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The Cloud and the Fire

15 And on a day setting up the tabernacle, the cloud covered the tent of the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony; in the evening it was on the tabernacle as an appearance of fire until morning. 16 So it was[a] continually; the cloud would cover it and the appearance of fire by night. 17 Whenever the cloud lifted up from on the tent, after that the Israelites[b] would set out, and in the place where the cloud dwelled, there the Israelites[c] camped. 18 On the command of Yahweh[d] the Israelites[e] would set out, and on the command of Yahweh[f] they encamped; all the days that the cloud dwelled on the tabernacle they encamped. 19 And when the cloud prolonged on the tabernacle many days the Israelites[g] kept the kept requirement of Yahweh and did not set out. 20 When the cloud remained[h] a number of days on the tabernacle, on the command of Yahweh[i] they encamped; and on the command of Yahweh[j] they set out. 21 When the cloud remained[k] from evening until morning, and the cloud lifted up in the morning, they would set out, or if it remained in the daytime and at night, when the cloud lifted up they set out. 22 When it was two days, a month, or a year[l] that the cloud prolonged to dwell on the tabernacle, the Israelites[m] encamped, and they did not set out; when it lifted up they set out. 23 On the command of Yahweh[n] they encamped, and on the command of Yahweh[o] they set out. They kept the requirement of Yahweh, on the command of Yahweh[p] in the hand of Moses.[q]

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 9:16 Hebrew “it will be”
  2. Numbers 9:17 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  3. Numbers 9:17 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  4. Numbers 9:18 Literally “mouth of Yahweh”
  5. Numbers 9:18 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  6. Numbers 9:18 Literally “mouth of Yahweh”
  7. Numbers 9:19 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  8. Numbers 9:20 Literally “it was there”
  9. Numbers 9:20 Literally “mouth of Yahweh”
  10. Numbers 9:20 Literally “mouth of Yahweh”
  11. Numbers 9:21 Literally “it was there”
  12. Numbers 9:22 Literally “or days”
  13. Numbers 9:22 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  14. Numbers 9:23 Literally “mouth of Yahweh”
  15. Numbers 9:23 Literally “mouth of Yahweh”
  16. Numbers 9:23 Literally “mouth of Yahweh”
  17. Numbers 9:23 Or “through Moses”

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,[a] 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.

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 9:16 LXX; MT lacks by day.