Numbers 9:17-23

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

18 At the commandment of the LORD the sons of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the LORD they pitched camp; as long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle, they rested.

19 And when the cloud tarried long upon the tabernacle many days, then the sons of Israel kept the charge of the LORD and did not journey.

20 And so it was, when the cloud was a determined number of days upon the tabernacle, according to the commandment of the LORD they camped, and according to the commandment of the LORD they journeyed.

21 And so it was that when the cloud remained from evening unto the morning, and in the morning the cloud was taken up, then they journeyed; or if it had remained during the day and the cloud was taken up by night, they journeyed.

22 Or if it was two days or a month or a year that the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, remaining thereon, the sons of Israel camped and did not journey; but when it was taken up, they journeyed.

23 At the commandment of the LORD they camped, and at the commandment of the LORD they journeyed, keeping the charge of the LORD, as the LORD had said by the hand of Moses.

Numbers 9:17-23 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.