Matthew Henry Commentary Numbers 9:1-14

"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. 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: and those men said unto him, We are unclean by reason of the dead body of a man: wherefore are we kept back, that we may not offer the oblation of Jehovah in its appointed season among the children of Israel? And Moses said unto them, Stay ye, that I may hear what Jehovah will command concerning you. And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If any man of you or of your generations shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or be on a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the passover unto Jehovah. In the second month on the fourteenth day at even they shall keep it; they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs: 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. But the man that is clean, and is not on a journey, and forbeareth to keep the passover, that soul shall be cut off from his people; because he offered not the oblation of Jehovah in its appointed season, that man shall bear his sin. And if a stranger shall sojourn among you, and will keep the passover unto Jehovah; according to the statute of the passover, and according to the ordinance thereof, so shall he do: ye shall have one statute, both for the sojourner, and for him that is born in the land." — Numbers 9:1-14 (ASV)

God gave particular orders for the keeping of this Passover. From what appears, after this, they kept no Passover until they came to Canaan (Joshua 5:10). This early showed that the ceremonial institutions were not to continue always, as so soon after they were appointed, some were allowed to lie dormant for many years.

But the ordinance of the Lord's Supper was not set aside in this way in the first days of the Christian church, even though those were days of greater difficulty and distress than Israel knew in the wilderness. Indeed, in times of persecution, the Lord's Supper was celebrated more frequently than afterward.

Israelites in the wilderness could not forget the deliverance out of Egypt. There was a danger of this when they came to Canaan.

Instructions were given concerning those who were ceremonially unclean, regarding when they were to eat the Passover. Those whose minds and consciences are defiled by sin are unfit for communion with God and cannot partake with comfort of the gospel Passover until they are cleansed by true repentance and faith.

Observe with what trouble and concern these men complained that they were kept back from offering to the Lord. It should be a trouble to us when, by any circumstance, we are kept back from the solemnities of a Sabbath or a sacrament.

Observe the deliberation of Moses in resolving this case. Ministers must ask counsel from God's mouth, not determine according to their own fancy or preference, but according to the Word of God to the best of their knowledge.

And if, in difficult cases, time is taken to spread the matter before God by humble, believing prayer, the Holy Spirit assuredly will direct in the good and right way.

God gave directions in this case, and in other similar cases, explaining the law of the Passover.

Just as those who, against their will, are forced to absent themselves from God's ordinances may expect the favors of God's grace under their affliction, so those who, by choice, absent themselves may expect God's wrath for their sin.

Be not deceived: God is not mocked.