Numbers 9 12

Numbers 9:12 kjv

They shall leave none of it unto the morning, nor break any bone of it: according to all the ordinances of the passover they shall keep it.

Numbers 9:12 nkjv

They shall leave none of it until morning, nor break one of its bones. According to all the ordinances of the Passover they shall keep it.

Numbers 9:12 niv

They must not leave any of it till morning or break any of its bones. When they celebrate the Passover, they must follow all the regulations.

Numbers 9:12 esv

They shall leave none of it until the morning, nor break any of its bones; according to all the statute for the Passover they shall keep it.

Numbers 9:12 nlt

They must not leave any of the lamb until the next morning, and they must not break any of its bones. They must follow all the normal regulations concerning the Passover.

Numbers 9 12 Cross References

VerseTextReference
Ex 12:10"You shall not leave any of it over until morning; but whatever is left of it until morning, you shall burn with fire."Direct instruction: no leftovers of Passover lamb.
Ex 12:46"In one house it is to be eaten; you shall not take any of the flesh outside the house; nor are you to break any bone of it."Direct instruction: no broken bones of Passover lamb.
Ex 12:14"This day shall be to you a memorial, and you shall observe it as a feast to the Lord..."Passover as a perpetual memorial.
Deut 16:4"No leavened bread shall be seen with you in all your territory for seven days, nor shall any of the meat... remain overnight."General rule for holy offerings: no leftovers.
Lev 7:15"The flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving shall be eaten on the day of his offering..."Holy offerings consumed timely to prevent defilement.
Lev 22:30"On the same day it shall be eaten up; you shall leave none of it until morning..."Law against leaving certain offerings overnight.
Ps 34:20"He protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken."Prophetic reference to a future unbroken one.
Zech 12:10"They will look on me whom they have pierced, and they will mourn for him..."Foreshadowing of Messiah's suffering and identity.
Jn 19:33"But coming to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs."Fulfilment of 'no broken bones' for Christ.
Jn 19:36"For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: 'Not one of His bones will be broken.'"Explicit linking of Jesus to the Passover lamb prophecy.
1 Cor 5:7"Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover has been sacrificed."Christ as the ultimate Passover Lamb.
Heb 9:12"and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all..."Superiority of Christ's perfect sacrifice.
Heb 10:14"For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified."Completeness and finality of Christ's sacrifice.
1 Pet 1:19"but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ."Christ as the blameless sacrificial Lamb.
Num 9:2"Now let the sons of Israel observe the Passover at its appointed time."Emphasizes the imperative nature of observing Passover.
Ex 16:19"Then Moses said to them, 'Let no one leave any of it until morning.'"Manna left overnight spoiled, emphasizing obedience and trust.
Deut 6:24-25"So the Lord commanded us to observe all these statutes... that He might preserve us alive, as it is today."Statutes ensure life and covenant faithfulness.
Jos 5:10"While the sons of Israel were camped at Gilgal, they observed the Passover..."Continuing adherence to Passover instructions in new generation.
Mal 3:6"For I, the Lord, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, have not come to an end."God's unchanging nature ensures consistency of His laws.
Heb 12:28"Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer service pleasing to God with reverence and awe."Approach God's commands with due reverence and awe.
Isa 53:7"He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter..."Prophetic imagery of suffering servant as a lamb.

Numbers 9 verses

Numbers 9 12 Meaning

Numbers 9:12 dictates two essential regulations for the consumption of the Passover lamb: that none of its meat should be left over until the morning, and that none of its bones should be broken. These specific instructions underscore the sacred nature of the Passover offering, demanding complete and timely consumption, and ensuring the structural integrity of the sacrifice. They reinforce obedience to God's detailed commands, transforming a meal into a sacred observance that symbolically points towards a future redemptive sacrifice.

Numbers 9 12 Context

Numbers chapter 9 recounts the observance of the Passover by the Israelites in the wilderness during the second year after their exodus from Egypt. This second Passover (Numbers 9:1-5) serves as a reminder of God's unchanging commands and Israel's continued covenant obligation. The chapter then addresses a unique situation where certain individuals were ritually defiled or on a long journey and unable to observe Passover at its appointed time (Numbers 9:6-8). God, through Moses, provides a "second Passover" (Numbers 9:9-14) to accommodate such cases, ensuring no one misses the foundational national memorial due to unavoidable circumstances, provided they still observe all its statutes. Verse 12 is part of the instructions for both the regular and the delayed Passover, reiterating core requirements first given in Exodus. This continuity underscores the sacredness and importance of the regulations regardless of the timing of the observance.

Numbers 9 12 Word analysis

  • They shall not leave: Hebrew lo'-yash'iru (לֹא-יַשְׁאִירוּ). This is a strong negation using "lo'" (not) with a verb in the Hiphil imperfect, signifying a strict prohibition. It emphasizes intentional non-leaving, implying complete consumption or destruction. It indicates an active avoidance of residual portions.
  • any of it: Referring to the lamb's meat. This implies thoroughness in consumption. Every edible part was to be consumed.
  • until morning: Hebrew 'ad-boqer (עַד-בֹּקֶר). The specified timeframe signifies urgency and prevents the meat from becoming defiled or used for idolatrous or common purposes. It marked the boundary of the sacred eating. This prevented desecration by spoilage or by leaving parts accessible for pagan practices or superstitious rituals, reinforcing the uniqueness of Israel's God.
  • nor break: Hebrew lo'-yishb'ru (לֹא-יִשְׁבְּרוּ). Another strong negation "lo'" with the verb "to break," indicating a specific prohibition against damaging the integrity of the sacrificial animal's bones. This precise detail is particularly significant in typological understanding.
  • any of its bones: Hebrew 'etzem (עֶצֶם). Refers to the physical structure of the animal. Keeping the bones intact points to the wholeness and completeness of the sacrifice, symbolizing preservation. It was distinct from pagan rites where bones were often broken for various purposes, including divination or preparing broths not directly part of the sacred meal.
  • according to all: Hebrew k'khol (כְּכָל). "According to all" indicates comprehensive adherence; not picking and choosing which commands to follow. This stresses the requirement for exact and full compliance with every detail of the prescribed rite.
  • the statutes: Hebrew huqqat (חֻקַּת). Derived from hoq (חֹק), meaning a fixed rule, an ordinance, or decree. These are non-negotiable, divinely ordained laws for perpetual observance. They were foundational and part of the covenant.
  • of the Passover: Hebrew haPesah (הַפֶּסַח). The specific annual observance commemorating Israel's deliverance from Egypt, which also served as a propitiatory and communal meal. The term signifies "passing over," referencing God's act of sparing Israel's firstborn.
  • they shall keep it: Hebrew ya'asu 'oto (יַעֲשׂוּ אֹתוֹ). Literally "they shall do it" or "they shall perform it." This is a command for the performance of the ritual, stressing obedient execution.

Numbers 9 12 Bonus section

The specific regulations for the Passover lamb in Numbers 9:12 highlight a deep theological concept: the unique nature and perfection required for atonement. The prohibition against leaving leftovers implies a complete consumption, mirroring the complete absorption of guilt or sin by the sacrifice, and ensuring that no trace of the "old" (symbolized by leaven or defiled food) remains. The intactness of the bones for the Passover lamb is unparalleled in other biblical animal sacrifices; usually, animals were dismembered. This distinct preservation of the lamb's skeletal integrity powerfully distinguished it and became a crucial link between the animal sacrifice and the perfectly preserved body of the Messiah. It underscores that while sin leads to dismemberment and destruction (spiritual or physical), salvation in Christ offers completeness and wholeness, ensuring His body, though given for us, would not be "broken" in the ultimate sense.

Numbers 9 12 Commentary

Numbers 9:12 reiterates two crucial rules concerning the Passover lamb: the consumption of all its meat before morning and the prohibition against breaking any of its bones. The first rule ensures the timely and complete devotion to the sacred meal, preventing spoilage or profaning by ordinary use. It embodies the urgency and definitive nature of the Exodus event—a swift departure with no time for leftovers. The second rule, prohibiting the breaking of bones, highlights the integrity and wholeness of the sacrificial victim. This detail served as a striking prophetic foreshadowing. Centuries later, this very specific regulation was directly fulfilled in Jesus Christ, the ultimate Passover Lamb, when Roman soldiers did not break His legs on the cross as they did with the other crucified men (Jn 19:33, 36). Thus, the ancient Israelite ritual intricately prefigured the perfect and complete sacrifice of Christ, who, by His unblemished sacrifice, completely fulfilled all the shadows of the Old Testament. The phrase "according to all the statutes of the Passover they shall keep it" reinforces the absolute necessity of precise obedience to divine commands, symbolizing that God's plan, culminating in Christ, unfolds exactly as ordained.