Numbers 9:7

KJV

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?

KJV (with Strong's)

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}?

Complete Jewish Bible

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?"

Berean Standard Bible

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?”

American Standard Version

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?

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Numbers 9:7 captures a pivotal moment in Israel's wilderness journey, revealing a tension between strict adherence to ceremonial law and a heartfelt desire for obedience. Here, a group of men, rendered ritually unclean by contact with a dead body, voice their genuine distress to Moses, questioning why their defilement should prevent them from participating in the divinely commanded Passover offering at its appointed time. This sincere inquiry highlights the human dilemma within the Old Covenant's purity system and sets the stage for a divine revelation that underscores God's compassion and desire to provide a way for His people to worship Him.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is situated immediately after the explicit command from the Lord to Moses for the Israelites to observe the Passover in the wilderness, specifically "in his appointed season" ([Numbers 9:1-5](/numbers/9-1 "Numbers 9:1-5 - The Command to Observe Passover")). This command marks a significant moment, as it is the first Passover commanded since the Exodus from Egypt, emphasizing the importance of remembering God's deliverance. The preceding chapters in Numbers focus on the census, the organization of the camp, and the duties of the Levites, all pointing to the establishment of an ordered, holy community centered around the Tabernacle. The men's question in [Numbers 9:7](/numbers/9-7 "Numbers 9:7 - The Defiled Men's Question") directly challenges the practical application of the Passover command in light of existing purity laws, creating a narrative tension that Moses must resolve through divine consultation.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** In ancient Israel, contact with a dead body was a major source of ritual impurity, as detailed in [Numbers 19:11-16](/numbers/19-11 "Numbers 19:11-16 - Laws Concerning Defilement by the Dead"). This defilement was not considered a moral sin but a ceremonial state that rendered an individual temporarily unfit to participate in sacred worship, enter the Tabernacle, or handle holy things. The rationale behind such laws was to maintain the holiness of the camp in the presence of a holy God, separating the realms of life (God's presence) and death (the consequence of sin). The men in [Numbers 9:7](/numbers/9-7 "Numbers 9:7 - The Defiled Men's Question") found themselves in an unavoidable state of impurity, likely due to burying a deceased family member or a fellow Israelite, which was a necessary act of compassion and duty. Their dilemma was genuine: how could they fulfill God's command to observe the Passover, a central act of communal worship and remembrance, when the very laws designed to uphold holiness prevented their participation?

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Defiled (Hebrew, _ṭāmē'_, טָמֵא):** This term signifies a state of ritual impurity or uncleanness, not moral sin. It describes a temporary condition that rendered a person ritually unfit to participate in sacred activities or enter holy spaces. Various actions or conditions, such as touching a dead body, certain bodily discharges, or skin diseases, could cause this state. The impurity necessitated specific purification rites (e.g., washing, waiting a prescribed period) to restore ritual cleanness and allow re-entry into communal worship.
* **Offering (Hebrew, _qorbān_, קָרְבָּן):** This general term refers to any gift brought near to God, typically a sacrifice. In the context of Numbers 9:7, it specifically refers to the Passover sacrifice, which was a lamb or kid offered to the Lord. This offering was central to the Passover celebration, commemorating God's deliverance of Israel from slavery in Egypt and the sparing of their firstborn.
* **Appointed Season (Hebrew, _môʿēd_, מוֹעֵד):** This word denotes a fixed, divinely ordained time or assembly. It emphasizes the precise and non-negotiable timing of the Passover, which was to be observed on the fourteenth day of the first month (Nisan). The men's concern highlights the rigidity of the divine calendar and their desire to comply with God's specific command, despite their circumstances.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And those men said unto him":** This phrase introduces the direct speech of the men to Moses, highlighting their proactive approach and their appeal to the divinely appointed leader. "Those men" are implicitly understood to be the ones who had become ritually defiled by contact with a dead body, as stated in the subsequent clause. Their direct address signifies a genuine concern and a desire for clarification and resolution from the one who mediated God's law.
* **"We [are] defiled by the dead body of a man":** This is the core statement of their predicament. They openly declare their state of ritual impurity, acknowledging the legal barrier to their participation. The defilement by a dead body was a specific and serious form of uncleanness under Mosaic Law, requiring a seven-day purification process (as detailed in [Numbers 19](/numbers/19 "Numbers 19 - Laws of Purification")). Their honesty about their condition underscores their integrity and their recognition of the sanctity required for approaching God.
* **"wherefore are we kept back":** This question expresses their confusion, frustration, and earnest desire to participate. It's not a challenge to the law itself, but an inquiry into why their specific, perhaps unavoidable, circumstances should exclude them from such a vital communal and spiritual act. It reveals a longing for inclusion and a deep commitment to fulfilling God's commands.
* **"that we may not offer an offering of the LORD in his appointed season among the children of Israel?":** This clause clarifies their objective: to offer the Passover sacrifice. They emphasize the "appointed season," highlighting their desire to obey God's timing, and the communal aspect ("among the children of Israel"), indicating their longing for fellowship in worship. Their question is a plea for a way to reconcile their defilement with their devotion.

#### Literary Devices
The primary literary device at play in Numbers 9:7 is **Dialogue**, presenting the direct speech of the defiled men to Moses. This direct address immediately establishes a **Dilemma** or **Conflict**: the tension between a specific divine command (observing Passover at its appointed time) and another divine law (the prohibition against the ritually unclean participating in sacred offerings). This creates narrative suspense, as the reader anticipates Moses's response and, more importantly, God's resolution. The men's question also functions as a form of **Foreshadowing**, setting the stage for God's gracious provision of the Second Passover (Numbers 9:10-14). Their sincere desire for obedience, despite their impediment, implicitly appeals to God's character, suggesting that divine mercy will extend beyond rigid legalism to accommodate genuine devotion.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Numbers 9:7 powerfully illustrates the tension between God's absolute holiness, which necessitates ritual purity for approach, and His compassionate desire for His people's worship and fellowship. The men's dilemma highlights the limitations of the Old Covenant system, where even unavoidable circumstances could create barriers to obedience. Their earnest question, however, reveals a heart longing to honor God, prompting divine intervention. This incident underscores that God is not merely a rigid lawgiver but a merciful Father who seeks to provide a way for those who genuinely desire to draw near to Him, even when human limitations or unforeseen circumstances seem to prevent it. It demonstrates that God values the sincere intent of the heart as much as, if not more than, perfect ritual performance.

* [Numbers 19:11-16](/numbers/19-11 "Numbers 19:11-16 - Laws of Defilement by the Dead"): Details the specific laws regarding impurity from a dead body, providing the legal context for the men's defilement.
* [Numbers 9:10-14](/numbers/9-10 "Numbers 9:10-14 - The Institution of the Second Passover"): Records God's gracious provision of a "Second Passover" for those legitimately unable to observe it at the appointed time, directly addressing the dilemma presented in verse 7.
* [Leviticus 15:31](/leviticus/15-31 "Leviticus 15:31 - Maintaining Purity for the Tabernacle"): Emphasizes the broader principle that ritual purity was essential to avoid defiling the Tabernacle and incurring divine judgment, reinforcing the seriousness of the men's condition.

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The earnest plea of the defiled men in Numbers 9:7 resonates deeply with the human experience of encountering obstacles to spiritual devotion. Their desire to participate in God's commanded worship, despite their unavoidable ritual impurity, serves as a powerful example of a heart truly yearning for God. This passage reminds us that genuine spiritual longing is highly valued by God. In our own lives, we may face circumstances—whether physical limitations, unforeseen crises, or even feelings of unworthiness—that seem to "keep us back" from full participation in worship or service. The men's proactive approach, seeking clarification and a way forward, encourages us to bring our dilemmas and limitations before God, trusting in His character to provide. It teaches us that God is not indifferent to our sincere desires for obedience and fellowship, and He often makes a way where there seems to be none, demonstrating His grace and compassion.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How do I respond when circumstances or personal limitations seem to hinder my ability to engage in spiritual practices or communal worship?**
* **What does the men's proactive questioning teach me about seeking God's will when faced with a dilemma between obedience and unforeseen obstacles?**
* **In what ways might I be "defiled" or "kept back" from a deeper relationship with God today, and how can I seek His provision for overcoming these barriers?**

### FAQ
**Why were these men defiled by a dead body?**
Answer: In the Mosaic Law, contact with a dead body rendered a person ritually unclean or "defiled" (`ṭāmē'`). This was not a moral failing but a ceremonial state that made an individual temporarily unfit to participate in sacred worship, enter the Tabernacle, or handle holy things. The specific laws for purification after such contact are detailed in [Numbers 19:11-16](/numbers/19-11 "Numbers 19:11-16 - Laws of Purification from the Dead"), requiring a seven-day purification process involving sprinkling with "water of purification" (water mixed with the ashes of a red heifer). The purpose of these laws was to maintain the holiness of the Israelite camp in the presence of a holy God, as death was associated with the consequence of sin and was antithetical to God's life-giving presence.

**What was the "offering of the LORD" they wanted to make?**
Answer: The "offering of the LORD" they referred to was the Passover sacrifice. [Numbers 9:1-5](/numbers/9-1 "Numbers 9:1-5 - The Command to Observe Passover") explicitly states that the Lord commanded the Israelites to observe the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month. This annual observance commemorated God's deliverance of Israel from slavery in Egypt, particularly the night when the angel of death "passed over" the homes of the Israelites whose doorposts were marked with the blood of a lamb. It was a central act of remembrance, worship, and national identity, and the men's desire to participate underscored their commitment to God's covenant.

**Did God make an exception for them?**
Answer: Yes, God made a gracious provision for them. When Moses brought the men's dilemma before the Lord, God instituted the "Second Passover" (Pesach Sheni), as recorded in [Numbers 9:10-14](/numbers/9-10 "Numbers 9:10-14 - The Institution of the Second Passover"). This divine decree allowed anyone who was ritually unclean by reason of a dead body or who was on a distant journey to observe the Passover exactly one month later, on the fourteenth day of the second month. This demonstrates God's compassion and willingness to provide a way for those who genuinely desired to obey and worship Him but were legitimately hindered by circumstances.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Numbers 9:7, with its depiction of men "kept back" from worship due to ritual defilement, powerfully foreshadows the ultimate provision for access to God found in Jesus Christ. The Old Covenant's purity laws, including those concerning defilement by the dead, highlighted humanity's inherent inability to stand perfectly clean before a holy God. These laws served as a constant reminder of the separation caused by sin and the need for external purification. However, Jesus, the perfect [Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God"), fulfills and transcends these temporary provisions. Through His sacrificial death, He became the ultimate and permanent means of purification, cleansing us not merely from ritual impurity but from the defilement of sin itself. Where the men in Numbers 9:7 needed a special provision for a delayed Passover, believers in Christ now have immediate and perpetual access to God's presence. His blood cleanses our consciences from dead works to serve the living God ([Hebrews 9:14](/hebrews/9-14 "Hebrews 9:14 - Cleansing by Christ's Blood")), tearing down the veil that separated humanity from the Holy of Holies ([Hebrews 10:19-22](/hebrews/10-19 "Hebrews 10:19-22 - Access Through Christ's Blood")). No longer are we "kept back" by any defilement, for Christ Himself is our purification, making us holy and blameless in God's sight ([Colossians 1:21-22](/colossians/1-21 "Colossians 1:21-22 - Reconciled in Christ")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

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.