Numbers 9

1 In the first month [new moon, lunar cycle] of the second year [period of time, cycle of seasons] after Israel had come out [escaped, departed] of the land [soil, territory] of Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa], the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] spoke [communicated, uttered] to Moses [the Israelite leader, prophet] in the Wilderness [desert, open field] of Sinai [a mountain where the Law was given]: word study 2 “The Israelites [children of Israel, descendants of Jacob] are to observe [keep, celebrate, prepare] the Passover [the Jewish festival] at its appointed [designated, scheduled] time [season, meeting]. word study 3 You are to observe [keep, celebrate] it at the appointed time [in its due season, at the designated moment], at twilight [between the evenings, at sunset] on the fourteenth day of this month [lunar cycle], in accordance with its statutes [ordinances, divine laws] and ordinances [regulations, rules].” word study 4 So Moses [the Israelite leader, God’s chosen messenger] told [spoke to, commanded] the Israelites [the children of Israel, God’s chosen people] to observe [keep, celebrate] the Passover [the Jewish festival, a memorial of God’s deliverance], word study 5 and they did so [in obedience, faithfully] in the Wilderness [desert, barren land] of Sinai [a mountain where God revealed Himself], at twilight [evening, between the evenings] on the fourteenth day of the first [primary, initial] month. The Israelites [children of Israel, God’s chosen people] did everything [all, according to God’s will] just as the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] had commanded [given orders, instructed] Moses [the leader, prophet]. word study 6 But there were some men [certain individuals, people] who were unclean [defiled, spiritually impure] due to a dead body [the soul of a man, a corpse], so they could not observe [keep, celebrate] the Passover [the Jewish festival, a time of remembrance] on that day [at this time, in this period]. And they came before [approached, presented themselves to] Moses [the Israelite leader, a prophet] and Aaron [the high priest, a spiritual leader] that same day [on this very day, at this moment] word study 7 and said to Moses, “We [the men, specifically] are unclean [ceremonially defiled, impure] because of a dead body [the soul of a man, a corpse], but why should we be excluded [kept back, prevented] from presenting [offering, bringing near] the LORD’s [Yehovah, the supreme God] offering [sacrifice, oblation] with the other Israelites [the children of Israel, God’s chosen people] at the appointed time [the designated season, the meeting time]?” word study 8 “Wait [stand still, stay] here until I find out [hear, learn] what the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God] commands [gives orders, appoints] concerning [regarding, about] you,” Moses [the Israelite leader] replied. word study 9 Then the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God] said [to speak, communicate, or command] to Moses [the Israelite leader, prophet, and mediator], word study 10 “Tell [speak unto, communicate to] the Israelites [sons of Israel, descendants of Jacob]: ‘When any one of you [a man, an individual] or your descendants [generations, posterity] is unclean [impure, defiled] because of a dead body [a corpse, a deceased person], or is away [distant] on a journey [a path, a road], he may still observe [keep, celebrate] the Passover [a festival, a sacrifice] to the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God]. word study 11 Such people [who were unclean or away] are to observe it at [between the evenings] twilight on the fourteenth day of the second [again] month. They are to eat the lamb [the Passover sacrifice], together with unleavened bread [sweet bread without yeast] and bitter herbs [plants with a strong bitter taste]; word study 12 they may not [under no circumstances] leave any of it until [as far as, up to the point of] morning [the break of day, dawn] or break [shatter, rupture] any of its bones [the substance or essence of the sacrifice]. They must observe [keep, celebrate] the Passover [the Jewish festival, the animal sacrificed] according to [in accordance with, following] all [everything, the entirety] its statutes [ordinances, divine laws]. word study 13 But if a man [ceremonially clean, pure] who is ceremonially clean and is not on a journey [away from home, traveling] still fails to observe the Passover [the Jewish festival, a time of remembrance], he must be cut off [separated, excluded] from his people, because he did not present [offer, bring near] the LORD’s [Yehovah, the supreme God] offering [sacrifice, gift] at its appointed time [scheduled season, designated meeting]. That man will bear [lift, carry] the consequences of his sin [guilt, offense, missing the mark]. word study 14 If a foreigner [sojourner, temporary resident] dwelling among you wants to observe the Passover [according to the ordinance of the Passover] to the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], he is to do so according to the Passover statute [the law of the Passover, the Jewish festival] and its ordinances [rules, regulations]. You are to apply the same statute [one ordinance, a single law] to both the foreigner [the sojourner, the stranger] and the native [born in the land, a native citizen] of the land [the country, the territory].’” word study 15 On the day [of great significance, when the tabernacle was first erected] that the tabernacle [a sacred dwelling place], the Tent of the Testimony [a witness to God’s presence], was set up [raised, erected, established], the cloud covered it [enveloped, overshadowed] and appeared like fire [a manifestation of divine power, a blazing splendor] above the tabernacle [the dwelling place of God] from evening [sunset, the end of the day] until morning [the break of day, a new beginning]. word study 16 It remained [so it was always, continually] that way [in this manner, constantly] continually; the cloud would cover [envelop, hide from view] the tabernacle [the dwelling place of God] by day [in the daytime, when the sun is visible], and at night [in the darkness, a time of rest] it would appear [be visible, have the appearance] like fire [burning, flame]. word study 17 Whenever the cloud was lifted from above the Tent [the tabernacle, a dwelling place for God], the Israelites would set out [to journey, to travel], and wherever the cloud [a heavenly indicator] settled, there [in that exact location] the Israelites would camp [to pitch their tents, to dwell temporarily]. word study 18 At the [commandment, divine instruction] LORD’s command the Israelites [sons of Jacob, God’s chosen people] set out [journeyed, traveled], and at the [commandment, divine instruction] LORD’s command they camped [pitched, encamped]. As long as the cloud remained [abode, stayed] over the tabernacle [the sacred tent, God’s dwelling place], they remained [stayed, rested] encamped. word study 19 Even when the cloud lingered [tarried, remained] over the tabernacle [the dwelling place of God] for many [numerous, multiple] days, the Israelites [sons of Israel, descendants of Jacob] kept [obeyed, guarded] the LORD’s [Yehovah, the covenant God] charge [command, watch] and did not [refrained from] set out [journey, travel]. word study 20 Sometimes the cloud remained over the tabernacle [the portable place of worship, a dwelling for God] for only a few days [a short period, a limited time], and they would camp [set up their tents, reside] at the LORD’s [Yehovah, the covenant-keeping God] command [instruction, guidance] and set out [journey, travel] at the LORD’s command [direction, authority]. word study 21 Sometimes the cloud remained only from evening [the time of sunset] until morning [the break of day], and when it lifted [was taken up] in the morning, they would set out [begin their journey]. Whether it was by day [in the daytime] or by night [in the darkness], when the cloud [the visible manifestation of God’s guidance] was taken up, they would set out [proceed on their way]. word study 22 Whether the cloud lingered for two days [or a short period], a month [or a longer season], or longer [even a year or more], the Israelites [the descendants of Jacob] camped [pitched their tents, settled] and did not set out [journey, travel] as long as the cloud [the visible manifestation of God’s guidance] remained over the tabernacle [the sacred tent, God’s dwelling place]; but when it was lifted [taken up, ascended], they would set out [journey, depart]. word study 23 They camped [at the word of the Lord, in obedience] at the LORD’s [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] command, and they set out [journeyed, departed] at the LORD’s command; they carried out [kept, obeyed] the LORD’s [divine] charge [responsibility, watch] according to His [sovereign] command through Moses [the appointed leader]. word study