The children of Israel observe the first Passover since leaving Egypt, which let’s us know it has been one year since the Exodus event took place. God explains what to do if you are unclean at the time of Passover; and we are reminded that the Israelites moved and stopped at the command of the LORD.

Numbers 9

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:

2 “Let the children of Israel keep the Passover at its appointed time.

3 On the 14th day of this month, at evening, you shall keep it at its appointed time: according to all of its statues and ordinances you shall keep it.”

4 Moses spoke to the children of Israel, that they should keep the Passover.

5 And they kept the Passover on the 14th day of the first month at evening in the wilderness of Sinai: according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did.

6 There were certain men who were defiled by the dead body of a man, so that they could not keep the passover on that day. And they came before Moses and before Aaron on that day:

7 And those men said to them “We are defiled by the dead body of a man: why are we kept from presenting an offering of the LORD at its appointed time among the children of Israel?”

8 And Moses said to them “Wait here, and I will hear what the LORD commands concerning you.”

9 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying:

10 “Speak to the children of Israel: “If any one of you or your descendants are unclean by reason of a dead body, or are on a journey and far off, he shall still keep the Passover to the LORD.

11 The 14th day of the second month at evening they shall keep it, and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.

12 They shall leave none of it until the next morning, nor break any bone of it: according to all the ordinances of the Passover they shall keep it.

13 But any one that is clean, and not on a journey, and fails to keep the Passover, that person shall be cut off from among his people: because he did not bring the offering of the LORD at the appointed time, that man shall bear his sin.

14 And if a stranger shall live among you, and will keep the Passover to the LORD; according to the ordinance of the Passover, and according to the proper manner, so he shall: you will have one statue, both for the stranger, and for him the native born in the land.”

15 On the day that the tabernacle was raised up the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony: and at evening fire appeared over the tabernacle, until the morning.

16 So it was always: 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 stopped, 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 made camp: as long as the cloud stayed upon the tabernacle they rested in their tents.

19 And when the cloud stayed over the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of the LORD, and did not journey.

20 And so it was, when the cloud was a few days on the tabernacle; according to the commandment of the LORD they abode in their tents, and according to the commandment of the LORD they journeyed.

21 When the cloud stood from even until the morning, and then was taken up in the morning, then they journeyed: whether it was by day or by night that the cloud was taken up, they journeyed.

22 Whether it were two days, or a month, or a year, if the cloud covered the tabernacle, remaining on it, the children of Israel camped in their tents, and did not journey: but when it was taken up, they journeyed.

23 At the commandment of the LORD they rested in the tents, and at the commandment of the LORD they journeyed: they kept the charge of the LORD, at the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.

See also: Numbers 9 in ESV, HCSB, NASB and NIV via Bible Gateway.