Numbers 9

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 9:17

And when the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle ,.... Or went up from it, higher than it was before, yet not out of sight, but hung as it were hovering in the air over the tabernacle, but at some distance from it; this was done by the Lord himself: then after that the children of Israel journeyed ; as soon as they saw the cloud moving upwards, the Levites took down the tabernacle, and each took their post assigned them in the carriage of it, and the priests blew their trumpets... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 9:18

At the commandment of the Lord the children of Israel journeyed ,.... Or "mouth of the Lord"; not that there was any command in form given, or any audible voice heard, directing when to march; but the removal of the cloud was interpretatively the order and command of God for them to move also: and at the commandment of the Lord they pitched ; their tents; when the cloud stopped, they understood that as a signal to them, as a token of the will of God that they should stop likewise; it was... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 9:19

And when the cloud tarried long upon the tabernacle many days ,.... Or years, for days are sometimes put for years, and in some places the cloud tarried several years; or however, if it stayed but a month or a year in any place, as in Numbers 9:22 , then the children of Israel kept the charge of the Lord, and journeyed not ; they not only kept watching when it would move, or set sentinels for that purpose to observe it, but they kept the charge, order, or commandment, which the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 9:20

And so it was, when the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle ,.... Or "days of number", which were so few that they might be easily numbered: the Targum of Jonathan interprets them of the seven days of the week, as if the sense was, when the cloud rested a week on the tabernacle: according to the commandment of the Lord they abode in their tents ; during these few days, be they a week, or more, or less: and according to the commandment of the Lord they journeyed ; when it... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 9:21

And so it was when the cloud abode from even unto the morning ,.... The whole night, during which time they rested in their beds: and that the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they journeyed ; whether it was by day or night that the cloud was taken up, they journeyed ; whether at morning or midnight; for sometimes, as Aben Ezra observes, they travelled in the night; whensoever their sentinels gave notice that the cloud was taken up, even though at midnight, they arose... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 9:22

Or whether it were two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle ,.... Sometimes it tarried but half a day, sometimes a whole day, sometimes two days, at other times a whole month, and even a year; a full year, as the Targum of Jonathan and Aben Ezra; or a longer time, as the Vulgate Latin version, for in one place it tarried eighteen years, as Maimonides says F7 Moreh Nevoch. par. 2. c. 50. p. 512. ; some say F8 Seder Olam Rabba, c. 8. p. 24. ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 9:23

At the commandment of the Lord they rested in their tents ,.... Though ever so disagreeable: and at the commandment of the Lord they journeyed ; though the circumstances might be such, that they could have liked a continuance; but whether agreeable or disagreeable, they were obedient to the divine will: this, or what is equivalent to it, is frequently observed in this paragraph, to show that the Israelites, though they were an obstinate and perverse people, and must in general be... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 9

The Israelites are reminded of the law that required them to keep the passover at its proper time, and with all its rites, Numbers 9:1-3 . They kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month, Numbers 9:4 , Numbers 9:5 . The case of the men who, being unclean through touching a dead body, could not keep the passover, Numbers 9:6 , Numbers 9:7 . Moses inquires at the Lord concerning them, Numbers 9:8 ; and the Lord appoints the fourteenth day of the second month for all... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 9:1

The Lord spake unto Moses - The fourteen first verses of this chapter certainly refer to transactions that took place at the time of those mentioned in the commencement of this book, before the numbering of the people, and several learned men are of opinion that these fourteen verses should be referred back to that place. We have already met with instances where transpositions have very probably taken place, and it is not difficult to account for them. As in very early times writing was... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 9:3

According to all the rites of it - See all those rites and ceremonies largely explained in the notes on Exodus 12 (note). read more

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