Numbers 9:16

God's presence Guidance and decisions

¹⁴ And if a stranger shall sojourn among you, and will keep the passover unto the LORD; according to the ordinance of the passover, and according to the manner thereof, so shall he do: ye shall have one ordinance, both for the stranger, and for him that was born in the land.

¹⁵ And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud covered the tabernacle, namely, the tent of the testimony: and at even there was upon the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until the morning.

So it was alway: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night.

¹⁷ And when the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, then after that the children of Israel journeyed: and in the place where the cloud abode, there the children of Israel pitched their tents.

¹⁸ At the commandment of the LORD the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the LORD they pitched: as long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle they rested in their tents.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: It remained that way continually; the cloud would cover the tabernacle by day, and at night it would appear like fire.
KJV: So it was alway: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night.
WEB: So it was continually. The cloud covered it, and the appearance of fire by night.
ASV: So it was alway: the cloud covered it, and the appearance of fire by night.
DARBY: So it was continually: the cloud covered it, and at night it was as the appearance of fire.
BLB: So it was continually: The cloud covered it [by day], then the appearance of fire by night.

ÅB: Slik var det alltid: Skyen dekket det[^1], og om natten var der som et ildskjær.
OTB: Dette var det vanlige mønsteret; skyen dekket det om dagen, og om natten så det ut som ild.
B1930: Således var det alltid: Skyen dekket det, og om natten var der som et ildskjær. / < om dagen.>

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Nehemiah 9:12
Moreover thou leddest them in the day by a cloudy pillar; and in the night by a pillar of fire, to give them light in the way wherein they should go.
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1 Corinthians 10:1
Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
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Revelation 21:3
And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
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Isaiah 4:5–6
And the LORD will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence.
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Exodus 13:21–22
And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:
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Psalms 105:39
He spread a cloud for a covering; and fire to give light in the night.
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Deuteronomy 1:33
Who went in the way before you, to search you out a place to pitch your tents in, in fire by night, to shew you by what way ye should go, and in a cloud by day.
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Numbers 9:18–22
At the commandment of the LORD the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the LORD they pitched: as long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle they rested in their tents.
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