Numbers 9:9-13 meaning

Numbers Chapter 9:9-13 contains the answer to the problem presented in the previous three verses. The issue was that certain men had handled a dead body (making them unclean) and thus were disqualified from celebrating Passover, thus violating the LORD’s command. The answer was that the men in this situation could indeed celebrate the Passover. The section included a warning that a person who was clean and could celebrate the Passover and did not do so was guilty and was to be separated from the people.

The LORD then spoke to Moses (v. 9) about his question concerning those who had handled a dead body and were thus not able to celebrate Passover. His response to Moses included two scenarios. The first one was the issue that Moses just presented to Him, that is, if any one of you or of your generations becomes unclean because of a dead person (v. 10). Though handling a dead body made a person ceremonially unclean, it was not a sin. It was an occasional necessity. This would, of course, have been a common occurrence among the people, so the LORD made accommodation for them.

The LORD then expanded this law to include a second scenario—someone who was on a distant journey. The situation in view here was when a person was too far away from Israel to celebrate the Passover at the appointed time. This too would happen regularly, especially later when they inhabited the Promised Land. So, those who fit into either of these scenarios may, however, observe the Passover to the Lord.

But they were not allowed to celebrate with those who were clean. Instead of celebrating Passover in the first month of the year as specified in Exodus 12:1 – 6, these people were instructed to keep the Passover in the second month on the fourteenth day at twilight, they shall observe it (v. 11), exactly one month later. Just as the Levites substituted for the firstborn who were set aside to the LORD, now this later date could be substituted.

As with the regular Passover celebration, they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs (v. 12). These items connect Passover with the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Exodus 12:8). Also, they shall leave none of it until morning (see Exodus 12:10), and they were not allowed to break a bone of it, “it” being the sacrificial Passover lamb (see Exodus 12:3, 46). So, they were to celebrate Passover according to all the statute of the Passover they shall observe it (as specified in Exodus 12), just like the celebration the other Israelites had engaged in one month earlier.

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

So, the LORD showed His matchless grace in making provision for those in these situations. Though the separation of the clean from the unclean had to be maintained, the LORD gave His people a way to obey the Law of the Passover.

The LORD then added a warning in verse 13. He said but the man who is clean and is not on a journey, and yet neglects to observe the Passover, that person shall then be cut off from his people (v. 13). During the tenth plague in Egypt, anyone not observing Passover was killed by the Destroyer (Exodus 12:23). At this time, the person who did not observe the Passover was in great danger because he did not present the offering of the Lord at its appointed time. Not celebrating the Passover and the deliverance from slavery in Egypt was an offense against the grace of the LORD their Deliverer.

The person’s negligence resulted thus: that man will bear his sin. Whether this meant that the person would be executed by the LORD Himself, be sentenced to death, or be excommunicated from the people is not known. However, the consequences were severe because it was very important to celebrate the Passover. It was an annual reminder of Israel’s deliverance from Egypt, and was not optional.

Biblical Text

⁹Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ¹⁰“Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘If any one of you or of your generations becomes unclean because of a dead person, or is on a distant journey, he may, however, observe the Passover to the Lord. ¹¹In the second month on the fourteenth day at twilight, they shall observe it; they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. ¹²They shall leave none of it until morning, nor break a bone of it; according to all the statute of the Passover they shall observe it. ¹³But the man who is clean and is not on a journey, and yet neglects to observe the Passover, that person shall then be cut off from his people, for he did not present the offering of the Lord at its appointed time. That man will bear his sin.

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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 9:9-13 meaning

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Additional Resources

Book Theme

Chapter Context

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The Bible Project - Numbers Summary

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