Numbers 9
Open in the reader1In the first month of the second year after Strives-with-God had come out of the land of Two-Straits, He-Who-Is spoke to Drawn-Out in the Wilderness of Sinai:
2“The children of Strives-with-God are to observe the Passover at its appointed time.
3You are to observe it at the appointed time, at twilight on the fourteenth day of this month, in accordance with its statutes and ordinances.”
4So Drawn-Out told the children of Strives-with-God to observe the Passover,
5and they did so in the Wilderness of Sinai, at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month. The children of Strives-with-God did everything just as He-Who-Is had commanded Drawn-Out.
6But there were some men who were unclean due to a dead body, so they could not observe the Passover on that day. And they came before Drawn-Out and Aaron that same day
7and said to Drawn-Out, “We are unclean because of a dead body, but why should we be excluded from presenting He-Who-Is’s offering with the other children of Strives-with-God at the appointed time?”
8“Wait here until I find out what He-Who-Is commands concerning you,” Drawn-Out replied.
9Then He-Who-Is said to Drawn-Out,
10“Tell the children of Strives-with-God: ‘When any one of you or your descendants is unclean because of a dead body, or is away on a journey, he may still observe the Passover to He-Who-Is.
11Such people are to observe it at twilight on the fourteenth day of the second month. They are to eat the lamb, together with unleavened bread and bitter herbs;
12they may not leave any of it until morning or break any of its bones. They must observe the Passover according to all its statutes.
13But if a man who is ceremonially clean and is not on a journey still fails to observe the Passover, he must be cut off from his people, because he did not present He-Who-Is’s offering at its appointed time. That man will bear the consequences of his sin.
14If a foreigner dwelling among you wants to observe the Passover to He-Who-Is, he is to do so according to the Passover statute and its ordinances. You are to apply the same statute to both the foreigner and the native of the land.’”
15On the day that the Dwelling, the Tent of the Testimony, was set up, the cloud covered it and appeared like fire above the Dwelling from evening until morning.
16It remained that way continually; the cloud would cover the tabernacle by day, and at night it would appear like fire.
17Whenever the cloud was lifted from above the Tent, the children of Strives-with-God would set out, and wherever the cloud settled, there the children of Strives-with-God would camp.
18At He-Who-Is’s command the children of Strives-with-God set out, and at He-Who-Is’s command they camped. As long as the cloud remained over the Dwelling, they remained encamped.
19Even when the cloud lingered over the Dwelling for many days, the children of Strives-with-God kept He-Who-Is’s charge and did not set out.
20Sometimes the cloud remained over the Dwelling for only a few days, and they would camp at He-Who-Is’s command and set out at He-Who-Is’s command.
21Sometimes the cloud remained only from evening until morning, and when it lifted in the morning, they would set out. Whether it was by day or by night, when the cloud was taken up, they would set out.
22Whether the cloud lingered for two days, a month, or longer, the children of Strives-with-God camped and did not set out as long as the cloud remained over the Dwelling; but when it was lifted, they would set out.
23They camped at He-Who-Is’s command, and they set out at He-Who-Is’s command; they carried out He-Who-Is’s charge according to His command through Drawn-Out.