Numbers 9:10-20

10 "Tell the People of Israel, If one or another of you is ritually unclean because of a corpse, or you happen to be off on a long trip, you may still celebrate God's Passover.
11 But celebrate it on the fourteenth day of the second month at evening. Eat the lamb together with unraised bread and bitter herbs.
12 Don't leave any of it until morning. Don't break any of its bones. Follow all the procedures.
13 "But a man who is ritually clean and is not off on a trip and still fails to celebrate the Passover must be cut off from his people because he did not present God's offering at the set time. That man will pay for his sin.
14 "Any foreigner living among you who wants to celebrate God's Passover is welcome to do it, but he must follow all the rules and procedures. The same procedures go for both foreigner and native-born." The Cloud
15 The day The Dwelling was set up, the Cloud covered The Dwelling of the Tent of Testimony. From sunset until daybreak it was over The Dwelling. It looked like fire.
16 It was like that all the time, the Cloud over The Dwelling and at night looking like fire.
17 When the Cloud lifted above the Tent, the People of Israel marched out; and when the Cloud descended the people camped.
18 The People of Israel marched at God's command and they camped at his command. As long as the Cloud was over The Dwelling, they camped.
19 Even when the Cloud hovered over The Dwelling for many days, they honored God's command and wouldn't march.
20 They stayed in camp, obedient to God's command, as long as the Cloud was over The Dwelling, but the moment God issued orders they marched.

Numbers 9:10-20 Meaning and Commentary

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.

Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.