Albert Barnes Commentary Numbers 9
Albert Barnes Commentary
Numbers 9
Albert Barnes Commentary
Numbers 9
"And Jehovah 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, Moreover let the children of Israel keep the passover in its appointed season. In the fourteenth day of this month, at even, ye shall keep it in its appointed season: according to all the statutes of it, and according to all the ordinances thereof, shall ye keep it. And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, that they should keep the passover. And they kept the passover in the first [month], on the fourteenth day of the month, at even, in the wilderness of Sinai: according to all that Jehovah commanded Moses, so did the children of Israel." — Numbers 9:1-5 (ASV)
The Passover at Sinai, since it was kept in the first month, occurred before the numbering mentioned in Numbers 1:1 and following and the other events recounted in this book (Numbers 9:5). It is, however, recorded here as an introduction to the ordinance in Numbers 9:6-14 concerning the supplementary Passover. The observance of this supplementary Passover was one of the last events during the stay at Sinai.
In some details, this particular Passover differed both from the one kept at the Exodus itself and from all subsequent Passovers. For example, the instruction in Exodus 12:22 could not be carried out literally while the people were living in tents. This instruction may be regarded as superseded by Leviticus 17:3-6 (compare Deuteronomy 16:5 and following).
In other matters, such as how many lambs would be needed, or how the blood of the Passover sacrifices could be sprinkled on the altar within the specified time, etc., the administrators of the Law of Moses would, in this instance as in others, necessarily have the authority to order what was required to implement the law.
"And there were certain men, who were unclean by reason of the dead body of a man, so that they could not keep the passover on that day: and they came before Moses and before Aaron on that day:" — Numbers 9:6 (ASV)
Certain men - Probably Mishael and Elizaphan, who buried their cousins, Nadab and Abihu, within a week of this Passover (Leviticus 10:4–5).
"In the second month on the fourteenth day at even they shall keep it; they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs:" — Numbers 9:11 (ASV)
The later Jews speak of this as the "little Passover." Coming, as it did, a month after the proper Passover, it afforded ample time for a man to purify himself from legal defilement, as also to return from any but a very distant journey. Compare Hezekiah's act (2 Chronicles 30:1–3).
"they shall leave none of it unto the morning, nor break a bone thereof: according to all the statute of the passover they shall keep it." — Numbers 9:12 (ASV)
According to all the ordinances – that is, those relating to the Passover lamb, not those concerning the feast. For the Little Passover lasted, according to the Jews, only one day; nor was it considered necessary that leaven should be removed from the houses during it.
"And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud covered the tabernacle, even the tent of the testimony: and at even it was upon the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until morning." — Numbers 9:15 (ASV)
The cloud ... - The phenomenon first appeared at the Exodus itself (Exodus 13:21–22). The cloud did not cover the whole structure, but the “tent of the testimony,” i.e., the enclosure which contained the “ark of the testimony” (Exodus 25:16), (Exodus 25:22), and the holy place. The phenomenon is now again described in connection with the journeyings which are to be narrated later in the book.
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