Numbers 9:3 Meaning and Explanation
“In the fourteenth day of this month, at even, ye shall keep it in his appointed season: according to all the rites of it, and according to all the ceremonies thereof, shall ye keep it.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Passover is to be kept on the fourteenth day with all its prescribed rituals and ceremonies.
The Context of Numbers 9:3
The specific date and complete ritual requirements for Passover are laid out.
What Does Numbers 9:3 Mean?
The Passover was highly structured—not a general celebration but one with precise timing (the evening of the fourteenth) and specific rituals. These included unleavened bread, bitter herbs, roasted lamb, and other elements detailed in Exodus. The exactness of these requirements shows reverence for the covenant God made and the salvation He provided.
Keeping 'all the rites' and 'all the ceremonies' meant maintaining the full meaning of the observance. Each element recalled aspects of the exodus: unleavened bread represented haste, bitter herbs represented slavery, and the lamb recalled the blood on the doorposts. Obedience to the full ritual kept the full story alive in the community's memory.
Frequently Asked Questions About Numbers 9:3
What does Numbers 9:3 mean?
Passover is to be kept on the fourteenth day with all its prescribed rituals and ceremonies.
What is the context of Numbers 9:3?
The specific date and complete ritual requirements for Passover are laid out.