Numbers 9

The Passover Is Celebrated

1 The Lord spoke to Moses in the Desert of Sinai in the first month of the second year after the Israelites left Egypt. He said,2 “Tell the Israelites to celebrate the Passover at the appointed time.

3 That appointed time is the fourteenth day of this month at twilight; they must obey all the rules about it.”
4 So Moses told the Israelites to celebrate the Passover,

5 and they did; it was in the Desert of Sinai at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month. The Israelites did everything just as the Lord commanded Moses.
6 But some of the people could not celebrate the Passover on that day because they were unclean from touching a dead body. So they went to Moses and Aaron that day and

7 said to Moses, “We are unclean because of touching a dead body. But why should we be kept from offering gifts to the Lord at this appointed time? Why can’t we join the other Israelites?”

8 Moses said to them, “Wait, and I will find out what the Lord says about you.”
9 Then the Lord said to Moses,10 “Tell the Israelites this: ‘If you or your descendants become unclean because of a dead body, or if you are away on a trip during the Passover, you must still celebrate the Lord’s Passover.11 But celebrate it at twilight on the fourteenth day of the second month. Eat the lamb with bitter herbs and bread made without yeast.12 Don’t leave any of it until the next morning or break any of its bones. When you celebrate the Passover, follow all the rules.

13 Anyone who is clean and is not away on a trip but does not eat the Passover must be cut off from the people. That person did not give an offering to the Lord at the appointed time and must be punished for the sin.

14 “ ‘Foreigners among you may celebrate the Lord’s Passover, but they must follow all the rules. You must have the same rules for foreigners as you have for yourselves.’ ”

The Cloud Above the Tent

15 On the day the Holy Tent, the Tent of the Agreement, was set up, a cloud covered it. From dusk until dawn the cloud above the Tent looked like fire.16 The cloud stayed above the Tent, and at night it looked like fire.17 When the cloud moved from its place over the Tent, the Israelites moved, and wherever the cloud stopped, the Israelites camped.18 So the Israelites moved at the Lord’s command, and they camped at his command. While the cloud stayed over the Tent, they remained camped.19 Sometimes the cloud stayed over the Tent for a long time, but the Israelites obeyed the Lord and did not move.20 Sometimes the cloud was over it only a few days. At the Lord’s command the people camped, and at his command they moved.21 Sometimes the cloud stayed only from dusk until dawn; when the cloud lifted the next morning, the people moved. When the cloud lifted, day or night, the people moved.22 The cloud might stay over the Tent for two days, a month, or a year. As long as it stayed, the people camped, but when it lifted, they moved.23 At the Lord’s command the people camped, and at his command they moved. They obeyed the Lord’s order that he commanded through Moses.

Numbers 9

Passover Regulations

1 s The Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they had come outt of the land of Egypt:
2 “The Israelites are to observet the Passovers at its appointed time.s3 In the fourteenth day of this month, at twilight,t you are to observe it at its appointed time; you must keept it in accordance with all its statutes and all its customs.”t4 So Moses instructedt the Israelites to observet the Passover.

5 And they observed the Passovers on the fourteenth day of the first month at twilight in the wilderness of Sinai; in accordance with all that the Lord had commanded Moses, so the Israelites did.
6 It happened that some ment who were ceremonially defiledt by the dead body of a mant could not keept the Passover on that day, so they came before Moses and before Aaron on that day.7 And those men said to him, “We are ceremonially defiled by the dead body of a man; why are we kept back from offering the Lord’s offering at its appointed time among the Israelites?”

8 So Moses said to them, “Remaint here and I will heart what the Lord will command concerning you.”
9 The Lord spoke to Moses:10 “Tell the Israelites, ‘If anyt of you or of your posterity become ceremonially defiled by touching a dead body, or are on a journey far away, then he mayt observe the Passover to the Lord.11 They may observe it on the fourteenth day of the second months at twilight; they are to eat it with bread made without yeast and with bitter herbs.

12 They must not leave any of it until morning, nor break any of its bones; they must observe it in accordance with every statute of the Passover.
13 Butt the man who is ceremonially clean, and was not on a journey, and failst to keep the Passover, that person must be cut off from his people.s Because he did not bring the Lord’s offering at its appointed time, that man must bear his sin.t

14 If a resident foreigner livest among you and wants to keept the Passover to the Lord, he must do so according to the statute of the Passover, and according to its custom. You must havet the samet statute for the resident foreignert and for the one who was born in the land.’”

The Leading of the Lord

15 s Ont the day that the tabernacle was set up,t the clouds covered the tabernacle – the tent of the testimonys – and from evening until morning there wast a fiery appearancet over the tabernacle.16 This is the way it used to be continually: The cloud would cover it by day,s and there was a fiery appearance by night.17 Whenever the cloud was taken upt from the tabernacle, then after that the Israelites would begin their journey; and in whatever placet the cloud settled, there the Israelites would make camp.18 At the commandmentt of the Lord the Israelites would begin their journey, and at the commandment of the Lord they would make camp; as long ast the cloud remained settled over the tabernacle they would camp.

19 When the cloud remained over the tabernacle many days, then the Israelites obeyed the instructionst of the Lord and did not journey.
20 Whent the cloud remained over the tabernacle a number of days,t they remained camped according to the Lord’s commandment,t and according to the Lord’s commandment they would journey.21 And whent the cloud remained onlyt from evening until morning, when the cloud was taken upt the following morning, then they traveled on. Whether by day or by night, when the cloud was taken up they traveled.22 Whether it was for two days, or a month, or a year,t that the cloud prolonged its stayt over the tabernacle, the Israelites remained camped without traveling;t but when it was taken up, they traveled on.

23 At the commandment of the Lord they camped, and at the commandment of the Lord they traveled on; they kept the instructions of the Lord according to the commandment of the Lord, by the authorityt of Moses.