Numbers 9:15
in Numbers 9On 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud covered the tabernacle, even the tent of the testimony: and at even it was upon the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until morning.
KJV
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.
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This verse in Numbers 9
Commentary
7 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The cloud ... - The phenomenon first appeared at the Exodus itself, Exo 13:21-22. The cloud did not cover the whole structure, but the “tent of the testimony,” i. e. the enclosure which contained the “ark of the testimony” Exo 25:16, Exo 25:22, and the holy place. The phenomenon is now again described in connection with the journeyings which are to be narrated in the sequel of the book.
This site's exposition
And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up
on Numbers 9:15-16
The account goes back to the day the tabernacle was reared up, which is where Exodus closed at 40:34-38, so the same fact stands at the end of one book and again at the head of the march that begins at 10:11. The cloud is older than the tent it covers, having gone before Israel from the first stage out of Egypt at Exodus 13:21-22. It is named here as the tent of the testimony, after the ark of the testimony inside it, and it shows as cloud by day and fire by night, one presence in two appearances.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
This was an evident token of God's special presence with, and providence over them. And this cloud was easily distinguished from other clouds, both by its peculiar figure and by its constant residence in that place.
13 But the man that is clean, and is not in a journey, and forbeareth to keep the passover, even the same soul shall be cut off from among his people: because he brought not the offering of the L ORD in his appointed season, that man shall bear his sin.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:96%@v13
And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
the cloud covered the tabernacle--The inspired historian here enters on an entirely new subject, which might properly have formed a separate chapter, beginning at this verse and ending at Nu 10:29 [CALMET]. The cloud was a visible token of God's special presence and guardian care of the Israelites (Ex 14:20;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase+unbalanced-parens
The cloud covered the tabernacle - See the whole account of this supernatural cloud largely explained, Exo 23:21; and Exo 40:34-38. Calmet observes that the 15th verse, beginning a new subject, should begin a new chapter, as it has no connection with what goes before; and he thinks this chapter, begun with the 15th verse, should end with the 28th verse of the following. (Exo 10:28)
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
Now He resumes the telling of the journey [through the wilderness] and the commandments which they were commanded about it, such as the trumpets, which Moses was now commanded were to be for the calling of the congregation, and for causing the camps to set forward. 94 Further,:2.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
The purpose of this is to command the stranger to bring this Passover-offering in the wilderness just as He commanded the Israelites. It is possible that when He said in Seder ‘Bo El Par’oh’ ( Go in unto Pharaoh ), 90 Exodus:1.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
18 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וּבְיוֹם֙ | uveyom | and on [the] day | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| הָקִ֣ים | hakim | set up | H6965 → | 628 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַמִּשְׁכָּ֔ן | hamishkan | the tabernacle | H4908 → | 139 times |
| כִּסָּ֤ה | kisah | it covered | H3680 → | 152 times |
| הֶֽעָנָן֙ | heanan | the cloud | H6051 → | 87 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַמִּשְׁכָּ֔ן | hamishkan | the tabernacle | H4908 → | 139 times |
| לְאֹ֖הֶל | leohel | of [the] tent of | H168 → | 345 times |
| הָעֵדֻ֑ת | haedut | the testimony | H5715 → | 59 times |
| וּבָעֶ֜רֶב | uvaerev | and in the evening | H6153 → | 134 times |
| יִהְיֶ֧ה | yihyeh | it was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| עַֽל־ | ʾal- | over | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| הַמִּשְׁכָּ֛ן | hamishkan | the tabernacle | H4908 → | 139 times |
| כְּמַרְאֵה־ | kemareh- | like [the] appearance of | H4758 → | 103 times |
| אֵ֖שׁ | ʾesh | fire | H784 → | 378 times |
| עַד־ | ʾad- | until | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| בֹּֽקֶר׃ | boker | morning | H1242 → | 214 times |
וּבְיוֹם֙and on [the] day
uveyomH3117 →2304 times
הָקִ֣יםset up
hakimH6965 →628 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַמִּשְׁכָּ֔ןthe tabernacle
hamishkanH4908 →139 times
כִּסָּ֤הit covered
kisahH3680 →152 times
הֶֽעָנָן֙the cloud
heananH6051 →87 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַמִּשְׁכָּ֔ןthe tabernacle
hamishkanH4908 →139 times
לְאֹ֖הֶלof [the] tent of
leohelH168 →345 times
הָעֵדֻ֑תthe testimony
haedutH5715 →59 times
וּבָעֶ֜רֶבand in the evening
uvaerevH6153 →134 times
יִהְיֶ֧הit was
yihyehH1961 →3559 times
עַֽל־over
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
הַמִּשְׁכָּ֛ןthe tabernacle
hamishkanH4908 →139 times
כְּמַרְאֵה־like [the] appearance of
kemareh-H4758 →103 times
אֵ֖שׁfire
ʾeshH784 →378 times
עַד־until
ʾad-H5704 →1261 times
בֹּֽקֶר׃morning
bokerH1242 →214 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Exodus 13:21And the LORD went before them in a pillar of cloud to guide their way by day, and in a pillar of fire to give them light by night, so that they could travel…
it leads to
- Nehemiah 9:12
You led them with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, to light for them the way in which they should travel.
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 105:39
He spread a cloud as a covering and a fire to light up the night.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Corinthians 10:1–2
I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud, and that they all passed through the sea.
- Psalms 99:7
He spoke to them from the pillar of cloud; they kept His decrees and the statutes He gave them.
- Deuteronomy 1:33
who went before you on the journey, in the fire by night and in the cloud by day, to seek out a place for you to camp and to show you the road to…
- Nehemiah 9:12
Through
Exodus 40:38For the cloud of the LORD was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel through all their journeys.
it leads to
- Psalms 78:14
He led them with a cloud by day and with a light of fire all night.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 78:14
Through
Isaiah 4:5Then the LORD will create over all of Mount Zion and over her assemblies a cloud of smoke by day and a glowing flame of fire by night. For over all the glory there…
it leads to
- Exodus 13:21–22
And the LORD went before them in a pillar of cloud to guide their way by day, and in a pillar of fire to give them light by night, so that they could travel…
- Exodus 40:34–38
Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
- Exodus 13:21–22
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Numbers
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.