Numbers 9

1 The Lord spoke to Moses in the Sinai desert in the first month of the second year after Israel had left Egypt. He told him,

And the Lord spoke unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the second year after their coming out of the land of Egypt, in the first month, saying,

2 “The Israelites are to keep the Passover at its designated time.

That the children of Israel shall prepare the passover-lamb at its appointed season.

3 Observe it at the time required—in the evening after sunset on the fourteenth day of this month, and do so in accordance with its rules and regulations.”

On the fourteenth day of this month, toward evening, shall ye prepare it at its appointed season: according to all its ordinances, and according to all its prescribed rules, shall ye prepare it.

4 Moses told the Israelites to observe the Passover.

And Moses spoke unto the children of Israel, that they should prepare the passover-lamb.

5 So they kept the Passover in the Sinai desert, beginning in the evening after sunset on the fourteenth day of the first month. The Israelites followed all the instructions the Lord had given to Moses.

And they prepared the passover-lamb on the fourteenth day of the first month toward evening in the wilderness of Sinai: according to all that the Lord had commanded Moses, so did the children of Israel.

6 However, there were some men who were unclean because they had been contact with a dead body, so they could not keep the Passover on that day. They went to see Moses and Aaron the same day

But there were certain men, who had been defiled by the dead body of a man, and they could not prepare the passover-lamb on that day: and they came before Moses and before Aaron on that day.

7 and explained to Moses, “We are unclean because of a dead body, but why should that mean we're prevented from giving our offering to the Lord with the other Israelites at the appropriate time?”

And these men said unto him, We are defiled by the dead body of a man: wherefore shall we be kept back, so as not to offer the sacrifice of the Lord at its appointed season in the midst of the [other] children of Israel?

8 “Stay here while I find out what the Lord's instructions are concerning you,” Moses responded.

And Moses said unto them, Wait ye, and I will hear what the Lord will command concerning you.

9 The Lord told Moses,

And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying,

10 “Tell the Israelites: ‘If you or your descendants are unclean because of a dead body, or are away traveling, you can still keep the Lord's Passover.

Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If any man whatever should be unclean by reason of a dead body, or be on a distant journey, among you or your posterity: yet shall he prepare the passover-lamb unto the Lord;

11 You are to observe it in the evening after sunset on the fourteenth day of the second month. You are to eat the lamb with the bread made without yeast, and the bitter herbs.

In the second month on the fourteenth day toward evening shall they prepare it, with unleavened bread and bitter herbs shall they eat it.

12 You must not leave any of it until the following morning and you must not break any of its bones. You must observe the Passover according to all the regulations.

They shall leave none of it until morning, and no bone shall they break on it: according to the whole ordinance of the passover-lamb shall they prepare it.

13 However, anyone ceremonially clean and not away traveling who neglects to observe the Passover must be expelled from their people, because they didn't present the Lord's offering at the appropriate time. They will bear the responsibility for the consequences of their sin.

But the man that is clean, and is not on a journey, and forbeareth to prepare the passover-lamb, even that same soul shall be cut off from his people; because the offering of the Lord hath he not brought at its appointed season, his sin shall that man bear.

14 Any foreigners living among you who want to observe the Lord's Passover can do so following the Passover rules and regulations. The same rules apply to the foreigners as they do to you.’”

And if a stranger sojourn among you, and will prepare the passover-lamb unto the Lord: according to the ordinance of the passover-lamb, and according to its prescribed rule, so shall he prepare it; one statute shall be for you, both for the stranger, and for the native born in the land.

15 The cloud covered the Tent of the Testimony (the Tabernacle) on the day that it was set up, and looked like fire above it from evening until the morning.

And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud covered the tabernacle of the tent of the testimony: and in the evening there was upon the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until morning.

16 It was always like this. The cloud covered the Tabernacle during the day and at night it looked like fire.

So it used to be always: the cloud covered it [by day], and the appearance of fire by night.

17 When the cloud rose from over the Tent, the Israelites would move on, and where the cloud stopped, the Israelites would set up camp there.

And as the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, then after that did the children of Israel journey forward: and in the place where the cloud halted, there did the children of Israel encamp.

18 The Israelites moved on when the Lord told them to, and set up camp when the Lord told them to. While the cloud stayed over the Tabernacle, they remained camped there.

At the order of the Lord did the children of Israel journey forward, and at the order of the Lord they encamped: all the days that the cloud abode upon the tabernacle did they remain in camp.

19 Even if the cloud didn't move for a long time, the Israelites did what the Lord told them and didn't move on.

And when the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle many days, then did the children of Israel keep the charge of the Lord, and journeyed not forward.

20 Sometimes the cloud only stayed over the Tabernacle for a few days. As always they followed the Lord's command as to whether to camp or to move on.

And at times it was, that the cloud remained but a few days upon the tabernacle; at the order of the Lord they abode in camp, and at the order of the Lord they journeyed forward.

21 Sometimes the cloud only stayed overnight, so when it rose in the morning they would move on. Whenever the cloud rose, day or night, they would leave.

And at times it was, that the cloud remained from evening until morning; and when the cloud was taken up in the morning, they journeyed forward; or a day and a night, and when the cloud was taken up, they journeyed forward;

22 If the cloud stayed in one place for two days, or a month, or longer, the Israelites stayed where they were and didn't leave as long as the cloud remained over the Tabernacle. However, once it rose, they would leave.

Or two days, or a month, or a year; so long as the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, to remain thereon, did the children of Israel remain encamped, and journeyed not forward; but when it was taken up, they journeyed forward.

23 They camped when the Lord told them to, and left when he told them to. They followed the Lord's instructions that he gave to Moses.

At the order of the Lord they remained in camp, and at the order of the Lord they journeyed forward: the charge of the Lord they kept, at the order of the Lord by the hand of Moses.