Passover Regulations in Exodus and Deuteronomy Table

Israelite Festivals Table

9:1 the desert of Sinai Throughout the book of Numbers, Moses and Yahweh converse in the wilderness of Sinai rather than on Mount Sinai. See note on Num 1:1.

in the second year after they came out from the land of Egypt, in the first month For the Hebrew people, the first month of the year began 10 days before Passover. This was instituted before the very first Passover, when the people were still in Egypt on the eve of their deliverance (Exod 12:2). The one-year anniversary was marked by the completion of the tabernacle, which thus became the symbol of Israel’s freedom (Exod 40:2, 17). This Passover celebration marks the second year anniversary of the original event (Exod 12–15) and the first time Israel celebrates this holiday in the wilderness.

Israelite Calendar Table

9:3 decrees Regulations for the Passover are found in Exod 12:1–49. Compare Exod 34:25; Lev 23:5; Deut 16:1–8.

at twilight In some ancient calendars, sundown marked the beginning of a new day. In honor of this ancient custom, Jewish holidays, including the Sabbath, begin and end at sundown.

9:5 the fourteenth day As commanded in Exod 12:18.

9:6 unclean by a dead person This was not part of the original stipulations (Exod 12:1–49) because at that point the regulations regarding corpse impurity had not yet been instituted. Since death was the antithesis of life, contact with death resulted in ritual impurity and made all persons unfit for entering sacred space and taking part in the life of the community—until they were purified (Num 19:11–13; compare 6:6–12).

9:10 on a far journey Echoes the celebration of Passover under King Hezekiah (2 Chr 30), which was written after the exile and does not reference this passage. This phrase serves to link the two events and explain the extra Passover (see note on Num 9:1–14; Exod 12:1–13, particularly the note on Hezekiah and 2 Chr 30).

9:11 second month on the fourteenth day One month after the first celebration (Num 9:5).

unleavened bread and bitter plants The roasted Passover lamb (Exod 12:8) is not mentioned explicitly here, but the prohibition against breaking bones in Num 9:12 indicates that the presence of the lamb along with the unleavened bread and herbs was assumed.

9:12 they will not break a bone in it This requirement for the Passover lamb (Exod 12:46) is picked up in the Gospel of John which, in comparing the crucified Jesus to the lamb sacrificed for the deliverance of Israel, makes the point that none of Jesus bones were broken—despite the fact that that was the custom of Roman executioners (John 19:36).

9:13 will be cut off from the people This likely means shunning or exclusion from the covenant community and its blessings. Passover is the only ceremonial observance where those who willfully neglect it are punished in this way (compare Exod 12:19; Lev 7:20 and note).

9:14 an alien The inclusion of the “stranger” or “sojourner” (ger) also appears in the original iteration of the Passover regulations (Exod 12:48–49).

9:15 cloud The cloud that became familiar to the people throughout Exodus as a symbol of Yahweh’s presence (e.g., Exod 13:21–22; 19:9; 33:9–10; compare Lev 16:2, 13) is now spoken of again, for the first time since Exod 40:34.

9:18 On the command of Yahweh In light of the previous verse, this command does not come by word, but by the movement of the cloud. The relocation of the divine presence commands Israel to action.

9:23 in the hand of Moses It is not clear what Moses’ role is in this scenario. Perhaps this refers to the regulations for the camp arrangement given to Moses in Num 1–4, and Moses’ orchestration of the people when the tent sets out and settles in later chapters.