Numbers 9:7

And those men said unto him, We [are] defiled by the dead body of a man: wherefore are we kept back, that we may not offer an offering of the LORD in his appointed season among the children of Israel?

And those {H1992} men {H582} said {H559} unto him, We are defiled {H2931} by the dead body {H5315} of a man {H120}: wherefore are we kept back {H1639}, that we may not offer {H7126} an offering {H7133} of the LORD {H3068} in his appointed season {H4150} among {H8432} the children {H1121} of Israel {H3478}?

and said to him, "We are unclean because of someone's corpse; but why must we be kept from bringing the offering for ADONAI at the time designated for the people of Isra'el?"

and 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?”

and those men said unto him, We are unclean by reason of the dead body of a man: wherefore are we kept back, that we may not offer the oblation of Jehovah in its appointed season among the children of Israel?

Numbers 9:7 records a pivotal moment where a challenge to the established law leads to a new divine provision. This verse captures the sincere desire of certain men to participate in the Passover, despite being ceremonially unclean.

Context

This verse is set shortly after the tabernacle's erection and consecration at Mount Sinai, and the divine command to keep the Passover for the first time since the Exodus (Numbers 9:1-5). According to Mosaic Law, contact with a dead body rendered a person ritually impure, preventing them from participating in sacred rites and offerings until purification was complete (Numbers 19:11-16). The men in this verse were in such a state of defilement, which would prevent them from observing the Passover "in his appointed season." Their question to Moses highlights a genuine dilemma: how to reconcile their desire to obey God's command with their unavoidable state of ritual impurity.

Key Themes

  • Ritual Purity and Access to Worship: The Old Testament system emphasized ceremonial cleanness as a prerequisite for approaching God in worship and participating in communal offerings. This was not about moral sin, but about maintaining ritual holiness in the presence of a holy God.
  • Sincere Desire for Obedience: The men's question reveals a deep longing to obey God's command for the Passover, even though they were hindered by circumstances beyond their control. Their earnestness prompts Moses to seek further divine guidance.
  • God's Compassion and Provision: This verse sets the stage for God's merciful response, which led to the institution of the Second Passover (Numbers 9:10-14). It demonstrates God's willingness to make provisions for those who genuinely desire to worship Him but are legitimately prevented from doing so at the prescribed time.

Linguistic Insights

The term "defiled" comes from the Hebrew word ṭāmē' (טָמֵא), which signifies a state of ritual impurity or uncleanness. It is distinct from moral sin. In the Mosaic Law, various things could cause this state, such as touching a dead body, certain bodily discharges, or specific illnesses. This impurity was temporary and required specific rituals, like washing and waiting a prescribed period, to become clean again.

Practical Application

Numbers 9:7 offers several timeless lessons:

  • A Heart for Worship: The men's proactive approach teaches us the importance of desiring to worship God and participate in His ordinances, even when obstacles arise. Our genuine longing for God's presence is valued by Him.
  • Seeking God's Will in Dilemmas: When faced with a conflict between an established command and unforeseen circumstances, the example of Moses (and the men) shows the wisdom of seeking God's specific instruction rather than making assumptions.
  • God's Grace and Accessibility: While the Old Covenant had strict purity laws, God consistently demonstrated His grace by providing pathways for sincere worshipers. In the New Covenant, through Christ's perfect sacrifice, believers now have direct access to God, purified not by ritual, but by His blood (Ephesians 2:13). This verse reminds us that God always desires fellowship with His people and makes a way for it.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Numbers 9:2

    Let the children of Israel also keep the passover at his appointed season.

  • 2 Chronicles 30:17

    For [there were] many in the congregation that were not sanctified: therefore the Levites had the charge of the killing of the passovers for every one [that was] not clean, to sanctify [them] unto the LORD.

  • 2 Chronicles 30:19

    [That] prepareth his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though [he be] not [cleansed] according to the purification of the sanctuary.

  • 1 Corinthians 5:7

    ¶ Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

  • 1 Corinthians 5:8

    Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened [bread] of sincerity and truth.

  • Deuteronomy 16:2

    Thou shalt therefore sacrifice the passover unto the LORD thy God, of the flock and the herd, in the place which the LORD shall choose to place his name there.

  • Exodus 12:27

    That ye shall say, It [is] the sacrifice of the LORD'S passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped.
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