twilight fell on the fourteenth day of the month. And they celebrated the festival there, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. But some of the men had been ceremonially defiled by touching a dead body, so they could not celebrate the Passover that day. They came to Moses and Aaron that day and said, “We have become ceremonially unclean by touching a dead body. But why should we be prevented from presenting the Lord’s offering at the proper time with the rest of the Israelites?”

Moses answered, “Wait here until I have received instructions for you from the Lord.”

This was the Lord’s reply to Moses. 10 “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel: If any of the people now or in future generations are ceremonially unclean at Passover time because of touching a dead body, or if they are on a journey and cannot be present at the ceremony, they may still celebrate the Lord’s Passover. 11 They must offer the Passover sacrifice one month later, at twilight on the fourteenth day of the second month.[c] They must eat the Passover lamb at that time with bitter salad greens and bread made without yeast. 12 They must not leave any of the lamb until the next morning, and they must not break any of its bones. They must follow all the normal regulations concerning the Passover.

13 “But those who neglect to celebrate the Passover at the regular time, even though they are ceremonially clean and not away on a trip, will be cut off from the community of Israel. If they fail to present the Lord’s offering at the proper time, they will suffer the consequences of their guilt. 14 And if foreigners living among you want to celebrate the Passover to the Lord, they must follow these same decrees and regulations. The same laws apply both to native-born Israelites and to the foreigners living among you.”

The Fiery Cloud

15 On the day the Tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered it.[d] But from evening until morning the cloud over the Tabernacle looked like a pillar of fire. 16 This was the regular pattern—at night the cloud that covered the Tabernacle had the appearance of fire. 17 Whenever the cloud lifted from over the sacred tent, the people of Israel would break camp and follow it. And wherever the cloud settled, the people of Israel would set up camp. 18 In this way, they traveled and camped at the Lord’s command wherever he told them to go. Then they remained in their camp as long as the cloud stayed over the Tabernacle. 19 If the cloud remained over the Tabernacle for a long time, the Israelites stayed and performed their duty to the Lord. 20 Sometimes the cloud would stay over the Tabernacle for only a few days, so the people would stay for only a few days, as the Lord commanded. Then at the Lord’s command they would break camp and move on. 21 Sometimes the cloud stayed only overnight and lifted the next morning. But day or night, when the cloud lifted, the people broke camp and moved on. 22 Whether the cloud stayed above the Tabernacle for two days, a month, or a year, the people of Israel stayed in camp and did not move on. But as soon as it lifted, they broke camp and moved on. 23 So they camped or traveled at the Lord’s command, and they did whatever the Lord told them through Moses.

Footnotes

  1. 9:1 The first month of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar usually occurs within the months of March and April.
  2. 9:3 This day in the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar occurred in late March, April, or early May.
  3. 9:11 This day in the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar occurred in late April, May, or early June.
  4. 9:15 Hebrew covered the Tabernacle, the Tent of the Testimony.

當守逾越節

以色列人出埃及地以後,第二年正月,耶和華在西奈的曠野吩咐摩西說: 以色列人應當在所定的日期守逾越節, 就是本月十四日黃昏的時候,你們要在所定的日期守這節,要按這節的律例、典章而守。」 於是摩西吩咐以色列人守逾越節。 他們就在西奈的曠野,正月十四日黃昏的時候,守逾越節。凡耶和華所吩咐摩西的,以色列人都照樣行了。 有幾個人因死屍而不潔淨,不能在那日守逾越節。當日他們到摩西亞倫面前, 說:「我們雖因死屍而不潔淨,為何被阻止,不得同以色列人在所定的日期獻耶和華的供物呢?」 摩西對他們說:「你們暫且等候,我可以去聽耶和華指著你們是怎樣吩咐的。」

耶和華對摩西說: 10 「你曉諭以色列人說:你們和你們後代中,若有人因死屍而不潔淨,或在遠方行路,還要向耶和華守逾越節。 11 他們要在二月十四日黃昏的時候守逾越節,要用無酵餅與苦菜和逾越節的羊羔同吃。 12 一點不可留到早晨,羊羔的骨頭一根也不可折斷。他們要照逾越節的一切律例而守。 13 那潔淨而不行路的人若推辭不守逾越節,那人要從民中剪除,因為他在所定的日期不獻耶和華的供物,應該擔當他的罪。 14 若有外人寄居在你們中間,願意向耶和華守逾越節,他要照逾越節的律例、典章行,不管是寄居的,是本地人,同歸一例。」

雲遮會幕

15 立起帳幕的那日,有雲彩遮蓋帳幕,就是法櫃的帳幕。從晚上到早晨,雲彩在其上,形狀如火。 16 常是這樣,雲彩遮蓋帳幕,夜間形狀如火。 17 雲彩幾時從帳幕收上去,以色列人就幾時起行。雲彩在哪裡停住,以色列人就在哪裡安營。 18 以色列人遵耶和華的吩咐起行,也遵耶和華的吩咐安營。雲彩在帳幕上停住幾時,他們就住營幾時。 19 雲彩在帳幕上停留許多日子,以色列人就守耶和華所吩咐的不起行。 20 有時雲彩在帳幕上幾天,他們就照耶和華的吩咐住營,也照耶和華的吩咐起行。 21 有時從晚上到早晨有這雲彩在帳幕上,早晨雲彩收上去,他們就起行。有時晝夜雲彩停在帳幕上,收上去的時候,他們就起行。 22 雲彩停留在帳幕上,無論是兩天,是一月,是一年,以色列人就住營不起行,但雲彩收上去,他們就起行。 23 他們遵耶和華的吩咐安營,也遵耶和華的吩咐起行。他們守耶和華所吩咐的,都是憑耶和華吩咐摩西的。