Read Numbers 9 here (text coming …) or at Bible Gateway.
The Hebrew paragraphs:
9:1-8 {p} Passover keeping prevented by defilement
9:9-14 {s} Second month Passover / one Torah for the stranger and native
9:15-23 {p} Israel encamped and journeyed at the command of YHVH
The Teaching Tools presented a puzzle with this chapter. Some men had a question about Passover keeping (vs. 9:1-8). Their question concludes with a strong paragraph division, indicating the completion of a topic. Then YHVH tells Moses the answer to their question (vs. 9:9-14). Huh? The question is separated from the answer by the divisions. Moreover, the answer (9:9-14) is the first part of a Strong Theme, combined with 9:15-23 to complete the topic.
Puzzles like these encouraged the English translators of the Bible to discard the Hebrew paragraph divisions altogether, but if we knock, seek, and ask (Mat 7:7-8), knowing YHVH’s thoughts are higher than our own (Isa 55:8-9), we can begin to learn at our heavenly Teacher’s door.
As it turns out, Num 9:9-23 {s+p} forms its own Chiastic Structure:
The central axis is about the pillar of cloud descending upon the tabernacle, and staying. The Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon describes the cloud as it is used in the Hebrew Testament, “especially of theophanic cloud,” that is, like a cloud in appearance but which carried with it the glory and presence of YHVH.
It is the desire of every church in the world, of every believer, to be visited by the presence and glory of YHVH. In His presence is fullness of joy (Psa 16:11)! The place of His presence is the place of His power, for healing, deliverance, setting free, breakthrough and victory!
Why then, I ask, is this mention of the cloud the central axis of this puzzling strong theme that appears to not go together? The cloud descending is bounded by keeping the charge of YHVH. And when I think of charge, I immediately think of this:
“And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed; because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.” Gen 26:4-5
A charge is an abstract concept in Hebrew; the concrete object is a prison or guard post; the verbal root is Strong’s H8104 שמר shamar, defined by the Hebrew Root Words Teaching Tool as “closely guarding for the next generation that which is of first importance.”
Num 9:9-23 Strong theme: The presence and glory of YHVH is bounded by keeping the command and charge of YHVH.
If there are questions, this is a good resource:
Shamar, “To Keep,” Strong’s H8104 – Christine Miller
I look forward every day to your interpretation of the Holy Scriptures . Thank you for providing a study outline for me to follow along
Thank you so much for visiting today Deborah, and leaving your kind comments! Please do come back again!