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9:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying, 9:2 Let the children of Israel also keep the passover at his appointed season.
9:3 In the fourteenth day of this month, at even, ye shall keep it in his appointed season: according to all the rites of it, and according to all the ceremonies thereof, shall ye keep it.
9:4 And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, that they should keep the passover.
9:5 And they kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month at even in the wilderness of Sinai: according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did the children of Israel.
9:6 And there were certain men, who were defiled by the dead body of a man, that they could not keep the passover on that day: and they came before Moses and before Aaron on that day: 9:7 And those men said unto him, We are defiled by the dead body of a man: wherefore are we kept back, that we may not offer an offering of the LORD in his appointed season among the children of Israel? 9:8 And Moses said unto them, Stand still, and I will hear what the LORD will command concerning you.
9:9 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 9:10 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If any man of you or of your posterity shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or be in a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the passover unto the LORD.
9:11 The fourteenth day of the second month at even they shall keep it, and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.
9:12 They shall leave none of it unto the morning, nor break any bone of it: according to all the ordinances of the passover they shall keep it.
9:13 But the man that is clean, and is not in a journey, and forbeareth to keep the passover, even the same soul shall be cut off from among his people: because he brought not the offering of the LORD in his appointed season, that man shall bear his sin.
9:14 And if a stranger shall sojourn among you, and will keep the passover unto the LORD; according to the ordinance of the passover, and according to the manner thereof, so shall he do: ye shall have one ordinance, both for the stranger, and for him that was born in the land.
9:15 And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud covered the tabernacle, namely, the tent of the testimony: and at even there was upon the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until the morning.
9:16 So it was alway: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night.
9:17 And when the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, then after that the children of Israel journeyed: and in the place where the cloud abode, there the children of Israel pitched their tents.
9:18 At the commandment of the LORD the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the LORD they pitched: as long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle they rested in their tents.
9:19 And when the cloud tarried long upon the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of the LORD, and journeyed not.
9:20 And so it was, when the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle; according to the commandment of the LORD they abode in their tents, and according to the commandment of the LORD they journeyed.
9:21 And so it was, when the cloud abode from even unto the morning, and that the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they journeyed: whether it was by day or by night that the cloud was taken up, they journeyed.
9:22 Or whether it were two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, remaining thereon, the children of Israel abode in their tents, and journeyed not: but when it was taken up, they journeyed.
9:23 At the commandment of the LORD they rested in the tents, and at the commandment of the LORD they journeyed: they kept the charge of the LORD, at the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.


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King James Bible:Numbers
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to: Numbers
Book: Numbers
Chapter: 9

Overview:
Of the Passover. (1-14) The removals of the Israelites.
(15-23)

1-14 God gave particular orders for the keeping of this
Passover, and, for aught that appears, after this, they kept No
Passover till they came to Canaan, Jos 5:10. It early showed
that the ceremonial institutions were not to continue always, as
So soon after they were appointed, some were suffered to sleep
for many years. But the ordinance of the Lord's Supper was not
thus set aside in the first days of the Christian Church,
although those were days of greater difficulty and distress than
Israel knew in the Wilderness; nay, in the times of Persecution,
the Lord's Supper was celebrated more frequently than afterward.
Israelites in the Wilderness could not forget the deliverance
out of Egypt. There was danger of this when they came to Canaan.
Instructions were given concerning those who were ceremonially
unclean, when they were to eat the Passover. Those whose minds
and consciences are defiled By Sin, are unfit for Communion with
God, and cannot partake with comfort of the Gospel Passover,
till they are cleansed By true Repentance and Faith. Observe
with what trouble and concern these men complained that they
were kept back from Offering to the Lord. It should be a trouble
to us, when By any occasion we are kept back from the
solemnities of a Sabbath or a sacrament. Observe the
deliberation of Moses in resolving this case. Ministers must ask
counsel of God's mouth, not determine according to their own
fancy or Affection, but according to the Word of God to the best
of their knowledge. And if, in difficult cases, time is taken to
spread the matter before God By humble, believing Prayer, the
Holy Spirit assuredly will direct in the good and right way. God
gave directions in this case, and in other similar cases,
explanatory of the Law of the Passover. As those who, against
their minds, are forced to absent themselves from God's
ordinances, may expect the favours of God's Grace under their
affliction, So those who, of choice, absent themselves, may
expect God's wrath for their Sin. Be not deceived: God is not
mocked.

15-23 This Cloud was appointed to be the visible sign and
symbol of God's presence with Israel. Thus we are taught to see
God always near us, both night and Day. As long as the Cloud
rested On the Tabernacle, So long they continued in the same
place. There is No time lost, while we are waiting God's time.
When the Cloud was taken up, they removed, however comfortably
they were encamped. We are kept at uncertainty concerning the
time of our putting off the earthly House of this Tabernacle,
that we may be always ready to remove at the command of the
Lord. It is very safe and pleasant going when we see God before
us, and resting where he appoints us to Rest. The leading of
this Cloud is spoken of as signifying the guidance of the
blessed Spirit. We are not now to expect such tokens of the
Divine presence and guidance; but the promise is sure to all
God's spiritual Israel, that he will guide them By his counsel.

Ps 73:24, even unto Death, Ps 48:14. All the children of God
shall be led By the Spirit of God, Ro 8:14. He will direct the
paths of those who in all their ways acknowledge him, Pr 3:6.
At the commandment of the Lord, our hearts should always move
and Rest, saying, Father, thy will be done; dispose of me and
Mine as thou pleasest. What thou wilt, and where thou wilt; only
let me be thine, and always in the way of my duty. In applying
general precepts to particular circumstances, there should be
good counsel and fervent Prayer. When any undertaking is
evidently wrong, or doubtfully right, and yet the mind leans
that way, in such a case "the moving of the Cloud," as men
sometimes miscall it, is generally No more than a Temptation
Satan is permitted to propose; and men fancy they are following
the Lord, when they are following their own wayward
inclinations. The record of his Mercy will conduct us with
unerring Truth, through Christ, to Everlasting peace. Follow the
Pillar of the Cloud and of Fire. Lay the Bible to Heart, and
receive with Meekness the ingrafted Word, which is able to save
your souls.

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