Numbers 9:15-23

Good News Translation

The Fiery Cloud^(A)

^15-16 On the day the Tent of the Lord's presence was set up, a cloud came and covered it. At night the cloud looked like fire. ¹⁷ Whenever the cloud lifted, the people of Israel broke camp, and they set up camp again in the place where the cloud came down. ¹⁸ The people broke camp at the command of the Lord, and at his command they set up camp. As long as the cloud stayed over the Tent, they stayed in the same camp. ¹⁹ When the cloud stayed over the Tent for a long time, they obeyed the Lord and did not move on. ²⁰ 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. ²¹ Sometimes the cloud remained only from evening until morning, and they moved on as soon as the cloud lifted. Whenever the cloud lifted, they moved on. ²² Whether it was two days, a month, a year, or longer, as long as the cloud remained over the Tent, they did not move on; but when it lifted, they moved. ²³ They set up camp and broke camp in obedience to the commands which the Lord gave through Moses.