| New Living Translation | Berean Study Bible |
| 1A year after Israel’s departure from Egypt, the LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai. In the first month of that year he said, | 1In the first month of the second year after Israel had come out of the land of Egypt, the LORD spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai: |
| 2“Tell the Israelites to celebrate the Passover at the prescribed time, | 2“The Israelites are to observe the Passover at its appointed time. |
| 3at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month. Be sure to follow all my decrees and regulations concerning this celebration.” | 3You are to observe it at the appointed time, at twilight on the fourteenth day of this month, in accordance with its statutes and ordinances.” |
| 4So Moses told the people to celebrate the Passover | 4So Moses told the Israelites to observe the Passover, |
| 5in the wilderness of Sinai as twilight fell on the fourteenth day of the month. And they celebrated the festival there, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. | 5and they did so in the Wilderness of Sinai, at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month. The Israelites did everything just as the LORD had commanded Moses. |
| 6But some of the men had been ceremonially defiled by touching a dead body, so they could not celebrate the Passover that day. They came to Moses and Aaron that day | 6But there were some men who were unclean due to a dead body, so they could not observe the Passover on that day. And they came before Moses and Aaron that same day |
| 7and said, “We have become ceremonially unclean by touching a dead body. But why should we be prevented from presenting the LORD’s offering at the proper time with the rest of the Israelites?” | 7and said to Moses, “We are unclean because of a dead body, but why should we be excluded from presenting the LORD’s offering with the other Israelites at the appointed time?” |
| 8Moses answered, “Wait here until I have received instructions for you from the LORD.” | 8“Wait here until I find out what the LORD commands concerning you,” Moses replied. |
| 9This was the LORD’s reply to Moses. | 9Then the LORD said to Moses, |
| 10“Give the following instructions to the people of Israel: If any of the people now or in future generations are ceremonially unclean at Passover time because of touching a dead body, or if they are on a journey and cannot be present at the ceremony, they may still celebrate the LORD’s Passover. | 10“Tell the Israelites: ‘When any one of you or your descendants is unclean because of a dead body, or is away on a journey, he may still observe the Passover to the LORD. |
| 11They must offer the Passover sacrifice one month later, at twilight on the fourteenth day of the second month. They must eat the Passover lamb at that time with bitter salad greens and bread made without yeast. | 11Such people are to observe it at twilight on the fourteenth day of the second month. They are to eat the lamb, together with unleavened bread and bitter herbs; |
| 12They must not leave any of the lamb until the next morning, and they must not break any of its bones. They must follow all the normal regulations concerning the Passover. | 12they may not leave any of it until morning or break any of its bones. They must observe the Passover according to all its statutes. |
| 13“But those who neglect to celebrate the Passover at the regular time, even though they are ceremonially clean and not away on a trip, will be cut off from the community of Israel. If they fail to present the LORD’s offering at the proper time, they will suffer the consequences of their guilt. | 13But if a man who is ceremonially clean and is not on a journey still fails to observe the Passover, he must be cut off from his people, because he did not present the LORD’s offering at its appointed time. That man will bear the consequences of his sin. |
| 14And if foreigners living among you want to celebrate the Passover to the LORD, they must follow these same decrees and regulations. The same laws apply both to native-born Israelites and to the foreigners living among you.” The Fiery Cloud | 14If a foreigner dwelling among you wants to observe the Passover to the LORD, he is to do so according to the Passover statute and its ordinances. You are to apply the same statute to both the foreigner and the native of the land.’ ” |
| 15On the day the Tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered it. But from evening until morning the cloud over the Tabernacle looked like a pillar of fire. | 15On the day that the tabernacle, the Tent of the Testimony, was set up, the cloud covered it and appeared like fire above the tabernacle from evening until morning. |
| 16This was the regular pattern—at night the cloud that covered the Tabernacle had the appearance of fire. | 16It remained that way continually; the cloud would cover the tabernacle by day, and at night it would appear like fire. |
| 17Whenever the cloud lifted from over the sacred tent, the people of Israel would break camp and follow it. And wherever the cloud settled, the people of Israel would set up camp. | 17Whenever the cloud was lifted from above the Tent, the Israelites would set out, and wherever the cloud settled, there the Israelites would camp. |
| 18In this way, they traveled and camped at the LORD’s command wherever he told them to go. Then they remained in their camp as long as the cloud stayed over the Tabernacle. | 18At the LORD’s command the Israelites set out, and at the LORD’s command they camped. As long as the cloud remained over the tabernacle, they remained encamped. |
| 19If the cloud remained over the Tabernacle for a long time, the Israelites stayed and performed their duty to the LORD. | 19Even when the cloud lingered over the tabernacle for many days, the Israelites kept the LORD’s charge and did not set out. |
| 20Sometimes the cloud would stay over the Tabernacle for only a few days, so the people would stay for only a few days, as the LORD commanded. Then at the LORD’s command they would break camp and move on. | 20Sometimes the cloud remained over the tabernacle for only a few days, and they would camp at the LORD’s command and set out at the LORD’s command. |
| 21Sometimes the cloud stayed only overnight and lifted the next morning. But day or night, when the cloud lifted, the people broke camp and moved on. | 21Sometimes the cloud remained only from evening until morning, and when it lifted in the morning, they would set out. Whether it was by day or by night, when the cloud was taken up, they would set out. |
| 22Whether the cloud stayed above the Tabernacle for two days, a month, or a year, the people of Israel stayed in camp and did not move on. But as soon as it lifted, they broke camp and moved on. | 22Whether the cloud lingered for two days, a month, or longer, the Israelites camped and did not set out as long as the cloud remained over the tabernacle; but when it was lifted, they would set out. |
| 23So they camped or traveled at the LORD’s command, and they did whatever the LORD told them through Moses. | 23They camped at the LORD’s command, and they set out at the LORD’s command; they carried out the LORD’s charge according to His command through Moses. |
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