Numbers 9:7 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?"

◄ Numbers 9:7 ►

New International Version
and said to Moses, “We have become unclean because of a dead body, but why should we be kept from presenting the LORD’s offering with the other Israelites at the appointed time?”

New Living Translation
and said, “We have become ceremonially unclean by touching a dead body. But why should we be prevented from presenting the LORD’s offering at the proper time with the rest of the Israelites?”

English Standard Version
And those men said to him, “We are unclean through touching a dead body. Why are we kept from bringing the LORD’s offering at its appointed time among the people of Israel?”

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?”

King James Bible
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?

New King James Version
And those men said to him, “We became defiled by a human corpse. Why are we kept from presenting the offering of the LORD at its appointed time among the children of Israel?”

New American Standard Bible
Those men said to him, “Though we are unclean because of a dead person, why are we kept from presenting the offering of the LORD at its appointed time among the sons of Israel?”

NASB 1995
Those men said to him, “Though we are unclean because of the dead person, why are we restrained from presenting the offering of the LORD at its appointed time among the sons of Israel?”

NASB 1977
And those men said to him, “Though we are unclean because of the dead person, why are we restrained from presenting the offering of the LORD at its appointed time among the sons of Israel?”

Legacy Standard Bible
And those men said to him, “We are unclean because of a dead person. But why are we restrained from bringing near the offering of Yahweh at its appointed time among the sons of Israel?”

Amplified Bible
Those men said to Moses, “We are [ceremonially] unclean because of [touching] a dead body. Why are we being restrained from presenting the LORD’S offering at its appointed time among the Israelites?”

Christian Standard Bible
and said to him, “We are unclean because of a human corpse. Why should we be excluded from presenting the LORD’s offering at its appointed time with the other Israelites? ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
and said to him, “We are unclean because of a human corpse. Why should we be excluded from presenting the LORD’s offering at its appointed time with the other Israelites?”

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?

Contemporary English Version
"Even though we have touched a dead body, why can't we celebrate Passover and offer sacrifices to the LORD at the same time as everyone else?"

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

GOD'S WORD® Translation
and said, "We are unclean because we touched a dead body. Why won't you let us bring our offerings to the LORD at the same time the rest of the Israelites bring their offerings?"

Good News Translation
and said, "We are unclean because we have touched a corpse, but why should we be excluded from presenting the LORD's offering with the rest of the Israelites?"

International Standard Version
and asked, "Why can't we bring an offering to the LORD at the appointed time among the Israelis, even though we are unclean because we came in contact with a corpse?"

Majority 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?”

NET Bible
And those men said to him, "We are ceremonially defiled by the dead body of a man; why are we kept back from offering the LORD's offering at its appointed time among the Israelites?"

New Heart English Bible
Those men said to him, "We are unclean because of the dead body of a man. Why are we kept back, that we may not offer the offering of the LORD in its appointed season among the children of Israel?"

Webster's Bible Translation
And those men said to him, We are defiled by the dead body of a man: why are we kept back, that we may not offer an offering of the LORD in its appointed season among the children of Israel?

World English Bible
Those men said to him, “We are unclean because of the dead body of a man. Why are we kept back, that we may not offer the offering of Yahweh in its appointed season among the children of Israel?”

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
and those men say to him, “We are defiled by the body of a man; why are we withheld so as not to bring the offering of YHWH near in its appointed time, in the midst of the sons of Israel?”

Young's Literal Translation
and those men say unto him, 'We are defiled by the body of a man; why are we withheld so as not to bring near the offering of Jehovah in its appointed season, in the midst of the sons of Israel?'

Smith's Literal Translation
And these men will say to him, We are unclean by the soul of man: wherefore shall we be withheld so as not to bring near an offering of Jehovah at his appointment, in the midst of the sons of Israel?

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
Said to them: We are unclean by occasion of the soul of a man. Why are we kept back that we may not offer in its season the offering to the Lord among the children of Israel?

Catholic Public Domain Version
said to them: “We are unclean because of the life of a man. Why have we been cheated, in that we are not permitted to offer, at its proper time, the oblation to the Lord among the sons of Israel?”

New American Bible
and they said to them, “Although we are unclean because of a human corpse, why should we be deprived of presenting the LORD’s offering at its prescribed time along with other Israelites?”

New Revised Standard Version
and said to him, “Although we are unclean through touching a corpse, why must we be kept from presenting the LORD’s offering at its appointed time among the Israelites?”

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
And those men said unto them, We are defiled by touching the dead body of a man; why are we kept back from offering the offering of the LORD at the appointed time among the children of Israel?

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And they were saying to those men, “We are defiled by the person of a man; why are we forbidden and we do not bring the offering of LORD JEHOVAH in its time among the children of Israel?”

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
And those men said unto him: 'We are unclean by the dead body of a man; wherefore are we to be kept back, so as not to bring the offering of the LORD in its appointed season among the children of Israel?'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And those men said to Moses, We are unclean by reason of the dead body of a man: shall we therefore fail to offer the gift to the Lord in its season in the midst of the children of Israel?

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

The Second Passover
…6But there were some men who were unclean due to a dead body, so they could not observe the Passover on that day. And they came before Moses and Aaron that same day 7and 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?” 8“Wait here until I find out what the LORD commands concerning you,” Moses replied.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Leviticus 7:20-21
But if anyone who is unclean eats meat from the peace offering that belongs to the LORD, that person must be cut off from his people. / If one touches anything unclean, whether human uncleanness, an unclean animal, or any unclean, detestable thing, and then eats any of the meat of the peace offering that belongs to the LORD, that person must be cut off from his people.”

Leviticus 11:24-28
These creatures will make you unclean. Whoever touches their carcasses will be unclean until evening, / and whoever picks up one of their carcasses must wash his clothes, and he will be unclean until evening. / Every animal with hooves not completely divided or that does not chew the cud is unclean for you. Whoever touches any of them will be unclean. ...

Leviticus 22:3-7
Tell them that for the generations to come, if any of their descendants in a state of uncleanness approaches the sacred offerings that the Israelites consecrate to the LORD, that person must be cut off from My presence. I am the LORD. / If a descendant of Aaron has a skin disease or a discharge, he may not eat the sacred offerings until he is clean. Whoever touches anything defiled by a corpse or by a man who has an emission of semen, / or whoever touches a crawling creature or a person that makes him unclean, whatever the uncleanness may be— ...

Numbers 5:2-3
“Command the Israelites to send away from the camp anyone with a skin disease, anyone who has a bodily discharge, and anyone who is defiled by a dead body. / You must send away male and female alike; send them outside the camp so they will not defile their camp, where I dwell among them.”

Numbers 19:11-13
Whoever touches any dead body will be unclean for seven days. / He must purify himself with the water on the third day and on the seventh day; then he will be clean. But if he does not purify himself on the third and seventh days, he will not be clean. / Anyone who touches a human corpse and fails to purify himself defiles the tabernacle of the LORD. That person must be cut off from Israel. He remains unclean, because the water of purification has not been sprinkled on him, and his uncleanness is still on him.

Deuteronomy 14:8
as well as the pig; though it has a divided hoof, it does not chew the cud. It is unclean for you. You must not eat its meat or touch its carcass.

2 Chronicles 30:18-20
A large number of the people—many from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun—had not purified themselves, yet they ate the Passover, contrary to what was written. But Hezekiah interceded for them, saying, “May the LORD, who is good, provide atonement for everyone / who sets his heart on seeking God—the LORD, the God of his fathers—even if he is not cleansed according to the purification rules of the sanctuary.” / And the LORD heard Hezekiah and healed the people.

Isaiah 52:11
Depart, depart, go out from there! Touch no unclean thing; come out from it, purify yourselves, you who carry the vessels of the LORD.

Ezekiel 44:25-27
A priest must not defile himself by going near a dead person. However, for a father, a mother, a son, a daughter, a brother, or an unmarried sister, he may do so, / and after he is cleansed, he must count off seven days for himself. / And on the day he goes into the sanctuary, into the inner court, to minister in the sanctuary, he must present his sin offering, declares the Lord GOD.

Haggai 2:13-14
So Haggai asked, “If one who is defiled by contact with a corpse touches any of these, does it become defiled?” “Yes, it becomes defiled,” the priests answered. / Then Haggai replied, “So it is with this people and this nation before Me, declares the LORD, and so it is with every work of their hands; whatever they offer there is defiled.

Matthew 8:2-4
Suddenly a leper came and knelt before Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” / Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” He said. “Be clean!” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. / Then Jesus instructed him, “See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift prescribed by Moses, as a testimony to them.”

Matthew 15:11
A man is not defiled by what enters his mouth, but by what comes out of it.”

Mark 1:40-44
Then a leper came to Jesus, begging on his knees: “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” / Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” He said. “Be clean!” / And immediately the leprosy left him, and the man was cleansed. ...

Mark 7:18-23
“Are you still so dull?” He asked. “Do you not understand? Nothing that enters a man from the outside can defile him, / because it does not enter his heart, but it goes into the stomach and then is eliminated.” (Thus all foods are clean.) / He continued: “What comes out of a man, that is what defiles him. ...

Luke 5:12-14
While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell facedown and begged Him, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” / Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” He said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him. / “Do not tell anyone,” Jesus instructed him. “But go, show yourself to the priest and present the offering Moses prescribed for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”

Treasury of Scripture

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

we may not offer

Numbers 9:2
Let the children of Israel also keep the passover at his appointed season.

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.

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.

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Appointed Body Children Dead Defiled Israel Kept Offer Offering Presenting Restrained Season Time Unclean Wherefore

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Numbers 9

1. The Passover is again commanded
6. A second Passover for the unclean or absent
15. The cloud directs the removals and encampments of the Israelites

Berean Study Bible

and those men
This phrase refers to specific individuals among the Israelites. In the context of Numbers 9, these men are part of the community that is journeying through the wilderness. Historically, the Israelites were a nomadic people at this time, having been delivered from Egypt and now under the leadership of Moses. The mention of "those men" highlights the personal nature of the narrative, emphasizing that God's laws and instructions were applicable to each individual within the community.

who were unclean
The term "unclean" in the Hebrew context often refers to a state of ritual impurity. In the Old Testament, various conditions could render a person ceremonially unclean, such as contact with a dead body, certain diseases, or other specified conditions. This state of uncleanness was significant because it affected one's ability to participate in communal worship and religious observances, such as the Passover. The concept underscores the holiness required by God and the separation between the sacred and the profane.

from contact with a dead body
This phrase specifies the reason for the uncleanness of the men. In ancient Israelite culture, contact with a dead body was one of the most severe forms of impurity. This is rooted in the belief that death is the antithesis of the life-giving presence of God. The laws concerning purity and impurity served to maintain the sanctity of the community and its worship practices. It also reflects the broader biblical theme of life and death, purity and impurity, and the need for atonement and cleansing.

came to Moses and Aaron
Moses and Aaron were the central leaders of the Israelites during the Exodus. Moses, as the prophet and lawgiver, and Aaron, as the high priest, were the mediators between God and the people. The act of coming to Moses and Aaron signifies the proper channel of seeking guidance and resolution according to God's law. It reflects the order and structure within the Israelite community, where leaders were appointed to interpret and apply God's commandments.

that same day
This phrase indicates the immediacy and urgency of the situation. The timing is significant because it shows the men's desire to resolve their state of impurity promptly, especially in relation to the observance of the Passover. The Passover was a critical event in the Israelite religious calendar, commemorating their deliverance from Egypt. The immediacy also highlights the importance of maintaining a right relationship with God and the community through timely obedience and adherence to His laws.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(7) An offering.--Better, the offering, or oblation.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 7. - Wherefore are we kept back. The direction to remove from the camp all that were defiled by the dead (Numbers 5:2) had not apparently been given at this time, nor was there any express command that such should not partake of the passover, for Leviticus 7:20 may probably refer only to such uncleannesses as are mentioned in Leviticus 15:3; but that men were in fact considered as defiled by contact with the dead is clear from Leviticus 21:1. The men, therefore, had reason for asking why they were excommunicated, and Moses for referring the matter to the Divine decision.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

and said
וַ֠יֹּאמְרוּ (way·yō·mə·rū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to [Moses],
אֵלָ֔יו (’ê·lāw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

“We
אֲנַ֥חְנוּ (’ă·naḥ·nū)
Pronoun - first person common plural
Strong's 587: We

are unclean
טְמֵאִ֖ים (ṭə·mê·’îm)
Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 2931: Unclean

because of a dead body,
אָדָ֑ם (’ā·ḏām)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 120: Ruddy, a human being

but why
לָ֣מָּה (lām·māh)
Interrogative
Strong's 4100: What?, what!, indefinitely what

should we be excluded
נִגָּרַ֗ע (nig·gā·ra‘)
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - first person common plural
Strong's 1639: To scrape off, to shave, remove, lessen, withhold

from
לְבִלְתִּ֨י (lə·ḇil·tî)
Preposition-l
Strong's 1115: A failure of, not, except, without, unless, besides, because not, until

presenting
הַקְרִ֜ב (haq·riḇ)
Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct
Strong's 7126: To come near, approach

the LORD’s
יְהוָה֙ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

offering
קָרְבַּ֤ן (qā·rə·ban)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7133: Something brought near the altar, a sacrificial present

with
בְּת֖וֹךְ (bə·ṯō·wḵ)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 8432: A bisection, the centre

the other Israelites
בְּנֵ֥י (bə·nê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

at the appointed time?”
בְּמֹ֣עֲד֔וֹ (bə·mō·‘ă·ḏōw)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 4150: Appointed time, place, or meeting

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OT Law: Numbers 9:7 Those men said to him We (Nu Num.)