Numbers 9:1-5 meaning

Following the consecration of the Levites in chapter 8, the LORD then gave more instructions about the Passover. Verses 1 – 5 are concerned with the celebration of the second Passover.

The familiar phrase Thus the Lord spoke to Moses (v. 1) introduces another topic. This word was given in the wilderness of Sinai, and the occasion was in the first month of the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt. This means that these instructions were given on the anniversary of the Israelites’ departure from Egypt one year earlier. They were given after the completion of the tabernacle (Exodus 40:17) and before the taking of the census (Numbers 1:1 – 2).

Verses 2 – 3 contain the content of the LORD’s instructions to Moses. The LORD commanded Moses to let the sons of Israel observe the Passover at its appointed time (v. 2). The Passover was first described in Exodus 12:1 – 28. It was to be a memorial of the Angel of the LORD “passing over” (i.e., not killing) the firstborn of Israel during the tenth and final plague on Egypt (Exodus 11:1 – 10, 12:29 – 31). The “appointed time” and the order of celebrating the Passover was described in Exodus 12:18ff.

Jewish tradition holds that Numbers 9:2 marks the only time a Passover feast was observed by the Israelites in the wilderness. This is alluded to in Amos 5:25, which asks “Did you present Me with sacrifices and grain offerings in the wilderness for forty years, O house of Israel?” The inferred answer to this is “no.”

The Passover was to be celebrated on the fourteenth day of this month (v. 3), “this month” being the first month of the Israelite year. This month was the one when the tenth plague occurred and the Israelites were allowed to leave Egypt. Also, they were to celebrate it at twilight. The Hebrew literally reads “between the evenings,” which may refer to the late afternoon to early evening. This was when they were to observe it at its appointed time.

(To learn more, read our article, “The Original Passover”)

Nothing was to be left out or ignored when celebrating Passover. Instead, they were required to observe it according to all its statutes and according to all its ordinances.

Obediently, Moses told the sons of Israel to observe the Passover (v. 4).

In response to Moses’ command, the Israelites diligently obeyed the LORD as they observed the Passover in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, at twilight, in the wilderness of Sinai (v. 5). This date was first commanded by God in Exodus 12:6, 18. Thus, they did according to all that the Lord had commanded Moses, so the sons of Israel did. Once again, the Israelites were careful to carry out the will of the LORD when it involved organization and performing religious activities during this initial period. However, as previously noted, it does not appear that this continued in subsequent years.

The Passover is on the fourteenth day of the month. The number fourteen is interesting in scripture, because it has the numerical value in Hebrew that is equal to “David.” Since Jesus the Son of David is our perfect passover lamb, it could be that God chose the fourteenth day of the first month as the date for Passover.

Biblical Text

¹ Thus the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying, ²“Now, let the sons of Israel observe the Passover at its appointed time. ³On the fourteenth day of this month, at twilight, you shall observe it at its appointed time; you shall observe it according to all its statutes and according to all its ordinances.” ⁴So Moses told the sons of Israel to observe the Passover. ⁵They observed the Passover in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, at twilight, in the wilderness of Sinai; according to all that the Lord had commanded Moses, so the sons of Israel did.

Check out our other commentaries:

Daniel 7:9-10 meaning
A heavenly courtroom appears. The Eternal God sits on His fiery throne. He prepares to make a judgment. ......
Proverbs 31:10-12 meaning
Lemuel’s mother introduces her son to the virtues of a noble wife.......
What Does it Mean to Be a Faithful Witness? meaning
In the Bible, believers are called to be witnesses of Jesus. Today, believers in Jesus have not seen Jesus physically with our own eyes the......
Hebrews 6:7-8 meaning
Christians are expected to obey God and produce faithful works, which leads to blessings from Him. Some Christians rebel and waste the grace given to......
Exodus 28:1-5 meaning
The LORD describes the priestly garments that are to be made by skilled craftsmen. These garments for Aaron and his sons.......

Additional Resources

Book Theme

The book of Numbers is the fourth of the five books of Moses that comprise the Torah, which means “Law.” It gets its English name from the Greek Old Testament called the Septuagint (or LXX). The LXX named this book, “Arithmoi,” meaning “Numbers.” Its Hebrew name means “in the desert” or “in the wilderness.” Both names are appropriate. The Hebrew name is appropriate because Numbers covers the Israelites’ wanderings in the wilderness (or “desert”) from Sinai to the plains of Moab. The Greek name is also appropriate because of the many lists, and the numbers within those lists.

At the beginning of the book, the Israelites had been camped at Mount Sinai for about a year. The book of Exodus covered their escape from Egypt and their journey to Sinai. The LORD commanded Moses to organize the people in preparation to leave Sinai and go to the Promised Land. The book covers around 38 years of the Israelites’ journey from Egypt to the Promised Land, and describes many of Israel’s failures, including mutinies against Moses and outright disobedience to the word of the LORD. In Numbers, the LORD declares that the generation that left Egypt would die in the wilderness due to their disobedience. Only two, Joshua and Caleb, were allowed to enter the Promised Land, due to their faithfulness. Even Moses died without entering the Land due to disobedience.

The book of Numbers can be outlined in many ways. The most general outline involves the generation that leaves Egypt and the one after it, as seen below:
• Events Involving the Exodus Generation (Num. 1 – 25)
• Events Involving the Second Generation (Num. 26 – 36)

Another outline sees the book having three major divisions based on the major encampments of the Israelites:
• Israel at Sinai (Num. 1:1 – 10:10)
• Israel at Kadesh Barnea (Num. 10:11 – 19:22)
• Israel on the Plains of Moab (Num. 20:1 – 36:13)

Still another outline (the one followed here) is as follows:
• The Exodus Generation in the Wilderness (chaps. 1 – 25)
◦ The Israelites Prepare to Leave Mount Sinai (1:1 – 10:10)
◦ The Israelites Depart to Kadesh Barnea (10:11 – 14:45)
◦ The Israelites Journey to the Plains of Moab (15:1 – 22:1)
◦ The Israelites Are Confronted by Balaam the Prophet (22:2 – 25:18)
• The Second Generation Prepares to Enter the Promised Land (26:1 – 36:13)
◦ The Rules Concerning Inheritance (Num. 26:1 – 27:11)
◦ The Provision for Moses’ Successor (Num. 27:12 – 23)
◦ The Laws Concerning Offerings (Num. 28:1 – 29:40)
◦ The Laws Concerning Vows (Num. 30:1 –16)
◦ The LORD’s Judgment Against the Midianites (Num. 31:1 – 54)
◦ The Inheritance of the Eastern Tribes (Num. 32:1 – 42)
◦ The Review of the Journey to Canaan (Num. 33:1 – 56)
◦ The LORD’s Instructions Before Conquering Canaan (Num. 33:50 – 36:13)

There are two themes that flow from the book of Numbers. The first concerns the LORD’s infinite grace in light of the people’s many failures and transgressions. There is hardly a book in the Bible where the LORD had to exercise His grace to His people more often than this one. The book of Numbers contains a record of Israel’s failure after failure and the LORD’s gracious forgiveness after forgiveness. Even when He judged them, there was grace.

Second, and related to the first, the book stresses the importance of obedience. God chose the Israelites unconditionally; they were the LORD’s chosen people regardless of their behavior. However, He demanded obedience to show His people that their obedience results in blessing. God set forth a way of life for His people in the covenant He and the people entered into at Sinai (Exodus 19:5-8). The Ten Commandments made it clear that God would make the law, and that the pinnacle requirement of His law was for the people to respect and serve one another. The strong were to serve the weak. This was in stark contrast to the surrounding cultures, which centered around the strong exploiting the weak (Leviticus 18). God’s judgment brought discipline upon Israel in order to shepherd them toward living in harmony and service to one another.

Chapter Context

Chapter 9 of Numbers continues the account of the final preparations for leaving Mount Sinai and the surrounding wilderness. It is concerned with two topics: the Passover and the Cloud. In chapter 9, the LORD added clarifications to the celebration of Passover and the criteria by which the Israelites would know when to camp and when to move to the next destination on their journey to the Promised Land.

Numbers 9 can be outlined as follows:

Instructions About the Passover (Numbers 9:1 – 14)
- The Command to Celebrate the Passover (Numbers 9:1 – 5)
- The Instruction Concerning the Ceremonially Unclean (Numbers 9:6 – 8)
- New Laws Concerning the Unclean (Numbers 9:9 – 13)
- The Law Concerning the Sojourner (Numbers 9:14)
The Presence of the Cloud (Numbers 8:15 – 23)

Numbers 9:1-5 meaning

Check out our other commentaries:

Daniel 7:9-10 meaning

Proverbs 31:10-12 meaning

What Does it Mean to Be a Faithful Witness? meaning

Hebrews 6:7-8 meaning

Exodus 28:1-5 meaning

Additional Resources

Book Theme

Chapter Context

Maps and Charts

Videos

The Bible Project - Numbers Summary

Download Commentary