Numbers 9:13-23

13 But the man who is clean and is not on a journey, and forbeareth to keep the Passover, even the same soul shall be cut off from among his people, because he brought not the offering of the LORD in its appointed season. That man shall bear his sin.

14 And if a stranger shall sojourn among you, and will keep the Passover unto the LORD, according to the ordinance of the Passover and according to the manner thereof, so shall he do. Ye shall have one ordinance, both for the stranger and for him that was born in the land.'"

15 And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, namely, the tent of the testimony; and at evening there was upon the tabernacle, as it were, the appearance of fire until the morning.

16 So it was always: the cloud covered it by day and the appearance of fire by night.

17 And when the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, then after that the children of Israel journeyed; and in the place where the cloud stood still, there the children of Israel pitched their tents.

18 At the commandment of the LORD the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the LORD they pitched camp. As long as the cloud stayed upon the tabernacle they rested in their tents;

19 and when the cloud tarried long upon the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of the LORD and journeyed not.

20 And so it was, when the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle, according to the commandment of the LORD they stayed in their tents, and according to the commandment of the LORD they journeyed.

21 And so it was, when the cloud tarried from evening unto the morning, and the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they journeyed. Whether it was by day or by night that the cloud was taken up, they journeyed.

22 Or whether it was two days or a month or a year that the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, remaining thereon, the children of Israel remained in their tents and journeyed not; but when it was taken up, they journeyed.

23 At the commandment of the LORD they rested in the tents, and at the commandment of the LORD they journeyed. They kept the charge of the LORD, at the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.

Numbers 9:13-23 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.