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1 And the Lord spake vnto Moses in the wildernesse of Sinai, in the first moneth of the second yeere; after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying,
2 Let the children of Israel also keepe the Passeouer, at his appointed season.
3 In the fourteenth day of this moneth at euen, ye shall keepe it in his appointed season: according to all the rites of it, and according to all the ceremonies thereof shall ye keepe it.
4 And Moses spake vnto the children of Israel that they should keepe the Passeouer.
5 And they kept the Passeouer on the fourteenth day of the first moneth at Euen, in the wildernesse of Sinai: according to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so did the children of Israel.
6 ¶ And there were certaine men who were defiled by the dead body of a man, that they could not keepe the Passeouer on that day: and they came before Moses, and before Aaron on that day.
7 And those men said vnto him, We are defiled by the dead body of a man: wherefore are we kept backe, that wee may not offer an offring of the Lord in his appointed season among the children of Israel?
8 And Moses saide vnto them, Stand still, and I will heare what the Lord wil command concerning you.
9 ¶ And the Lord spake vnto Moses, saying,
10 Speake vnto the children of Israel, saying, If any man of you, or of your posteritie shall be vncleane by reason of a dead body, or bee in a iourney afarre off, yet he shall keepe the Passeouer vnto the Lord.
11 The fourteenth day of the second moneth at Euen they shall keepe it, and eat it with vnleauened bread and bitter herbes.
12 They shall leaue none of it vnto the morning, nor breake any bone of it: according to all the ordinances of the Passeouer they shall keepe it.
13 But the man that is cleane, and is not in a iourney, and forbeareth to keep the Passeouer, euen the same soule shall be cut off from his people, because hee brought not the offering of the Lord in his appointed season: that man shall beare his sinne.
14 And if a stranger shall soiourne among you, and will keepe the Passeouer vnto the Lord; according to the ordinance of the Passeouer, and according to the maner thereof, so shall he doe: ye shall haue one ordinance, both for the stranger, and for him that was borne in the land.
15 ¶ And on the day that the Tabernacle was reared vp, the cloud couered the Tabernacle, namely the Tent of the Testimony: and at Euen there was vpon the Tabernacle, as it were the appearance of fire, vntill the morning.
16 So it was always: the cloud couered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night.
17 And when the cloud was taken vp from the Tabernacle, then after that, the children of Israel iourneyed, and in the place where the cloud abode, there the children of Israel pitched their tents.
18 At the commandement of the Lord the children of Israel iourneied, and at the commandement of the Lord they pitched: as long as the cloud abode vpon the Tabernacle, they rested in the tents.
19 And when the cloud taried long vpon the Tabernacle many daies, then the children of Israel kept the charge of the Lord, and iourneyed not.
20 And so it was when the cloude was a few daies vpon the Tabernacle, according to the commandement of the Lord, they abode in their tents, and according to the commandement of the Lord, they iourneyed.
21 And so it was when the cloude abode from Euen vnto the morning, and that the cloude was taken vp in the morning, then they iourneyed: whether it was by day or by night that the cloude was taken vp, they iourneyed.
22 Or whether it were two dayes, or a moneth, or a yeere that the cloude taried vpon the Tabernacle, remayning thereon, the children of Israel abode in their tents, and iourneyed not: but when it was taken vp, they iourneyed.
23 At the commandement of the Lord they rested in the tents, and at the commaundement of the Lord they iourneyed: they kept the charge of the Lord, at the commandement of the Lord by the hand of Moses.
Of the Passover. (1-14) The removals of the Israelites. (15-23)1-14 God gave particular orders for the keeping of this passover, and, for aught that appears, after this, they kept no passover till they came to Canaan, #Jos 5:10|. It early showed that the ceremonial institutions were not to continue always, as so soon after they were appointed, some were suffered to sleep for many years. But the ordinance of the Lord's Supper was not thus set aside in the first days of the Christian church, although those were days of greater difficulty and distress than Israel knew in the wilderness; nay, in the 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 danger of this when they came to Canaan. Instructions were given concerning those who were ceremonially unclean, 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, till 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 occasion 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 of God's mouth, not determine according to their own fancy or affection, 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, explanatory of the law of the passover. As those who, against their minds, are forced to absent themselves from God's ordinances, may expect the favours of God's grace under their affliction, so those who, of choice, absent themselves, may expect God's wrath for their sin. Be not deceived: God is not mocked.
15-23 This cloud was appointed to be the visible sign and symbol of God's presence with Israel. Thus we are taught to see God always near us, both night and day. As long as the cloud rested on the tabernacle, so long they continued in the same place. There is no time lost, while we are waiting God's time. When the cloud was taken up, they removed, however comfortably they were encamped. We are kept at uncertainty concerning the time of our putting off the earthly house of this tabernacle, that we may be always ready to remove at the command of the Lord. It is very safe and pleasant going when we see God before us, and resting where he appoints us to rest. The leading of this cloud is spoken of as signifying the guidance of the blessed Spirit. We are not now to expect such tokens of the Divine presence and guidance; but the promise is sure to all God's spiritual Israel, that he will guide them by his counsel. #Ps 73:24|, even unto death, #Ps 48:14|. All the children of God shall be led by the Spirit of God, #Ro 8:14|. He will direct the paths of those who in all their ways acknowledge him, #Pr 3:6|. At the commandment of the Lord, our hearts should always move and rest, saying, Father, thy will be done; dispose of me and mine as thou pleasest. What thou wilt, and where thou wilt; only let me be thine, and always in the way of my duty. In applying general precepts to particular circumstances, there should be good counsel and fervent prayer. When any undertaking is evidently wrong, or doubtfully right, and yet the mind leans that way, in such a case "the moving of the cloud," as men sometimes miscall it, is generally no more than a temptation Satan is permitted to propose; and men fancy they are following the Lord, when they are following their own wayward inclinations. The record of his mercy will conduct us with unerring truth, through Christ, to everlasting peace. Follow the pillar of the cloud and of fire. Lay the BIBLE to heart, and receive with meekness the ingrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.