Lectionary Calendar
Wednesday, September 10th, 2025
the Week of Proper 18 / Ordinary 23
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New Century Version

Numbers 9:20

Sometimes the cloud was over it only a few days. At the Lord 's command the people camped, and at his command they moved.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Cloud;   Fire;   Obedience;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Cloud of Glory;   High Priest, the;   Theocracy, the, or Immediate Government by God;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Cloud;   Miracle;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Cloud, Cloud of the Lord;   Leviticus, Theology of;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Cloud;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Tabernacle;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Moses;   Numbers, Book of;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Journeyings;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Tabernacle;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Plagues of Egypt;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - On to Canaan;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Moses;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
Sometimes the cloud was a few days on the tabernacle; then according to the mitzvah of the LORD they remained encamped, and according to the mitzvah of the LORD they journeyed.
King James Version
And so it was, when the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle; according to the commandment of the Lord they abode in their tents, and according to the commandment of the Lord they journeyed.
Lexham English Bible
When the cloud remained a number of days on the tabernacle, on the command of Yahweh they encamped; and on the command of Yahweh they set out.
New English Translation
When the cloud remained over the tabernacle a number of days, they remained camped according to the Lord 's commandment, and according to the Lord 's commandment they would journey.
Amplified Bible
Sometimes the cloud remained only a few days over the tabernacle, and in accordance with the command of the LORD they remained camped. Then at His command they set out.
New American Standard Bible
If sometimes the cloud remained a few days over the tabernacle, in accordance with the command of the LORD they remained camped. Then in accordance with the command of the LORD they set out.
Geneva Bible (1587)
So when the cloud abode a few dayes vpon the Tabernacle, they abode in their tents according to the comandement of ye Lord: for they iourneyed at the commandement of the Lorde.
Legacy Standard Bible
If sometimes the cloud remained a few days over the tabernacle, according to the command of Yahweh they remained camped. Then according to the command of Yahweh they set out.
Contemporary English Version
whether it was only one night, a few days, a month, or even a year. As long as the cloud remained over the tent, the Israelites stayed where they were. But when the cloud moved, so did the Israelites.
Complete Jewish Bible
Sometimes the cloud was a few days over the tabernacle; according to Adonai 's order, they remained in camp; and according to Adonai 's order, they traveled.
Darby Translation
And if it were so that the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle, according to the commandment of Jehovah they encamped, and according to the commandment of Jehovah they journeyed.
Easy-to-Read Version
Sometimes the cloud was over the Holy Tent for only a few days. So the people obeyed the Lord 's command—they followed the cloud when it moved.
English Standard Version
Sometimes the cloud was a few days over the tabernacle, and according to the command of the Lord they remained in camp; then according to the command of the Lord they set out.
George Lamsa Translation
Sometimes the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle; then according to the commandment of the LORD they remained in their tents, and according to the commandment of the LORD they journeyed.
Good News Translation
Sometimes the cloud remained over the Tent for only a few days; in any case, they remained in camp or moved, according to the command of the Lord .
Christian Standard Bible®
Sometimes the cloud remained over the tabernacle for only a few days. They would camp at the Lord’s command and set out at the Lord’s command.
Literal Translation
And when the cloud was over the tabernacle many days, by the mouth of Jehovah they encamped, and by the mouth of Jehovah they pulled up stakes .
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And whan it chaunced that the cloude abode vpo ye Habitacion eny space of dayes, then pitched they acordinge to the worde of the LORDE, & after the worde of the LORDE wente they on their iourney.
American Standard Version
And sometimes the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle; then according to the commandment of Jehovah they remained encamped, and according to the commandment of Jehovah they journeyed.
Bible in Basic English
Sometimes the cloud was resting on the House for two or three days; then, by the order of the Lord, they kept their tents in that place, and when the Lord gave the order they went on.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And when the cloude abode a fewe dayes vpon the tabernacle, they abode in their tentes, accordyng to the commaundement of the Lorde: and they iourneyed also at the commaundement of the Lorde.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And sometimes the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle; according to the commandment of the LORD they remained encamped, and according to the commandment of the LORD they journeyed.
King James Version (1611)
And so it was when the cloude was a few daies vpon the Tabernacle, according to the commandement of the Lord, they abode in their tents, and according to the commandement of the Lord, they iourneyed.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And it shall be, whenever the cloud overshadows the tabernacle a number of days, they shall encamp by the word of the Lord, and shall remove by the command of the Lord.
English Revised Version
And sometimes the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle; then according to the commandment of the LORD they remained encamped, and according to the commandment of the LORD they journeyed.
Berean Standard Bible
Sometimes the cloud remained over the tabernacle for only a few days, and they would camp at the LORD's command and set out at the LORD's command.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
in hou many euer daies the cloude was on the tabernacle. At the comaundement of the Lord thei reisiden tentis, and at his comaundement thei diden doun.
Young's Literal Translation
and so when the cloud is a number of days over the tabernacle; by the command of Jehovah they encamp, and by the command of Jehovah they journey.
Update Bible Version
And sometimes the cloud was a few days on the tabernacle; then according to the commandment of Yahweh they remained encamped, and according to the commandment of Yahweh they journeyed.
Webster's Bible Translation
And [so] it was, when the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle; according to the commandment of the LORD they abode in their tents, and according to the commandment of the LORD they journeyed.
World English Bible
Sometimes the cloud was a few days on the tabernacle; then according to the commandment of Yahweh they remained encamped, and according to the commandment of Yahweh they journeyed.
New King James Version
So it was, when the cloud was above the tabernacle a few days: according to the command of the LORD they would remain encamped, and according to the command of the LORD they would journey.
New Living Translation
Sometimes the cloud would stay over the Tabernacle for only a few days, so the people would stay for only a few days, as the Lord commanded. Then at the Lord 's command they would break camp and move on.
New Life Bible
Sometimes the cloud stayed a few days over the meeting tent. But they obeyed the Lord and stayed in that place. Then they would leave when the Lord told them.
New Revised Standard
Sometimes the cloud would remain a few days over the tabernacle, and according to the command of the Lord they would remain in camp; then according to the command of the Lord they would set out.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, so it was, when the cloud would be a few days upon the habitation, at the bidding of Yahweh, they remained encamped, and at the bidding of Yahweh, they set forward.
Douay-Rheims Bible
For as many days soever as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle. At the commandment of the Lord they pitched their tents, and at his commandment they took them down.
Revised Standard Version
Sometimes the cloud was a few days over the tabernacle, and according to the command of the LORD they remained in camp; then according to the command of the LORD they set out.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
If sometimes the cloud remained a few days over the tabernacle, according to the command of the LORD they remained camped. Then according to the command of the LORD they set out.

Contextual Overview

15 On the day the Holy Tent, the Tent of the Agreement, was set up, a cloud covered it. From dusk until dawn the cloud above the Tent looked like fire. 16 The cloud stayed above the Tent, and at night it looked like fire. 17 When the cloud moved from its place over the Tent, the Israelites moved, and wherever the cloud stopped, the Israelites camped. 18 So the Israelites moved at the Lord 's command, and they camped at his command. While the cloud stayed over the Tent, they remained camped. 19 Sometimes the cloud stayed over the Tent for a long time, but the Israelites obeyed the Lord and did not move. 20 Sometimes the cloud was over it only a few days. At the Lord 's command the people camped, and at his command they moved. 21 Sometimes the cloud stayed only from dusk until dawn; when the cloud lifted the next morning, the people moved. When the cloud lifted, day or night, the people moved. 22 The cloud might stay over the Tent for two days, a month, or a year. As long as it stayed, the people camped, but when it lifted, they moved. 23 At the Lord 's command the people camped, and at his command they moved. They obeyed the Lord 's order that he commanded through Moses.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Reciprocal: Numbers 9:18 - and at the Deuteronomy 7:21 - the Lord

Cross-References

Genesis 3:23
So the Lord God forced Adam out of the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken.
Genesis 4:2
After that, Eve gave birth to Cain's brother Abel. Abel took care of flocks, and Cain became a farmer.
Genesis 5:29
Lamech named his son Noah and said, "He will comfort us in our work, which comes from the ground the Lord has cursed."
Genesis 9:18
The sons of Noah who came out of the boat with him were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. (Ham was the father of Canaan.)
Genesis 9:19
These three men were Noah's sons, and all the people on earth came from these three sons.
Genesis 9:24
Noah was sleeping because of the wine. When he woke up and learned what his youngest son, Ham, had done to him,
Genesis 9:26
Noah also said, "May the Lord , the God of Shem, be praised! May Canaan be Shem's slave.
Deuteronomy 20:6
Has anyone planted a vineyard and not begun to enjoy it? He may go home, because he might die in battle and someone else would enjoy his vineyard.
Deuteronomy 28:30
You will be engaged to a woman, but another man will force her to have sexual relations with him. You will build a house, but you will not live in it. You will plant a vineyard, but you will not get its grapes.
Proverbs 10:11
The words of a good person give life, like a fountain of water, but the words of the wicked contain nothing but violence.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And [so] it was, when the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle,.... Or "days of number", which were so few that they might be easily numbered: the Targum of Jonathan interprets them of the seven days of the week, as if the sense was, when the cloud rested a week on the tabernacle:

according to the commandment of the Lord they abode in their tents; during these few days, be they a week, or more, or less:

and according to the commandment of the Lord they journeyed; when it removed from the tabernacle.


 
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