Numbers 9 Commentary

Following the consecration of the Levites in chapter 8, the LORD then gave more instructions about the Passover. Verses 1 – 5 are concerned with the celebration of the second Passover.

In verses 6 – 8, an issue arose when Moses commanded the people to celebrate the Passover. There were men who had handled a dead body and thus were prohibited from observing the Passover. They confronted Moses with this problem, and Moses told them that he would ask the LORD what was to be done.

Numbers Chapter 9:9-13 contains the answer to the problem presented in the previous three verses. The issue was that certain men had handled a dead body (making them unclean) and thus were disqualified from celebrating Passover, thus violating the LORD’s command. The answer was that the men in this situation could indeed celebrate the Passover. The section included a warning that a person who was clean and could celebrate the Passover and did not do so was guilty and was to be separated from the people.

The last principle concerning the Passover was that of a non-Israelite participating in the celebration. The LORD declared that they could observe the Passover according to the same rules that governed the Israelites’ celebration.

The time for the Israelites to leave Sinai and to go to Canaan was drawing near. The only way they were going to complete the journey was if their LORD dwelt in their midst in order to guide them, protect them, and provide for them. Now that the tabernacle was completed, the LORD entered the tabernacle. He appeared as a cloud during the day and as fire during the night. When the cloud lifted from the tabernacle, the camp would move to the next destination. When the cloud rested on the tabernacle, they camped until the cloud lifted again.