民数记 9
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
逾越节
9 以色列人离开埃及后第二年的一月,耶和华在西奈旷野对摩西说: 2 “以色列人要在指定的时间守逾越节, 3 就是在一月十四日黄昏按照有关的律例和典章守逾越节。” 4 于是,摩西吩咐以色列人守逾越节。 5 一月十四日黄昏,以色列人照耶和华对摩西的吩咐,在西奈山守逾越节。
6 可是,有几个人因碰到死尸而不洁净,不能在那天守逾越节,他们就来见摩西和亚伦, 7 说:“我们不过因碰到死尸而不洁净,为什么不准我们跟其他以色列人一起在指定的时间向耶和华献供物?” 8 摩西说:“你们等一下,我要去听听耶和华对这事有什么吩咐。”
9 耶和华对摩西说: 10 “你把以下条例告诉以色列人。
“如果你们或你们的子孙中有人因为碰了死尸而不洁净,或是出了远门,可以改期为耶和华守逾越节。 11 他们可以在二月十四日黄昏守逾越节,要配无酵饼和苦菜一起吃逾越节的羊羔。 12 食物不可留到天明,也不可折断羊羔的一根骨头。要遵守逾越节的一切律例。 13 如果有人是洁净的,又没有出远门,却不守逾越节,要将他从民中铲除。他不在指定的时间向耶和华献供物,就必须自负罪责。 14 如果寄居在你们中间的外族人也想为耶和华守逾越节,他们也要遵守这些律例和典章。不论是外族人还是以色列人,都要遵守同样的律例。”
云彩遮盖会幕
15 安放约柜的圣幕支起来那天,云彩遮盖了它。当晚,云彩整夜像火焰一般。 16 之后,每天如此:白天云彩遮盖圣幕,晚上云彩像火。 17 云彩什么时候从圣幕上升起,以色列人就启行;云彩在哪里停下来,以色列人就在哪里安营。 18 他们无论启行还是安营,都遵照耶和华的吩咐。云彩在圣幕上停留多久,他们就安营多久。 19 有时云彩在圣幕上停留多日,他们就遵照耶和华的吩咐安营多日。 20 有时云彩在圣幕上只停留几天,他们就遵照耶和华的吩咐只安营几天。随后再照耶和华的吩咐启行。 21 有时云彩整夜停留在圣幕上,到早晨才升起,他们就早晨才启行。不管白天黑夜,云彩一升起,他们就启行。 22 不管是两天、一个月或是一年,只要云彩停留在圣幕上,以色列人就安营不动;云彩一升起,他们就启行。 23 他们遵照耶和华的吩咐安营,也遵照耶和华的吩咐启行。他们遵行耶和华借摩西吩咐的话。
民數記 9
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Traditional)
逾越節
9 以色列人離開埃及後第二年的一月,耶和華在西奈曠野對摩西說: 2 「以色列人要在指定的時間守逾越節, 3 就是在一月十四日黃昏按照有關的律例和典章守逾越節。」 4 於是,摩西吩咐以色列人守逾越節。 5 一月十四日黃昏,以色列人照耶和華對摩西的吩咐,在西奈山守逾越節。
6 可是,有幾個人因碰到死屍而不潔淨,不能在那天守逾越節,他們就來見摩西和亞倫, 7 說:「我們不過因碰到死屍而不潔淨,為什麼不准我們跟其他以色列人一起在指定的時間向耶和華獻供物?」 8 摩西說:「你們等一下,我要去聽聽耶和華對這事有什麼吩咐。」
9 耶和華對摩西說: 10 「你把以下條例告訴以色列人。
「如果你們或你們的子孫中有人因為碰了死屍而不潔淨,或是出了遠門,可以改期為耶和華守逾越節。 11 他們可以在二月十四日黃昏守逾越節,要配無酵餅和苦菜一起吃逾越節的羊羔。 12 食物不可留到天明,也不可折斷羊羔的一根骨頭。要遵守逾越節的一切律例。 13 如果有人是潔淨的,又沒有出遠門,卻不守逾越節,要將他從民中剷除。他不在指定的時間向耶和華獻供物,就必須自負罪責。 14 如果寄居在你們中間的外族人也想為耶和華守逾越節,他們也要遵守這些律例和典章。不論是外族人還是以色列人,都要遵守同樣的律例。」
雲彩遮蓋會幕
15 安放約櫃的聖幕支起來那天,雲彩遮蓋了它。當晚,雲彩整夜像火焰一般。 16 之後,每天如此:白天雲彩遮蓋聖幕,晚上雲彩像火。 17 雲彩什麼時候從聖幕上升起,以色列人就啟行;雲彩在哪裡停下來,以色列人就在哪裡安營。 18 他們無論啟行還是安營,都遵照耶和華的吩咐。雲彩在聖幕上停留多久,他們就安營多久。 19 有時雲彩在聖幕上停留多日,他們就遵照耶和華的吩咐安營多日。 20 有時雲彩在聖幕上只停留幾天,他們就遵照耶和華的吩咐只安營幾天。隨後再照耶和華的吩咐啟行。 21 有時雲彩整夜停留在聖幕上,到早晨才升起,他們就早晨才啟行。不管白天黑夜,雲彩一升起,他們就啟行。 22 不管是兩天、一個月或是一年,只要雲彩停留在聖幕上,以色列人就安營不動;雲彩一升起,他們就啟行。 23 他們遵照耶和華的吩咐安營,也遵照耶和華的吩咐啟行。他們遵行耶和華藉摩西吩咐的話。
Numbers 9
New English Translation
Passover Regulations
9 [a] The Lord spoke to Moses in the desert of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they had come out[b] of the land of Egypt:
2 “The Israelites are to observe[c] the Passover[d] at its appointed time.[e] 3 In the fourteenth day of this month, at twilight,[f] you are to observe it at its appointed time; you must keep[g] it in accordance with all its statutes and all its customs.”[h] 4 So Moses instructed[i] the Israelites to observe[j] the Passover. 5 And they observed the Passover[k] on the fourteenth day of the first month at twilight in the desert of Sinai; in accordance with all that the Lord had commanded Moses, so the Israelites did.
6 It happened that some men[l] who were ceremonially defiled[m] by the dead body of a man[n] could not keep[o] the Passover on that day, so they came before Moses and before Aaron on that day. 7 And those men said to Moses,[p] “We are ceremonially defiled by the dead body of a man; why are we kept back from offering the Lord’s offering at its appointed time among the Israelites?” 8 So Moses said to them, “Remain[q] here and I will hear[r] what the Lord will command concerning you.”
9 The Lord spoke to Moses: 10 “Tell the Israelites, ‘If any[s] of you or of your posterity become ceremonially defiled by touching a dead body, or are on a journey far away, then he may[t] observe the Passover to the Lord. 11 They may observe it on the fourteenth day of the second month[u] at twilight; they are to eat it with bread made without yeast and with bitter herbs. 12 They must not leave any of it until morning, nor break any of its bones; they must observe it in accordance with every statute of the Passover.
13 “‘But[v] the man who is ceremonially clean, and was not on a journey, and fails[w] to keep the Passover, that person must be cut off from his people.[x] Because he did not bring the Lord’s offering at its appointed time, that man must bear his sin.[y] 14 If a resident foreigner lives[z] among you and wants to keep[aa] the Passover to the Lord, he must do so according to the statute of the Passover, and according to its custom. You must have[ab] the same[ac] statute for the resident foreigner[ad] and for the one who was born in the land.’”
The Lord Leads the Israelites by the Cloud
15 [ae] On[af] the day that the tabernacle was set up,[ag] the cloud[ah] covered the tabernacle—the tent of the testimony[ai]—and from evening until morning there was[aj] a fiery appearance[ak] over the tabernacle. 16 This is the way it used to be continually: The cloud would cover it by day,[al] and there was a fiery appearance by night. 17 Whenever the cloud was taken up[am] from the tabernacle, then after that the Israelites would begin their journey; and in whatever place[an] the cloud settled, there the Israelites would make camp. 18 At the commandment[ao] of the Lord the Israelites would begin their journey, and at the commandment of the Lord they would make camp; as long as[ap] the cloud remained settled over the tabernacle they would camp. 19 When the cloud remained over the tabernacle many days, then the Israelites obeyed the instructions[aq] of the Lord and did not journey.
20 When[ar] the cloud remained over the tabernacle a number of days,[as] they remained camped according to the Lord’s commandment,[at] and according to the Lord’s commandment they would journey. 21 And when[au] the cloud remained only[av] from evening until morning, when the cloud was taken up[aw] the following morning, then they traveled on. Whether by day or by night, when the cloud was taken up they traveled. 22 Whether it was for two days, or a month, or a year[ax] that the cloud prolonged its stay[ay] over the tabernacle, the Israelites remained camped without traveling;[az] but when it was taken up, they traveled on. 23 At the commandment of the Lord they camped, and at the commandment of the Lord they traveled on; they kept the instructions of the Lord according to the commandment of the Lord, by the authority[ba] of Moses.
Footnotes
- Numbers 9:1 sn The chapter has just the two sections, the observance of the Passover (vv. 1-14) and the cloud that led the Israelites in the wilderness (vv. 15-23). It must be remembered that the material in vv. 7-9 is chronologically earlier than vv. 1-6, as the notices in the text will make clear. The two main discussions here are the last major issues to be reiterated before dealing with the commencement of the journey.
- Numbers 9:1 tn The temporal clause is formed with the infinitive construct of יָצָא (yatsaʾ, “to go out; to leave”). This verse indicates that a full year had passed since the exodus and the original Passover; now a second ruling on the Passover is included at the beginning of the second year. This would have occurred immediately after the consecration of the tabernacle, in the month before the census at Sinai.
- Numbers 9:2 tn The verb is simply “to do; to make” (עָשָׂה [ʿasah] in the jussive). It must have the idea here of “to perform; to keep; to observe” the ritual of the Passover.
- Numbers 9:2 sn For a detailed study note on the Passover, see the discussion with the original institution in Exod 12. The word פֶּסַח (pesakh)—here in pause and with the article—has become the technical name for the spring festival of Israel. In Exod 12 the name is explained by the use of the verb “to pass over” (עָבַר, ʿavar), indicating that the angel of death would pass over the house with the blood applied. Many scholarly attempts have been made to supply the etymology of the word, but none has been compelling enough to be accepted by a large number of biblical scholars. For general literature on the Passover, see J. B. Segal, The Hebrew Passover, as well as the Bible dictionaries and encyclopedias.
- Numbers 9:2 tc The Greek text uses a plural here but the singular in vv. 7 and 13; the Smr uses the plural in all three places.
- Numbers 9:3 tn The literal Hebrew expression is “between the evenings” (so also in vv. 5, 11). Sunset is certainly one evening; the other may refer to the change in the middle of the afternoon to the late afternoon, or the beginning of dusk. The idea is probably just at twilight, or dusk (see R. B. Allen, TWOT 2:694).
- Numbers 9:3 tn The two verbs in this verse are identical; they are imperfects of instruction. The English translation has been modified for stylistic variation.
- Numbers 9:3 tn The two words in this last section are standard “Torah” words. The word חֹק (khoq) is a binding statute, something engraved and monumental. The word מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat) means “judgment, decision,” but with a more general idea of “custom” at its core. The verse is making it very clear that the Passover had to follow the custom and form that was legislated in Egypt.
- Numbers 9:4 tn Heb “spoke to.”
- Numbers 9:4 tn The infinitive construct functions as the direct object of the preceding verb (a Hebrew complementary usage), answering the question of what he said.
- Numbers 9:5 tc The LXX omits this first clause; it also omits “at twilight.”
- Numbers 9:6 tn In the Hebrew text the noun has no definite article, and so it signifies “some” or “certain” men.
- Numbers 9:6 tn The meaning, of course, is to be ceremonially unclean, and therefore disqualified from entering the sanctuary.
- Numbers 9:6 tn Or “a human corpse” (so NAB, NKJV). So also in v.7; cf. v. 10.
- Numbers 9:6 tn This clause begins with the vav (ו) conjunction and negative before the perfect tense. Here is the main verb of the sentence: They were not able to observe the Passover. The first part of the verse provides the explanation for their problem.
- Numbers 9:7 tn Heb “him”; the referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Numbers 9:8 tn The verb is simply “stand,” but in the more general sense of waiting to hear the answer.
- Numbers 9:8 tn The cohortative may be subordinated to the imperative: “stand…[that I] may hear.”
- Numbers 9:10 tn This sense is conveyed by the repetition of “man”—“if a man, a man becomes unclean.”
- Numbers 9:10 tn The perfect tense with vav (ו) consecutive functions as the equivalent of an imperfect tense. In the apodosis of this conditional sentence, the permission nuance fits well.
- Numbers 9:11 sn The delay of four weeks for such people would have permitted enough time for them to return from their journey, or to recover from any short termed defilement such as is mentioned here. Apart from this provision, the Passover was to be kept precisely at the proper time.
- Numbers 9:13 tn The disjunctive vav (ו) signals a contrastive clause here: “but the man” on the other hand….
- Numbers 9:13 tn The verb חָדַל (khadal) means “to cease; to leave off; to fail.” The implication here is that it is a person who simply neglects to do it. It does not indicate that he forgot, but more likely that he made the decision to leave it undone.
- Numbers 9:13 sn The pronouncement of such a person’s penalty is that his life will be cut off from his people. There are at least three possible interpretations for this: physical death at the hand of the community (G. B. Gray, Numbers [ICC], 84-85), physical and/or spiritual death at the hand of God (J. Milgrom, “A Prolegomenon to Lev 17:11, ” JBL 90 [1971]: 154-55), or excommunication or separation from the community (R. A. Cole, Exodus [TOTC], 109). The direct intervention of God seems to be the most likely in view of the lack of directions for the community to follow. Excommunication from the camp in the wilderness would have been tantamount to a death sentence by the community, and so there really are just two views.
- Numbers 9:13 tn The word for “sin” here should be interpreted to mean the consequences of his sin (so a metonymy of effect). Whoever willingly violates the Law will have to pay the consequences.
- Numbers 9:14 tn The words translated “resident foreigner” and “live” are from the same Hebrew root, גּוּר (gur), traditionally translated “to sojourn.” The “sojourner” who “sojourns” is a foreigner, a resident alien, who lives in the land as a temporary resident with rights of land ownership.
- Numbers 9:14 tn The verb is the simple perfect tense with vav (ו) consecutive. It is therefore the equivalent to the imperfect that comes before it. The desiderative imperfect fits this usage well, since the alien is not required to keep the feast, but may indeed desire to do so.
- Numbers 9:14 tn The Hebrew text has “there will be to you,” which is the way of expressing possession in Hebrew. Since this is legal instruction, the imperfect tense must be instruction or legislation.
- Numbers 9:14 tn Or “you must have one statute.”
- Numbers 9:14 tn The conjunction is used here to specify the application of the law: “and for the resident foreigner, and for the one…” indicates “both for the resident foreigner and the one who….”
- Numbers 9:15 sn This section (Num 9:15-23) recapitulates the account in Exod 40:34 but also contains some additional detail about the cloud that signaled Israel’s journeys. Here again material from the book of Exodus is used to explain more of the laws for the camp in motion.
- Numbers 9:15 tn Heb “and/now on the day.”
- Numbers 9:15 tn The construction uses the temporal expression with the Hiphil infinitive construct followed by the object, the tabernacle. “On the day of the setting up of the tabernacle” leaves the subject unstated, and so the entire clause may be expressed in the passive voice.
- Numbers 9:15 sn The explanation and identification of this cloud has been a subject of much debate. Some commentators have concluded that it was identical with the cloud that led the Israelites away from Egypt and through the sea, but others have made a more compelling case that this is a different phenomenon (see ZPEB 4:796). A number of modern scholars see the description as a retrojection from later, perhaps Solomonic times (see G. H. Davies, IDB 3:817). Others have tried to connect it with Ugaritic terminology, but unconvincingly (see T. W. Mann, “The Pillar of Cloud in the Reed Sea Narrative,” JBL 90 [1971]: 15-30; G. E. Mendenhall, The Tenth Generation, 32-66, 209-13; and R. Good, “Cloud Messengers?” UF 10 [1978]: 436-37).
- Numbers 9:15 sn The cloud apparently was centered over the tent, over the spot of the ark of the covenant in the most holy place. It thereafter spread over the whole tabernacle.
- Numbers 9:15 tn The imperfect tense in this and the next line should be classified as a customary imperfect, stressing incomplete action but in the past time—something that used to happen, or would happen.
- Numbers 9:15 tn Heb “like the appearance of fire.”
- Numbers 9:16 tc The MT lacks the words “by day,” but a number of ancient versions have this reading (e.g., Greek, Syriac, Tg. Ps.-J., Latin Vulgate).
- Numbers 9:17 tn The verb in this initial temporal clause is the Niphal infinitive construct.
- Numbers 9:17 tn Heb “in the place where it settled there”; the relative clause modifies the noun “place,” and the resumptive adverb completes the related idea—“which it settled there” means “where it settled.”
- Numbers 9:18 tn Heb “at the mouth of” (so also in vv. 20, 23).
- Numbers 9:18 tn Heb “all the days of—that the cloud settled over the tabernacle.” “All” is the adverbial accusative of time telling how long they camped in one spot—all. The word is then qualified by the genitive of the thing measured—“all of the days”—and this in turn is qualified by a noun clause functioning as a genitive after “days of.”
- Numbers 9:19 tn This is the same Hebrew expression that was used earlier for the Levites “keeping their charge” or more clearly, “fulfilling their obligations” to take care of the needs of the people and the sanctuary. It is a general expression using שָׁמַר (shamar) followed by its cognate noun מִשְׁמֶרֶת (mishmeret).
- Numbers 9:20 tn The sentence uses וְיֵשׁ (veyesh) followed by a noun clause introduced with אֲשֶׁר (ʾasher) to express an existing situation; it is best translated as an adverbial clause of time: “and it was when the cloud was….”
- Numbers 9:20 tn The word “number” is in apposition to the word “days” to indicate that their stay was prolonged for quite a few days.
- Numbers 9:20 tn Heb “mouth of the Lord.”
- Numbers 9:21 tn The construction is the same in the preceding verse.
- Numbers 9:21 tn “Only” is supplied to reflect the contrast between the two verses.
- Numbers 9:21 tn The construction in this half of the verse uses two vav (ו) consecutive clauses. The first is subordinated to the second as a temporal clause: “when…then….”
- Numbers 9:22 tn The MT has אוֹ־יָמִים (ʾo yamim). Most translators use “or a year” to interpret this expression in view of the sequence of words leading up to it, as well as in comparison with passages like Judg 17:10 and 1 Sam 1:3 and 27:7. See also the uses in Gen 40:4 and 1 Kgs 17:15. For the view that it means four months, see F. S. North, “Four Month Season of the Hebrew Bible,” VT 11 (1961): 446-48.
- Numbers 9:22 tn In the Hebrew text this sentence has a temporal clause using the preposition with the Hiphil infinitive construct of אָרַךְ (ʾarakh) followed by the subjective genitive, “the cloud.” But this infinitive is followed by the infinitive construct לִשְׁכֹּן (lishkon), the two of them forming a verbal hendiadys: “the cloud made long to stay” becomes “the cloud prolonged its stay.”
- Numbers 9:22 tn Heb “and they would not journey”; the clause can be taken adverbially, explaining the preceding verbal clause.
- Numbers 9:23 tn Heb “hand.”
Numbers 9
Modern English Version
The Passover at Sinai
9 And the Lord spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they came out of the land of Egypt, saying: 2 Let the children of Israel also keep the Passover at its appointed time. 3 On the fourteenth day of this month, at evening, you will keep it at its appointed time. According to all its rites and according to all its ceremonies, you will keep it.
4 Moses spoke to the children of Israel, that they should keep the Passover. 5 They kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month at evening in the Wilderness of Sinai. According to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did.
6 There were men who were unclean by the dead body of a man, so 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 to him, “We are defiled by the dead body of a man. Why are we kept back, that we may not offer an offering of the Lord at its appointed time among the children of Israel?”
8 And Moses said to them, “Stand still, and I will hear what the Lord will command concerning you.”
9 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 10 Speak to the children of Israel, saying: If any man of you or of your posterity is unclean because of a dead body, or is far off on a journey, he will still keep the Passover to the Lord. 11 The fourteenth day of the second month at evening they will keep it, and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 12 They will leave none of it until the morning, nor break any of its bones. According to all the ordinances of the Passover they will keep it. 13 But the man who is ceremonially clean, and is not on a journey, and fails to keep the Passover, even the same person will be cut off from his people. Because he did not bring the offering of the Lord at its appointed time, that man will bear his sin.
14 If a stranger will sojourn among you and will keep the Passover to the Lord, according to the ordinance of the Passover, and according to the manner of it, so he will do. You will have one ordinance both for the resident alien and for the natural born citizen of the land.
The Cloud and the Fire
15 And on the day that the tabernacle was erected, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony, and at evening there was over the tabernacle the appearance of fire until the morning. 16 So it was always. The cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night. 17 When the cloud was lifted up from over the tabernacle, then after it the children of Israel journeyed, and in the place where the cloud settled, there the children of Israel camped. 18 At the commandment of the Lord the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the Lord they camped. As long as the cloud dwelt over the tabernacle they camped. 19 When the cloud remained many days over the tabernacle, then the children of Israel kept the charge of the Lord and did not journey. 20 When the cloud remained a few days over the tabernacle, according to the commandment of the Lord they dwelt in their tents, and according to the commandment of the Lord they journeyed. 21 When the cloud dwelt from evening until morning and the cloud was lifted up in the morning, then they journeyed. Whether it was by day or by night that the cloud was lifted up, they journeyed. 22 Whether it was two days, or a month, or a long time that the cloud dwelt over the tabernacle, the children of Israel dwelt in their tents and did not journey. But when it was lifted up they journeyed. 23 At the command of the Lord they camped, and at the command of the Lord they journeyed. They kept the charge of the Lord at the command of the Lord by the hand of Moses.
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