Lectionary Calendar
Saturday, December 27th, 2025
the Second Day after Christmas
Attention!
Take your personal ministry to the Next Level by helping StudyLight build churches and supporting pastors in Uganda.
Click here to join the effort!

Read the Bible

Christian Standard Bible ®

Numbers 9:16

It remained that way continuously: the cloud would cover it, appearing like fire at night.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Cloud;   Fire;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - High Priest, the;   Tabernacle;   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;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Cloud;   Numbers, the Book of;   Tabernacle;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Baptism of Fire;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Moses;   Numbers, Book of;   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
So it was continually. The cloud covered it, and the appearance of fire by night.
King James Version
So it was alway: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night.
Lexham English Bible
So it was continually; the cloud would cover it and the appearance of fire by night.
New Century Version
The cloud stayed above the Tent, and at night it looked like fire.
New English Translation
This is the way it used to be continually: The cloud would cover it by day, and there was a fiery appearance by night.
Amplified Bible
So it was continuously; the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night.
New American Standard Bible
That is how it was continuously; the cloud would cover it by day, and the appearance of fire by night.
Geneva Bible (1587)
So it was alway: the cloude couered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night.
Legacy Standard Bible
So it was continuously; the cloud would cover it by day, and the appearance of fire by night.
Complete Jewish Bible
So the cloud always covered it, and it looked like fire at night.
Darby Translation
So it was continually: the cloud covered it, and at night it was as the appearance of fire.
Easy-to-Read Version
The cloud stayed over the Holy Tent all the time. And at night the cloud looked like fire.
English Standard Version
So it was always: the cloud covered it by day and the appearance of fire by night.
George Lamsa Translation
So it was always: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night;
Literal Translation
so it was always; the cloud covered it, and the appearance of fire by night.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
So came it to passe allwaye, yt the cloude couered it by daye, & the symilitude of fyre by night.
American Standard Version
So it was alway: the cloud covered it, and the appearance of fire by night.
Bible in Basic English
And so it was at all times: it was covered by the cloud, and by a light as of fire by night.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
So it was alway: the cloude couered it by day, and the appearaunce of fire by nyght.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
So it was alway: the cloud covered it, and the appearance of fire by night.
King James Version (1611)
So it was always: the cloud couered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
So it was continually: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night.
English Revised Version
So it was alway: the cloud covered it, and the appearance of fire by night.
Berean Standard Bible
It remained that way continually; the cloud would cover the tabernacle by day, and at night it would appear like fire.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Thus it was don continueli, a cloude hilide it bi dai, and as the licnesse of fier bi nyyt.
Young's Literal Translation
so it is continually; the cloud covereth it, also the appearance of fire by night.
Update Bible Version
So it always was: the cloud covered it and by night [had] the appearance of fire.
Webster's Bible Translation
So it was always; the cloud covered it [by day], and the appearance of fire by night.
World English Bible
So it was continually. The cloud covered it, and the appearance of fire by night.
New King James Version
So it was always: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night.
New Living Translation
This was the regular pattern—at night the cloud that covered the Tabernacle had the appearance of fire.
New Life Bible
It was like this always. The cloud would cover it during the day. What looked like fire would cover it during the night.
New Revised Standard
It was always so: the cloud covered it by day and the appearance of fire by night.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Thus, came it to pass continually, the cloud, covered it, - and an appearance of fire, by night;
Douay-Rheims Bible
So it was always: by day the cloud covered it, and by night as it were the appearance of fire.
Revised Standard Version
So it was continually; the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
So it was continuously; the cloud would cover it by day, and the appearance of fire by night.

Contextual Overview

15On the day the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony, and it appeared like fire above the tabernacle from evening until morning. 16It remained that way continuously: the cloud would cover it, appearing like fire at night. 17Whenever the cloud was lifted up above the tent, the Israelites would set out; at the place where the cloud stopped, there the Israelites camped. 18At the Lord’s command the Israelites set out, and at the Lord’s command they camped. As long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they camped. 19Even when the cloud stayed over the tabernacle many days, the Israelites carried out the Lord’s requirement and did not set out. 20Sometimes 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. 21Sometimes the cloud remained only from evening until morning; when the cloud lifted in the morning, they set out. Or if it remained a day and a night, they moved out when the cloud lifted. 22Whether it was two days, a month, or longer, the Israelites camped and did not set out as long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle. But when it was lifted, they set out. 23They camped at the Lord’s command, and they set out at the Lord’s command. They carried out the Lord’s requirement according to his command through Moses.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Numbers 9:18-22, Exodus 13:21, Exodus 13:22, Exodus 40:38, Deuteronomy 1:33, Nehemiah 9:12, Nehemiah 9:19, Psalms 78:14, Psalms 105:39, Isaiah 4:5, Isaiah 4:6, 1 Corinthians 10:1, 2 Corinthians 5:19, Revelation 21:3, This cloud not only enlightened the Israelites, but also protected them, and was a continual pledge of God's presence and protection. To this manifestation of the Divine glory, the prophet Isaiah alludes, when he says - Isaiah 4:5, "The Lord will create upon every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night." God is the director, protector, and glory of his church.

Cross-References

Genesis 9:3
Every creature that lives and moves will be food for you; as I gave the green plants, I have given you everything.
Genesis 9:4
However, you must not eat meat with its lifeblood in it.
Genesis 9:8
Then God said to Noah and his sons with him,
Genesis 9:9
“Understand that I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you,
Genesis 9:10
and with every living creature that is with you—birds, livestock, and all wildlife of the earth that are with you—all the animals of the earth that came out of the ark.
Genesis 9:11
I establish my covenant with you that never again will every creature be wiped out by floodwaters; there will never again be a flood to destroy the earth.”
Genesis 9:21
He drank some of the wine, became drunk, and uncovered himself inside his tent.
Genesis 9:22
Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father naked and told his two brothers outside.
Genesis 17:7
I will confirm my covenant that is between me and you and your future offspring throughout their generations. It is a permanent covenant to be your God and the God of your offspring after you.
Genesis 17:13
Whether born in your household or purchased, he must be circumcised. My covenant will be marked in your flesh as a permanent covenant.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

So it was alway,.... Night and day, as long as the people of Israel were in the wilderness, see Exodus 13:21;

the cloud covered it [by day]: the phrase, "by day", is not in the text, but is easily and necessarily supplied from Exodus 40:38; and as it is in the Targum of Jonathan, and in the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Arabic versions, and which the following clause requires:

and the appearance of fire by night; when as a cloud it could not be because of the darkness of the night; as in the daytime it could not be discerned as a body of fire or light, because of the light of the sun; but being seen under these different forms, was serviceable both by day and night, for the following purposes.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile