Números 9

1 La segunda Pascua
Un año después que Israel saliera de Egipto, el Señor
le habló a Moisés en el desierto de Sinaí. El primer mes
de ese año le dijo:

2 «Di a los israelitas que celebren la Pascua en el tiempo establecido:

3 al atardecer del día catorce del primer mes.
Asegúrate de seguir todos mis decretos y todas mis ordenanzas acerca de esta celebración».

4 Entonces Moisés le dijo al pueblo que celebrara la Pascua

5 en el desierto de Sinaí, al atardecer del día catorce del primer mes. Allí celebraron el festival, así como el Señor
le había ordenado a Moisés.

6 Sin embargo, algunos hombres estaban ceremonialmente impuros por haber tocado un cadáver, y por eso no podían celebrar la Pascua aquel día. Así que ese mismo día se acercaron a Moisés y a Aarón

7 y les dijeron:
—Hemos quedado ceremonialmente impuros por tocar un cadáver. Pero ¿por qué se nos debe impedir presentar la ofrenda del Señor
en la debida fecha con el resto de los israelitas?

8 Moisés les contestó:
—Esperen aquí hasta que yo reciba del Señor
las instrucciones para ustedes.

9 Esta fue la respuesta del Señor
a Moisés:

10 «Da las siguientes instrucciones al pueblo de Israel: si alguien del pueblo, ya sea ahora o en las generaciones futuras, está ceremonialmente impuro en la fecha establecida para la Pascua por tocar un cadáver, o si está de viaje y no puede estar presente en la ceremonia, aun así podrá celebrar la Pascua del Señor
.

11 Esta persona ofrecerá el sacrificio de la Pascua un mes después, al atardecer del día catorce del segundo mes.
Comerá el cordero de la Pascua con pan sin levadura y hierbas amargas.

12 No dejará nada del cordero para el día siguiente, ni quebrará ninguno de sus huesos, y debe seguir todas las ordenanzas de rigor acerca de la Pascua.

13 »Aquellos que no estén ceremonialmente impuros ni anden de viaje pero aun así dejen de celebrar la Pascua en la fecha establecida, serán excluidos de la comunidad de Israel. Si no presentan la ofrenda del Señor
en la fecha debida, sufrirán las consecuencias de su culpa.

14 Y si el extranjero que vive entre ustedes quiere celebrar la Pascua del Señor
, debe seguir estos mismos decretos y ordenanzas. Las mismas leyes se aplican tanto a los israelitas de nacimiento como a los extranjeros que viven entre ustedes».

15 La nube de fuego
El día que se armó el tabernáculo, la nube lo cubrió.
Pero desde la tarde hasta el amanecer la nube que cubría el tabernáculo tomaba la apariencia de una columna de fuego.

16 De esta manera ocurría siempre: por la noche la nube que cubría el tabernáculo tomaba la apariencia de fuego.

17 Cada vez que la nube se elevaba de la carpa sagrada, el pueblo de Israel levantaba el campamento y la seguía; donde la nube se detenía, el pueblo de Israel armaba el campamento.

18 De esta manera los israelitas viajaban y acampaban por orden del Señor
, donde él les indicaba que fueran. Permanecían en el campamento todo el tiempo que la nube se quedaba encima del tabernáculo.

19 Si la nube se quedaba por largo tiempo sobre el tabernáculo, los israelitas permanecían allí y llevaban a cabo sus deberes ante el Señor
.

20 Algunas veces la nube se detenía por pocos días sobre el tabernáculo; entonces el pueblo se quedaba por pocos días, como el Señor
ordenaba. Luego, por orden del Señor
, levantaban el campamento y se ponían en marcha.

21 Algunas veces la nube se detenía solo por la noche y se elevaba a la mañana siguiente; pero fuera de día o de noche, cuando la nube se elevaba, el pueblo levantaba el campamento y se ponía en marcha.

22 Si la nube permanecía sobre el tabernáculo por dos días, un mes o un año, el pueblo de Israel acampaba y no se ponía en marcha; pero en cuanto se elevaba, ellos levantaban el campamento y se ponían en marcha.

23 Así que acampaban o viajaban bajo las órdenes del Señor
y obedecían todo lo que el Señor
les decía por medio de Moisés.

Números 9 Commentary

Chapter 9

Of the Passover. (1-14) The removals of the Israelites. (15-23)

Verses 1-14 God gave particular orders for the keeping of this passover, and, for aught that appears, after this, they kept no passover till they came to Canaan, ( Joshua 5:10 ) . It early showed that the ceremonial institutions were not to continue always, as so soon after they were appointed, some were suffered to sleep for many years. But the ordinance of the Lord's Supper was not thus set aside in the first days of the Christian church, although those were days of greater difficulty and distress than Israel knew in the wilderness; nay, in the times of persecution, the Lord's Supper was celebrated more frequently than afterward. Israelites in the wilderness could not forget the deliverance out of Egypt. There was danger of this when they came to Canaan. Instructions were given concerning those who were ceremonially unclean, when they were to eat the passover. Those whose minds and consciences are defiled by sin, are unfit for communion with God, and cannot partake with comfort of the gospel passover, till they are cleansed by true repentance and faith. Observe with what trouble and concern these men complained that they were kept back from offering to the Lord. It should be a trouble to us, when by any occasion we are kept back from the solemnities of a sabbath or a sacrament. Observe the deliberation of Moses in resolving this case. Ministers must ask counsel of God's mouth, not determine according to their own fancy or affection, but according to the word of God to the best of their knowledge. And if, in difficult cases, time is taken to spread the matter before God by humble, believing prayer, the Holy Spirit assuredly will direct in the good and right way. God gave directions in this case, and in other similar cases, explanatory of the law of the passover. As those who, against their minds, are forced to absent themselves from God's ordinances, may expect the favours of God's grace under their affliction, so those who, of choice, absent themselves, may expect God's wrath for their sin. Be not deceived: God is not mocked.

Verses 15-23 This cloud was appointed to be the visible sign and symbol of God's presence with Israel. Thus we are taught to see God always near us, both night and day. As long as the cloud rested on the tabernacle, so long they continued in the same place. There is no time lost, while we are waiting God's time. When the cloud was taken up, they removed, however comfortably they were encamped. We are kept at uncertainty concerning the time of our putting off the earthly house of this tabernacle, that we may be always ready to remove at the command of the Lord. It is very safe and pleasant going when we see God before us, and resting where he appoints us to rest. The leading of this cloud is spoken of as signifying the guidance of the blessed Spirit. We are not now to expect such tokens of the Divine presence and guidance; but the promise is sure to all God's spiritual Israel, that he will guide them by his counsel. #Ps. 73:24 |, even unto death, ( Psalms 48:14 ) . All the children of God shall be led by the Spirit of God, ( Romans 8:14 ) . He will direct the paths of those who in all their ways acknowledge him, ( Proverbs 3:6 ) . At the commandment of the Lord, our hearts should always move and rest, saying, Father, thy will be done; dispose of me and mine as thou pleasest. What thou wilt, and where thou wilt; only let me be thine, and always in the way of my duty. In applying general precepts to particular circumstances, there should be good counsel and fervent prayer. When any undertaking is evidently wrong, or doubtfully right, and yet the mind leans that way, in such a case "the moving of the cloud," as men sometimes miscall it, is generally no more than a temptation Satan is permitted to propose; and men fancy they are following the Lord, when they are following their own wayward inclinations. The record of his mercy will conduct us with unerring truth, through Christ, to everlasting peace. Follow the pillar of the cloud and of fire. Lay the BIBLE to heart, and receive with meekness the ingrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 9

In this chapter the command for keeping the passover is repeated, and it was accordingly kept, Nu 9:1-5; but some persons being defiled and disqualified for observing it, Moses inquires of the Lord, on their solicitation, what should be done in such a case, Nu 9:6-8; when it was ordered to be kept by such, and those on journeys, on the fourteenth day of the second month, but not by others, who were to observe it according to its first appointment, Nu 9:9-14; and an account is given of the appearance of the cloud by day, and fire by night, upon the tabernacle, which directed the children of Israel when to journey, and when to pitch their tents, Nu 9:15-23.