Reflections on Numbers 9

Numbers 09 (Contemporary English Version)

1. During the first month of Israel's second year in the Sinai Desert, the LORD had told Moses
   
2. to say to the people, "Celebrate Passover
   
3. in the evening of the fourteenth day of this month and do it by following all the regulations."
   
4. Moses told the people what the LORD had said, and they celebrated Passover there in the desert in the evening of the fourteenth day of the first month.
   
5. (SEE 9:4)
   
6. Some people in Israel's camp had touched a dead body and had become unfit to worship the LORD, and they could not celebrate Passover. But they asked Moses and Aaron,
   
7. "Even though we have touched a dead body, why can't we celebrate Passover and offer sacrifices to the LORD at the same time as everyone else?"
   
8. Moses said, "Wait here while I go into the sacred tent and find out what the LORD says about this."
   
9. The LORD then told Moses
   
10. to say to the community of Israel: If any of you or your descendants touch a dead body and become unfit to worship me, or if you are away on a long journey, you may still celebrate Passover.
    
11. But it must be done in the second month, in the evening of the fourteenth day. Eat the Passover lamb with thin bread and bitter herbs,
    
12. and don't leave any of it until morning or break any of the animal's bones. Be sure to follow these regulations.
    
13. But if any of you refuse to celebrate Passover when you are not away on a journey, you will no longer belong to my people. You will be punished because you did not offer sacrifices to me at the proper time.
    
14. Anyone, including foreigners who live among you, can celebrate Passover, if they follow all the regulations.
    
15. As soon as the sacred tent was set up, a thick cloud appeared and covered it. The cloud was there each day, and during the night, a fire could be seen in it.
    
16. (SEE 9:15)
    
17. The LORD used this cloud to tell the Israelites when to move their camp and where to set it up again. As long as the cloud covered the tent, the Israelites did not break camp. But when the cloud moved, they followed it, and wherever it stopped, they camped and stayed there,
    
18. (SEE 9:17)
    
19. (SEE 9:17)
    
20. whether it was only one night, a few days, a month, or even a year. As long as the cloud remained over the tent, the Israelites stayed where they were. But when the cloud moved, so did the Israelites.
    
21. (SEE 9:20)
    
22. (SEE 9:20)
    
23. They obeyed the LORD's commands and went wherever he directed Moses.
    
    

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    The first part of chapter 9 is an addendum to the Passover regulations. A year had passed since the Israelites had fled Egypt and it was time for their first observance of Passover since observing it while still in Egypt and preparing to flee. However, a question arose. Some men in the camp were ineligible to partake of Passover because they were unclean from being in contact with a corpse. Yet they did not want to be excluded so they petitioned Moses for permission to partake. Moses acted wisely. Rather than deciding the matter he took it to the Lord. In response, the Lord made this addendum to Passover regulations.
    
    Those who are either unclean or on a distant journey at the time of Passover could observe it a month later than the appointed time. When they did, they were to observe the normal regulations. However, if a person were ceremonially qualified to observe Passover and was not on a journey at the appointed time and failed to observe it, they were to be cut off from their people and bear the consequences of their sin. A further addition to the Passover regulation was the allowance for foreign residents to observe Passover. But it appears that this was an allowance rather than a requirement and there was no penalty if they chose not to observe it.
    
    The chapter concludes with a comment about the Lord's presence in the Israelite camp and guidance for their journey. When the tabernacle was first set up,  it was covered in a cloud representing the Lord's presence. As long as the cloud remained on the tabernacle the Israelites remained in camp. But when the cloud lifted, they broke camp and followed the cloud's movement. Once it stopped, they set up camp again and remained there as long as the cloud remained on the tabernacle. Sometimes it would remain there for a few days, or a month, or even longer, and other times it remained there only over night. Regardless, the Israelites followed its lead.