Numbers
Summary
Numbers Chapter 9 recounts the first celebration of Passover in the wilderness, one year after the Exodus. God provided a specific provision for those who were unclean at the time, allowing them to celebrate it a month later, ensuring that no one was excluded from this essential memorial. The chapter also describes how the people were led through the wilderness by the cloud of God's presence. Whether the cloud stayed for a day or a month, the Israelites only moved when the cloud rose, demonstrating their total dependence on God’s timing and their commitment to His direct guidance.
The LORD spoke to Moses in the Sinai wilderness during the first month of the second year after they had left Egypt. He said:
"The Israelites must celebrate the Passover at its appointed time.
Celebrate it on the fourteenth day of this month, starting at twilight, following all its rules and regulations."
So Moses told the Israelites to celebrate the Passover,
and they did so in the Sinai wilderness at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month. They followed everything exactly as the LORD had commanded Moses.
However, some men were ceremonially unclean because they had touched a dead body, so they could not celebrate the Passover that day. They came to Moses and Aaron that same day
and said, "We are unclean because of a dead body, but why should we be prevented from bringing the LORD’s offering at the appointed time with the rest of the Israelites?"
Moses answered them, "Wait here until I find out what the LORD commands for you."
Then the LORD said to Moses:
"Say to the Israelites: 'If any of you or your descendants are ceremonially unclean because of a dead body, or if you are away on a long journey, you may still celebrate the LORD’s Passover.
You are to celebrate it on the fourteenth day of the second month at twilight. Eat the lamb with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.
Do not leave any of it until morning, and do not break any of its bones. Follow all the regulations of the Passover when you celebrate it.
But if someone is ceremonially clean and is not away on a journey and still fails to celebrate the Passover, they must be cut off from their people. Because they did not bring the LORD’s offering at the appointed time, they will be held responsible for their sin.
A foreigner living among you who wants to celebrate the LORD’s Passover must also follow its rules and regulations. You must have the same laws for both the foreigner and the native-born.' "
On the day the Tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered it. From evening until morning, the cloud over the Tabernacle looked like fire.
This is how it continued: the cloud covered it by day, and by night it looked like fire.
Whenever the cloud lifted from above the Tent, the Israelites set out; wherever the cloud settled, the Israelites camped.
At the LORD's command the Israelites set out, and at his command they camped. As long as the cloud stayed over the Tabernacle, they remained in camp.
Even when the cloud stayed over the Tabernacle for a long time, the Israelites obeyed the LORD and did not set out.
Sometimes the cloud was over the Tabernacle for only a few days; at the LORD's command they would stay in camp, and at his command they would set out.
Sometimes the cloud stayed only from evening until morning, and when it lifted in the morning, they set out. Whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud lifted, they set out.
Whether the cloud stayed over the Tabernacle for two days or a month or a year, the Israelites remained in camp and did not set out; but when it lifted, they set out.
At the LORD's command they camped, and at the LORD's command they set out. They obeyed the LORD's instructions, given through Moses.