The
Lord
spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the
second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying:
“Let the Israelites keep the passover at its appointed time. On the
fourteenth day of this month, at twilight, you shall keep it at its
appointed time; according to all its statutes and all its regulations
you shall keep it.”
So Moses told the Israelites that they should keep the passover. They kept the passover in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, at twilight, in the wilderness of Sinai. Just as the Lord had commanded Moses, so the Israelites did.1 Now there were certain people who were unclean through touching a corpse, so that they could not keep the passover on that day.
They came before Moses and Aaron on that day, and said to him, “Although we are unclean through touching a corpse, why must we be kept from presenting the Lord’s offering at its appointed time among the Israelites?”2
Moses spoke to them, “Wait, so that I may hear what the Lord will command concerning you.”3
The Lord spoke to Moses,4 saying: “Speak to the Israelites, saying: 'Anyone of you or your descendants who is unclean through touching a corpse, or is away on a journey, shall still keep the passover to the Lord. In the second month on the fourteenth day, at twilight, they shall keep it; they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. They shall leave none of it until morning, nor break a bone of it; according to all the statute for the passover they shall keep it. But anyone who is clean and is not on a journey, and yet refrains from keeping the passover, shall be cut off from the people for not presenting the Lord’s offering at its appointed time;5 such a one shall bear the consequences for the sin. Any alien residing among you who wishes to keep the passover6 to the Lord shall do so according to the statute of the passover and according to its regulation; you shall have one statute for both the resident alien and the native.
1 Continued obedience is still being emphasized.
So Moses told the Israelites that they should keep the passover. They kept the passover in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, at twilight, in the wilderness of Sinai. Just as the Lord had commanded Moses, so the Israelites did.1 Now there were certain people who were unclean through touching a corpse, so that they could not keep the passover on that day.
They came before Moses and Aaron on that day, and said to him, “Although we are unclean through touching a corpse, why must we be kept from presenting the Lord’s offering at its appointed time among the Israelites?”2
Moses spoke to them, “Wait, so that I may hear what the Lord will command concerning you.”3
The Lord spoke to Moses,4 saying: “Speak to the Israelites, saying: 'Anyone of you or your descendants who is unclean through touching a corpse, or is away on a journey, shall still keep the passover to the Lord. In the second month on the fourteenth day, at twilight, they shall keep it; they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. They shall leave none of it until morning, nor break a bone of it; according to all the statute for the passover they shall keep it. But anyone who is clean and is not on a journey, and yet refrains from keeping the passover, shall be cut off from the people for not presenting the Lord’s offering at its appointed time;5 such a one shall bear the consequences for the sin. Any alien residing among you who wishes to keep the passover6 to the Lord shall do so according to the statute of the passover and according to its regulation; you shall have one statute for both the resident alien and the native.
1 Continued obedience is still being emphasized.
2
Israelites bring up the arbitrary nature of connecting
“uncleanliness” with the keeping of festivals.
3
Moses is in a place where he expects direct commands of God to
address all questions.
4
And indeed, the Lord speaks directly to him.
5
Again, very strong punishment. Is this “cutting off” to be
carried out by God or by man?
6
Apparently aliens get the choice – they only have to keep Passover
if they want.
Take-home: The obedience of the Israelites in following the ordinances of the Lord is emphasized yet again. But participation in Passover is declared more important than at least one cleanliness ordinance.
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