Guidance by the Cloud

15 On the day the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony,(A) and it appeared like fire above the tabernacle from evening until morning. 16 It remained that way continuously: the cloud would cover it,[a] appearing like fire at night.(B) 17 Whenever the cloud was lifted up above the tent, the Israelites would set out; at the place where the cloud stopped, there the Israelites camped.(C) 18 At the Lord’s command the Israelites set out, and at the Lord’s command they camped. As long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they camped.

19 Even when the cloud stayed over the tabernacle many days, the Israelites carried out the Lord’s requirement and did not set out. 20 Sometimes the cloud remained over the tabernacle for only a few days. They would camp at the Lord’s command and set out at the Lord’s command. 21 Sometimes the cloud remained only from evening until morning; when the cloud lifted in the morning, they set out. Or if it remained a day and a night, they moved out when the cloud lifted. 22 Whether it was two days, a month, or longer,[b] the Israelites camped and did not set out as long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle. But when it was lifted, they set out. 23 They camped at the Lord’s command, and they set out at the Lord’s command. They carried out the Lord’s requirement according to his command through Moses.

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Footnotes

  1. 9:16 LXX, Vg, Syr, Tg read it by day
  2. 9:22 Or a year

The Cloud on the Tabernacle

15 Now on (A)the day that the tabernacle was erected, (B)the cloud covered the tabernacle, the (C)tent of the testimony, and (D)in the evening it was like the appearance of fire over the tabernacle until morning. 16 That is how it was continuously; (E)the cloud would cover it by day, and the appearance of fire by night. 17 (F)Whenever the cloud was lifted from over the tent, afterward the sons of Israel would set out; and in the place where the cloud settled down, there the sons of Israel would camp. 18 At the [a]command of the Lord the sons of Israel would set out, and at the [b]command of the Lord they would camp; (G)as long as the cloud settled over the tabernacle, they remained camped. 19 Even when the cloud lingered over the tabernacle for many days, [c]the sons of Israel would comply with the Lords ordinance and not set out. 20 If [d]sometimes the cloud remained a few days over the tabernacle, (H)in accordance with the [e]command of the Lord they remained camped. Then in accordance with the [f]command of the Lord they set out. 21 If [g]sometimes the cloud [h]remained from evening until morning, when the cloud was lifted in the morning they would set out; or if it remained in the daytime and at night, whenever the cloud was lifted, they would set out. 22 Whether it was two days, a month, or a year that the cloud lingered over the tabernacle, staying above it, the sons of Israel remained camped and did not set out; but (I)when it was lifted, they did set out. 23 (J)At the [i]command of the Lord they camped, and at the [j]command of the Lord they set out; they did what the Lord required, in accordance with the [k]command of the Lord through Moses.

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 9:18 Lit mouth
  2. Numbers 9:18 Lit mouth
  3. Numbers 9:19 Lit and the
  4. Numbers 9:20 Lit it was that
  5. Numbers 9:20 Lit mouth
  6. Numbers 9:20 Lit mouth
  7. Numbers 9:21 Lit it was that
  8. Numbers 9:21 Lit was
  9. Numbers 9:23 Lit mouth
  10. Numbers 9:23 Lit mouth
  11. Numbers 9:23 Lit mouth