Numbers 9:17

17 Whenever the cloud ascended from the tent, the Israelites would march. And the Israelites would camp wherever the cloud settled.

Numbers 9:17 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 9:17

And when the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle
Or went up from it, higher than it was before, yet not out of sight, but hung as it were hovering in the air over the tabernacle, but at some distance from it; this was done by the Lord himself:

then after that the children of Israel journeyed;
as soon as they saw the cloud moving upwards, the Levites took down the tabernacle, and each took their post assigned them in the carriage of it, and the priests blew their trumpets mentioned in ( Numbers 10:2 Numbers 10:4 Numbers 10:8-10 ) , and the whole camp moved and marched on in their journey:

and in the place where the cloud abode, there the children of Israel
pitched their tents;
when it stopped and remained without any motion, it was a signal to the children of Israel to stop also, and to set up the tabernacle, and pitch their tents about it by their standards, and according to the order of encampment which had been given them.

Numbers 9:17 In-Context

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, 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.