Numbers 9-10

Common English Bible

Passover

9 The Lord spoke to Moses in the Sinai desert in the first month^[a] of the second year after they had left the land of Egypt: ² Let the Israelites keep the Passover at its appointed time. ³ On the fourteenth day of this month at twilight you will keep it at its appointed time. Keep it according to all its regulations and its customary practices.

⁴ Moses instructed the Israelites to keep the Passover. ⁵ At twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month^[b] they kept the Passover in the Sinai desert. The Israelites did everything just as the Lord commanded Moses.

⁶ But there were persons who were unclean from contact with a human corpse, and they were unable to keep the Passover on that day. They approached Moses and Aaron that day. ⁷ These persons said to him, “Although we are unclean from contact with a human corpse, why must we be prohibited from presenting the Lord’s offering at its appointed time with the rest of the Israelites?”

⁸ Moses said to them, “Wait while I listen for what the Lord will command concerning you.”

⁹ The Lord spoke to Moses: ¹⁰ Tell the Israelites: When any of you or your descendants are unclean from contact with a corpse or are on a long trip, they may still keep the Passover to the Lord. ¹¹ They will keep it at twilight on the fourteenth day of the second month.^[c] They will eat the Passover lamb with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. ¹² They must not leave any of it until morning, nor break any of its bones. They will keep the Passover according to all its regulations. ¹³ But any persons who are clean and not on a trip, yet don’t keep the Passover, those persons will be cut off from their people, because they didn’t present the Lord’s offering at its appointed time. Those persons will bear their sin. ¹⁴ If an immigrant resides among you and wishes to keep the Passover to the Lord, that one also will keep it according to its regulations and its customary practices. There will be one set of regulations for both of you, for the immigrant and for the native of the land.

Cloud over the dwelling

¹⁵ On the day the dwelling was erected, the cloud covered the dwelling, the covenant tent. At night until morning, the cloud appeared with lightning over the dwelling. ¹⁶ It was always there. The cloud covered it by day,^[d] appearing with lightning at night. ¹⁷ Whenever the cloud ascended from the tent, the Israelites would march. And the Israelites would camp wherever the cloud settled. ¹⁸ At the Lord’s command, the Israelites would march, and at the Lord’s command they would camp. As long as the cloud settled on the dwelling, they would camp. ¹⁹ When the cloud lingered on the meeting tent for many days, the Israelites would observe the Lord’s direction and they wouldn’t march. ²⁰ Sometimes the cloud would be over the dwelling for a number of days, so they would camp at the Lord’s command, marching again only at the Lord’s command. ²¹ Sometimes the cloud would settle only overnight, and they would march when the cloud ascended in the morning. Whether it was day or night, they would march when the cloud ascended. ²² Whether it was two days, or a month, or a long time, the Israelites would camp so long as the cloud lingered on the dwelling and settled on it. They wouldn’t march. But when it ascended, they would march. ²³ They camped at the Lord’s command and they marched at the Lord’s command. They followed the Lord’s direction according to the Lord’s command through Moses.

Trumpets

10 The Lord spoke to Moses: ² Make two silver trumpets and make them from hammered metalwork. Use them for summoning the community and for breaking camp. ³ When both are blown, the entire community will meet you at the entrance of the meeting tent. ⁴ When one is blown, the chiefs, the leaders of Israel’s divisions, will meet you. ⁵ When you blow a series of short blasts, the camp on the east side will march. ⁶ And when you blow a second series of short blasts, the camp on the south side will march. You will blow a series of short blasts to announce their march.

⁷ To gather the assembly, blow a long blast, not a series of short blasts. ⁸ Aaron’s sons the priests will blow the trumpets. This will be a permanent regulation for you throughout time.

⁹ When you go to war in your land against an enemy who is attacking you, you will blow short blasts with the trumpets so that you may be remembered by the Lord your God and be saved from your enemies.

¹⁰ On your festival days, your appointed feasts, and at the beginning of your months, you will blow the trumpets over your entirely burned offerings and your well-being sacrifices. They will serve as a reminder of you to your God. I am the Lord your God.

Organization of the wilderness march

¹¹ On the twentieth day of the second month in the second year, the cloud ascended from the covenant dwelling. ¹² The Israelites set out on their march from the Sinai desert, and the cloud settled in the Paran desert.

¹³ They marched for the first time at the Lord’s command through Moses. ¹⁴ The banner of Judah’s camp marched first with its military units. Nahshon, Amminadab’s son, commanded its military. ¹⁵ Nethanel, Zuar’s son, commanded the military of the tribe of Issachar. ¹⁶ Eliab, Helon’s son, commanded the military of the tribe of Zebulun. ¹⁷ The dwelling was taken down, and the Gershonites and the Merarites, who carried the dwelling, marched. ¹⁸ The banner of Reuben’s camp marched with its military units. Elizur, Shedeur’s son, commanded its military. ¹⁹ Shelumiel, Zurishaddai’s son, commanded the military of the tribe of Simeon. ²⁰ Eliasaph, Deuel’s son, commanded the military of the tribe of Gad. ²¹ The Kohathites, who carried the holy things, marched. The dwelling would be set up before their arrival. ²² The banner of Ephraim’s camp marched with its military units. Elishama, Ammihud’s son, commanded its military. ²³ Gamaliel, Pedahzur’s son, commanded the military of the tribe of Manasseh. ²⁴ Abidan, Gideoni’s son, commanded the military of the tribe of Benjamin. ²⁵ The banner of Dan’s camp, at the rear of the whole camp, marched with its military units. Ahiezer, Ammishaddai’s son, commanded its military. ²⁶ Pagiel, Ochran’s son, commanded the military of the tribe of Asher. ²⁷ Ahira, Enan’s son, commanded the military of the tribe of Naphtali. ²⁸ This was the order of departure of the Israelites with their military units when they set out.

The chest leads

²⁹ Moses said to Hobab the Midianite, Reuel’s son and Moses’ father-in-law, “We’re marching to the place about which the Lord has said, ‘I’ll give it to you.’ Come with us and we’ll treat you well, for the Lord has promised to treat Israel well.”

³⁰ Hobab said to him, “I won’t go; I’d rather go to my land and to my folk.”

³¹ Moses said, “Please don’t abandon us, for you know where we can camp in the desert, and you can be our eyes. ³² If you go with us, whatever good the Lord does for us, we’ll do for you.”

³³ They marched from the Lord’s mountain for three days. The Lord’s chest containing the covenant marched ahead of them for three days to look for a resting place for them. ³⁴ Now the Lord’s cloud was over them by day when they marched from the camp. ³⁵ When the chest set out, Moses would say, “Arise, Lord, let your enemies scatter, and those who hate you flee.” ³⁶ When it rested, he would say, “Return, Lord of the ten thousand thousands of Israel.”