Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible
Numbers 9:15-23
SECTION 3 GUIDANCE IN RESPECT OF GOING FORWARD (Numbers 9:15 to Numbers 10:10).
The command being made to go forward it is now made clear how they will be guided.
Guidance In Respect of Going Forward (Numbers 9:15 to Numbers 10:10).
Godward Side.
a The cloud and fire rest on the tabernacle (Numbers 9:15).
b Movement forward regulated by the cloud (Numbers 9:17).
Manward Side.
b Responses to be determined by the blowing of the silver trumpets (Numbers 10:1).
a The blowing of the silver trumpets as a memorial before Yahweh once they have rest in the land (Numbers 10:9)
The cloud and the fire had been with them from before the crossing of the Reed Sea. In Exodus 13:22 we are told that ‘Yahweh went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light that they might go by day and by night. The pillar of cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night, departed not from before the people.' At that stage they were fleeing and did not stop to pitch camp. When the Egyptian forces came up the cloud went behind them to hinder the Egyptian advance (Exodus 14:20), while the fire still illuminated Israel at night.
Once, however, they were encamped for a period of time at Mount Sinai in Horeb and the Dwellingplace had been erected, ‘the cloud covered the Tent of meeting and the glory of Yahweh covered the Dwellingplace' (Exodus 40:34), so much so that for a time Moses was unable to enter it. As Moses was usually able to enter it, and was able to do so in Numbers 7:89, it is clear that the glory was different from the fire. Thus the glory was temporary at the initiation of the Dwellingplace.
When the cloud was taken up from over the Dwellingplace the children of Israel went onwards throughout all their journeys. If the cloud was not taken up, then they did not journey until the day that it was taken up (Exodus 30:35). ‘And the cloud of Yahweh was on the Dwellingplace by day, and there was fire in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys' (Exodus 40:38).
The Cloud and Fire Rest on the Dwellingplace (Numbers 9:15).
The principles would now be laid down by which the march forward was to be regulated. Firstly would be the divine signals through the cloud and the fire. Then would come the human signals through the silver trumpets.
This section can be seen as completing the previous section, or as introducing the section which is to follow. It fits in neatly between the two sections, the cloud being their reward for their obedience to His previous instruction, the trumpets the manward means by which their responses would be controlled as they journeyed.
The account is again composed chiastically.
a Introductory explanation (Numbers 9:15).
b When the cloud was taken up they journeyed, when the cloud abode they encamped (Numbers 9:17).
c At the commandment of Yahweh they journeyed, at the commandment of Yahweh they encamped (Numbers 9:18).
d When the cloud tarried they encamped and journeyed not (Numbers 9:19).
d The cloud was sometimes a few days on the Dwellingplace (Numbers 9:20 a).
c According to the commandment of Yahweh they encamped and according to His commandment they journeyed - note the reverse order (Numbers 9:20).
b When the cloud abode on the Dwellingplace they encamped, when it was taken up they journeyed - again the reverse order (Numbers 9:22).
a Final conclusion (Numbers 9:23).
‘And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud covered the tabernacle, even the tent of the testimony, and at even it was on the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until morning.'
From the very day that the Dwellingplace was set up the cloud covered it by day, demonstrating the earthly presence of Yahweh among His people. And when night came there appeared on it the appearance of fire. They were a continual reminder of Sinai.
“Even the tent of the testimony.” A reminder that within the Dwellingplace lay the tablets which contained the sacred covenant with Yahweh, of which the Tent was a constant reminder.
‘So it was always. The cloud covered it, and the appearance of fire by night.'
This was how it always was. The cloud covered it, and by night there was the appearance of fire. This cloud and fire had been with them from the original deliverance at the Reed Sea (see Exodus 13:21).
“And whenever the cloud was taken up from over the Tent,
Then after that the children of Israel journeyed,
And in the place where the cloud abode,
There the children of Israel encamped.”
From this point on the narrative takes on a kind of poetic prose. It may well be taken from something the people chanted when they were gathered together.
By means of the cloud Yahweh determined when they should journey. When the cloud arose from the Dwellingplace then they journeyed forward. And when the cloud again settled down there they made their camp, and set up the Dwellingplace.
“At the commandment of Yahweh the children of Israel journeyed,
And at the commandment of Yahweh they encamped.
As long as the cloud abode on the tabernacle they remained encamped.”
So the cloud was under Yahweh's control, and it was at the command of Yahweh that they journeyed, and at the command of Yahweh that they camped. And as long as the cloud abode on the Dwellingplace they remained encamped.
“And when the cloud tarried on the tabernacle many days,
Then the children of Israel kept the charge of Yahweh,
And journeyed not.”
All was in obedience to Yahweh. When the cloud remained abiding on the Dwellingplace for many days, they remained there for many days. They obeyed Yahweh's charge (or ‘obligation' or ‘watch'). They did not journey. Thus it was always Yahweh's will that they obeyed as He kept watch over them. They responded to His ‘watch'.
“And sometimes the cloud was a few days on the tabernacle.
Then according to the commandment of Yahweh they remained encamped,
And according to the commandment of Yahweh they journeyed.”
Sometimes the cloud remained on the Dwellingplace for a few days. Then, as Yahweh was commanding by this, they remained encamped. But as soon as Yahweh commanded otherwise they moved forward.
“And sometimes the cloud was from evening until morning,
And when the cloud was taken up in the morning, they journeyed.
Or by day and by night (or ‘a day and a night'), when the cloud was taken up, they journeyed.”
When the cloud indicated that they should move they did so, whether it was by day or by night. Sometimes the cloud remained settled during the night, and when it was taken up in the morning they journeyed, but whether it was by day or by night, when it was taken up they journeyed.
‘Whether it was two days, or a month, or a long time, that the cloud tarried on the tabernacle, abiding on it, the children of Israel remained encamped, and journeyed not, but when it was taken up, they journeyed.'
Their journeying was completely at the behest of Yahweh. When the cloud tarried on the Dwellingplace for two days, or a moon period, or a long time, dwelling on it, they remained encamped, and when it was take up they journeyed.
‘At the commandment of Yahweh they encamped, and at the commandment of Yahweh they journeyed. They kept the charge of Yahweh, at the commandment of Yahweh by Moses.'
They did all at the command of Yahweh. At His command they encamped. At His command they journeyed. They obeyed His command, they kept His charge according to His watch over them. It was all at the command of Yahweh by Moses. Note the threefold emphasis on camping and journeying ‘at the commandment of Yahweh' (Numbers 9:18; Numbers 9:20; Numbers 9:23).
The overall emphasis of this passage is clear. They were aware that Yahweh kept watch over them. They journeyed only at His command. At His command they remained where they were. And it was all indicated through the cloud, through which Yahweh revealed His personal will and guardianship To some extent this would exonerate Moses. He could not be blamed if they ‘went wrong' on the journey. The directions were given in the sight of all, they were not of his choosing. But note the final phrase. All recognised that Yahweh led them because of Moses.
For us there is no cloud to guide. But we have before us the unveiled glory of Jesus (2 Corinthians 3:1 to 2 Corinthians 4:6). He leads us through His Spirit (Romans 8:14; Galatians 5:18) and through His word. The cloud has been replaced by the Illuminator and the revelation of the glory of Christ, and His presence is just as surely with us as it was with them.