Numbers 9:20

And so it was, when the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle; according to the commandment of the LORD they abode in their tents, and according to the commandment of the LORD they journeyed.

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Word by word — the Hebrew

Word	Hebrew	Strong’s	Meaning
was	וְיֵ֞שׁ ve.Yesh	H3426	there is or are (or any other form of the verb to be · conjunction + cardinal number, both genders singular absolute
cloud	הֶֽעָנָ֛ן he.'a.Nan	H6051	a cloud (as covering the sky) · definite article + noun, common masculine singular absolute
few	מִסְפָּ֖ר mis.Par	H4557	a number · noun, common masculine singular absolute
days	יָמִ֥ים ya.Mim	H3117	a day (as the warm hours) · noun, common masculine plural absolute
tabernacle	הַמִּשְׁכָּ֑ן ha.mish.Kan	H4908	a residence (including a shepherd's hut · definite article + noun, common masculine singular absolute
commandment	פִּ֤י pi	H6310	the mouth (as the means of blowing) · noun, common masculine singular construct
LORD	יְהוָה֙ Yah.weh	H3068	Jehovah · proper noun, a title
abode	יַחֲנ֔וּ ya.cha.Nu	H2583	properly · verb, qal imperfect, 3rd person masculine plural
commandment	פִּ֥י pi	H6310	the mouth (as the means of blowing) · noun, common masculine singular construct
LORD	יְהוָ֖ה Yah.weh	H3068	Jehovah · proper noun, a title
journeyed	יִסָּֽעוּ yi.Sa.'u	H5265	properly · verb, qal imperfect, 3rd person masculine plural

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Numbers 9:15–end

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 we would see the beauty of the Lord, Psa 27:4; Eze 37:26, Eze 37:27. Thus God glorified his own appointments, and signified his acceptance of his people's love and obedience. II. That which appeared as…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Numbers 9:19

when the cloud tarried long upon the tabernacle, . . . then Israel kept the charge of the Lord, and journeyed not--A desert life has its attractions, and constant movements create a passionate love of change. Many incidents show that the Israelites had strongly imbibed this nomad habit and were desirous of hastening to Canaan. But still the phases of the cloud indicated the command of God: and whatsoever irksomeness they might have felt in remaining long stationary in camp, "when the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle many days, they kept the charge of the Lord, and journeyed not." Happy for them had they always exhibited this spirit of obedience! and happy for all if, through the wilderness…

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John Gill on 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 removed from the tabernacle.

Dictionary and topics

Cloud — The Hebrew so rendered means “a covering,” because clouds cover the sky. The word is used as a symbol of the Divine presence, as indicating the splendour of that glory which it conceals (Ex. 16:10;…
Cloud, Pillar Of — The pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night that God caused to pass before the camp of the children of Israel when in the wilderness. The cloud, which became a pillar when the host moved, seems…
Tabernacle — (1.) A house or dwelling-place (Job 5:24; 18:6, etc.). (2.) A portable shrine (comp. Acts 19:24) containing the image of Moloch (Amos 5:26; marg. and R.V., “Siccuth”). (3.) The human body (2 Cor.…
Cloud · PILLAR OF — PILLAR OF
Cloud Of Glory · Was designed to: Regulate the movements of Israel — Was designed to: Regulate the movements of Israel
Fire · Pillar of fire — Pillar of fire
High Priest, The · Duties of: Consecrating the Levites — Duties of: Consecrating the Levites
Theocracy, The, Or Immediate Government By God · Consisted in his: Directing the movements of the nation — Consisted in his: Directing the movements of the nation

Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).

Numbers 9:20

Word by word — the Hebrew

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Numbers 9:15–end

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Numbers 9:19

John Gill on Numbers 9:20

Dictionary and topics

Numbers 9:20

Word by word — the Hebrew

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Numbers 9:15–end

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Numbers 9:19

John Gill on Numbers 9:20

Dictionary and topics

John Calvin on Numbers 9:17–end

Keil & Delitzsch on Numbers 9:15–end

Tyndale Open Study Notes on Numbers 9:19-23

Rashi on Numbers 9:20