Numbers 9:15

15 Therefore in the day in which the tabernacle was raised, a cloud covered it; soothly as the likeness of fire was on the tent, that is, (the) tabernacle, from (the) eventide till to the morrowtide. (And on the day in which the Tabernacle was raised up, a cloud came and covered it; and a brightness like fire was over the Tent, that is, the Tabernacle, from the evening until the morning.)

Numbers 9:15 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 9:15

And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up
Which was the first day of the first month in the second year of the people of Israel's coming out of Egypt, ( Exodus 40:1 Exodus 40:2 Exodus 40:17 ) ;

the cloud covered the tabernacle, [namely], the tent of the
testimony;
that part of the tabernacle in which the testimony was, that is, where the ark was, in which the law was put, called the testimony; and this was the most holy place; and over the tent or covering of that was this cloud, which settled upon it, as Ben Gersom thinks, after the seven days of the consecration of Aaron and his sons; on the eighth day, when it was said unto the people of Israel, "today will the Lord appear unto you", ( Leviticus 9:1 Leviticus 9:4 ) ; "and the glory of the Lord shall appear unto you", ( Leviticus 9:6 ) ; and here the Targum of Jonathan calls this cloud the cloud of glory, because of the glory of God in it; of which see ( Exodus 40:34-38 ) ;

and at even there was upon the tabernacle, as it were, the appearance
of fire until the morning;
the same phenomenon, which looked like a cloud in the daytime, appeared like fire in the same place in the nighttime, throughout the whole of it until morning light, when it was seen as a cloud again: this was a token of the presence of God with the people of Israel, of his protection of them, and being a guide unto them by night and day, while in the wilderness; and was a figure of his being the same to his church and people, in the present state of things; see ( Isaiah 4:5 ) .

Numbers 9:15 In-Context

13 Forsooth if any man is clean, and is not in the way, and nevertheless made not [the] pask, that man shall be destroyed from his peoples, for he offered not sacrifice to the Lord in his time set, or covenable (time); he shall bear his sin. (But if anyone is clean, and is not away, and nevertheless did not observe the Passover, that person shall be cut off from his people, for he did not offer an offering to the Lord at the set, or the appointed, time; he shall bear his sin.)

14 Also if a pilgrim and a comeling is with you, make he pask to the Lord, by the ceremonies and the justifyings thereof; the same behest shall be with (all of) you, as well to a comeling as to a man born in the land. (And if a foreigner or a newcomer is with you, let him observe the Passover to the Lord, with all of its ceremonies and its customs, or its rites; the same law shall apply to all of you, to a newcomer, as well as to someone born in the land.)

15 Therefore in the day in which the tabernacle was raised, a cloud covered it; soothly as the likeness of fire was on the tent, that is, (the) tabernacle, from (the) eventide till to the morrowtide. (And on the day in which the Tabernacle was raised up, a cloud came and covered it; and a brightness like fire was over the Tent, that is, the Tabernacle, from the evening until the morning.)

16 Thus it was done continually, a cloud covered it by day, and as the likeness of fire by night. (Thus it was done continually, that a cloud stood over it by day, and a brightness like fire during the night.)

17 And when the cloud that covered the tabernacle was taken away, then the sons of Israel went forth; and in the place where the cloud stood, there they setted tents. (And when the cloud that covered the Tabernacle lifted up, and moved away, then the Israelites went forth; and in the place where the cloud stopped, there they pitched their tents.)