Charles Ellicott Commentary Numbers 9:3

"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." — Numbers 9:3 (ASV)

At evening. —Hebrew, between the two evenings. (See Note on Exodus 12:6).

According to all its rites, and according to all its ceremonies. —Better, according to all its statutes and ordinances. It is obvious that some of the directions concerning the Egyptian Passover could not be observed in the wilderness. The reference must, therefore, be to those statutes and ordinances regarding the Passover which were of permanent obligation. (Compare Numbers 9:12, where the ordinance regarding the time of observance is necessarily excluded.) Some of these are found in Exodus 12, while others of a later date are recorded in Leviticus 17 and Deuteronomy 16.

It has been objected that three priests (since Nadab and Abihu were dead) could not sprinkle the blood of the large number of lambs that must have been slain. However, it must be remembered:

1. that there is no express injunction regarding the sprinkling of the blood on this occasion;

2. that the priests were probably assisted at this time in performing some of their duties—as we are expressly informed they were during the Passovers celebrated by Hezekiah and Josiah (2 Chronicles 30:16; 2 Chronicles 35:11)—by the Levites.