Numbers 9:6
And there were certain men, who were defiled by the dead body of a man, that they could not keep the passover on that day: and they came before Moses and before Aaron on that day:
Original Language Analysis
וַיְהִ֣י
H1961
וַיְהִ֣י
Strong's:
H1961
Word #:
1 of 20
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
אֲנָשִׁ֗ים
And there were certain men
H582
אֲנָשִׁ֗ים
And there were certain men
Strong's:
H582
Word #:
2 of 20
properly, a mortal (and thus differing from the more dignified h0120); hence, a man in general (singly or collectively)
אֲשֶׁ֨ר
H834
אֲשֶׁ֨ר
Strong's:
H834
Word #:
3 of 20
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc
הָי֤וּ
H1961
הָי֤וּ
Strong's:
H1961
Word #:
4 of 20
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
לְנֶ֣פֶשׁ
by the dead body
H5315
לְנֶ֣פֶשׁ
by the dead body
Strong's:
H5315
Word #:
6 of 20
properly, a breathing creature, i.e., animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or ment
אָדָ֔ם
of a man
H120
אָדָ֔ם
of a man
Strong's:
H120
Word #:
7 of 20
ruddy i.e., a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)
וְלֹֽא
H3808
וְלֹֽא
Strong's:
H3808
Word #:
8 of 20
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
יָכְל֥וּ
that they could
H3201
יָכְל֥וּ
that they could
Strong's:
H3201
Word #:
9 of 20
to be able, literally (can, could) or morally (may, might)
לַֽעֲשֹׂת
not keep
H6213
לַֽעֲשֹׂת
not keep
Strong's:
H6213
Word #:
10 of 20
to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application
הַפֶּ֖סַח
the passover
H6453
הַפֶּ֖סַח
the passover
Strong's:
H6453
Word #:
11 of 20
a pretermission, i.e., exemption; used only techically of the jewish passover (the festival or the victim)
בַּיּ֥וֹם
on that day
H3117
בַּיּ֥וֹם
on that day
Strong's:
H3117
Word #:
12 of 20
a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso
הַה֑וּא
H1931
הַה֑וּא
Strong's:
H1931
Word #:
13 of 20
he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demo
וַֽיִּקְרְב֞וּ
and they came
H7126
וַֽיִּקְרְב֞וּ
and they came
Strong's:
H7126
Word #:
14 of 20
to approach (causatively, bring near) for whatever purpose
וְלִפְנֵ֥י
and before
H6440
וְלִפְנֵ֥י
and before
Strong's:
H6440
Word #:
15 of 20
the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposi
וְלִפְנֵ֥י
and before
H6440
וְלִפְנֵ֥י
and before
Strong's:
H6440
Word #:
17 of 20
the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposi
Cross References
Exodus 18:15And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to enquire of God:Numbers 27:2And they stood before Moses, and before Eleazar the priest, and before the princes and all the congregation, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying,Numbers 5:2Command the children of Israel, that they put out of the camp every leper, and every one that hath an issue, and whosoever is defiled by the dead:Numbers 19:16And whosoever toucheth one that is slain with a sword in the open fields, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days.Numbers 19:11He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days.Exodus 18:19Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God:Exodus 18:26And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.John 18:28Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover.Numbers 19:18And a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched a bone, or one slain, or one dead, or a grave:
Historical Context
Defilement from dead bodies required seven days of purification (Numbers 19:11-12), making same-day Passover participation impossible. The dilemma was genuine: obey the purity law and miss Passover, or participate in Passover while ceremonially unclean and profane the holy feast. Both options violated God's law until He provided a solution.
Questions for Reflection
- How does this dilemma illustrate situations where God's commands seem to conflict?
- What does God's gracious solution teach about His heart toward sincere worshipers?
- How does Christ resolve the tension between God's holiness and our defilement?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
The case of men defiled by dead bodies unable to keep Passover introduces a problem requiring divine solution. Their ceremonial uncleanness prohibited participation in the holy feast, yet they desired to obey. The Hebrew tame (unclean) created an impossible situation—they could not become clean quickly enough. This reveals the inadequacy of the ceremonial system to fully accommodate human frailty. Their plea for inclusion (verse 7) shows genuine piety, leading to divine accommodation (verses 9-11). This pictures how Christ's work removes the barrier between holy God and defiled sinners.