Numbers 9

Passover in the Wilderness

1The LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they came out from the land of Egypt, saying, 2“Let the Israelites keep the Passover at its appointed time. 3On the fourteenth day of this month, at twilight, you shall keep it at its appointed time. According to all its statutes and all its ordinances you shall keep it.” 4So Moses told the Israelites to keep the Passover. 5They kept the Passover in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight, in the wilderness of Sinai. According to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so the Israelites did.

Passover for Those Who Were Unclean

6But there were some men who were unclean through contact with a dead person, so that they could not keep the Passover on that day. They came before Moses and Aaron that day, 7and those men said to him, “We are unclean through contact with a dead person. Why should we be kept from presenting the LORD’s offering at its appointed time among the Israelites?” 8Moses said to them, “Wait, and I will hear what the LORD commands concerning you.”

9The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 10“Speak to the Israelites, saying: If anyone among you or your descendants is unclean because of a dead person, or is on a distant journey, that person may still keep the Passover to the LORD. 11They shall keep it in the second month, on the fourteenth day at twilight. They shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 12They shall leave none of it until morning and break none of its bones. According to every statute of the Passover they shall keep it. 13But anyone who is clean and is not on a journey yet fails to keep the Passover—that person shall be cut off from the people, because the LORD’s offering was not presented at its appointed time. That person shall bear their sin. 14If a resident alien lives among you and keeps the Passover to the LORD, according to the statute of the Passover and according to its ordinance, so shall that person do. You shall have one statute for both the resident alien and the native of the land.”

The Cloud Over the Tabernacle

15On the day the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the Tent of the Testimony; and from evening until morning it was over the tabernacle like the appearance of fire. 16So it was continually: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night. 17Whenever the cloud lifted from over the tent, afterward the Israelites set out; and in the place where the cloud settled, there the Israelites camped. 18At the command of the LORD the Israelites set out, and at the command of the LORD they camped. As long as the cloud rested over the tabernacle, they remained in camp.

19Even when the cloud remained over the tabernacle many days, the Israelites kept the charge of the LORD and did not set out. 20Sometimes the cloud remained over the tabernacle only a few days; at the command of the LORD they camped, and at the command of the LORD they set out. 21Sometimes the cloud remained from evening until morning, and when the cloud lifted in the morning they set out. Whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud lifted, they set out. 22Whether two days, a month, or a longer time, as long as the cloud remained over the tabernacle, resting upon it, the Israelites remained in camp and did not set out; but when it lifted, they set out. 23At the command of the LORD they camped, and at the command of the LORD they set out. They kept the charge of the LORD according to the command of the LORD through Moses.