Numbers 9:18-23 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Numbers 9:15-23

We have here the history of the cloud; not a natural history: who knows the balancings of the clouds? but a divine history of a cloud that was appointed to be the visible sign and symbol of God's presence with Israel. I. When the tabernacle was finished this cloud, which before had hung on high over their camp, settled upon the tabernacle, and covered it, to show that God manifests his presence with his people in and by his ordinances; there he makes himself known, and to them we must look if... 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 9:21

Whether - by day or by night - As the heat of the day is very severe in that same desert, the night season is sometimes chosen for the performance of a journey; though it is very likely that in the case of the Israelites this was seldom resorted to. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 9:22

Two days - a month - a year - It was by the Divine counsel alone that they were directed in all their peregrinations: and from the above words we see that their times of tarrying at different stations were very unequal. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 9:23

Kept the charge of the Lord - When we consider the strong disposition which this people ever testified to follow their own will in all things, we may be well surprised to find them, in these journeyings, so implicitly following the directions of God. There could be no trick or imposture here. Moses, had he been the most cunning of men, never could have imitated the appearances referred to in this chapter. The cloud, and every thing in its motion, was so evidently supernatural, that the... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Numbers 9:15-23

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

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

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

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

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

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 9:21

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 9:22

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 9:23

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