John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 6. And there were certain men who were defiled by the dead body of a man , etc.] The Targum of Jonathan adds, “who died by them suddenly,” whereby pollution was contracted, (see Numbers 6:9); though perhaps this was a whole house or family, one of which was dead, and so all were defiled, being in the place where the dead body was, or had touched it, or been concerned however in the burying of it, and on account of which were unclean seven days, and so might not eat of any holy things, as the passover; and though at the first institution there was no such law, yet since that time there was, which obliged them, (see Leviticus 7:20,21); and it is said f92 , that the section concerning the red heifer, and so of defilement by a dead body, was delivered on the day the tabernacle was erected, even on the first day of the first month; and though recorded in ( Numbers 19:1-22); yet was given out before this; and indeed otherwise it is not easy to conceive how these men should know that the dead body of a man was defiling: that they could not keep the passover on that day ; as others did, the fourteenth of Nisan, it being, according to the Targum of Jonathan, the seventh day of their defilement: and they came before Moses, and before Aaron, on that day ; on the selfsame day the passover was kept, and they were sensible of their pollution, which disqualified for it; and therefore it should rather seem to be the first day of their pollution than their last; since otherwise they would doubtless have inquired about this matter before the passover came; unless the time of their pollution was so near out, that they thought they might eat it safely, on which they desired advice.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-14 - God gave particular orders for the keeping of this passover, and, for aught that appears, after this, they kept no passover till they came to Canaan, Jos 5:10. It early showed that the ceremonial institutions wer not to continue always, as so soon after they were appointed, some wer suffered to sleep for many years. But the ordinance of the Lord' Supper was not thus set aside in the first days of the Christia church, although those were days of greater difficulty and distres than Israel knew in the wilderness; nay, in the times of persecution the Lord's Supper was celebrated more frequently than afterward Israelites in the wilderness could not forget the deliverance out of Egypt. There was danger of this when they came to Canaan. Instruction were given concerning those who were ceremonially unclean, when the were to eat the passover. Those whose minds and consciences are defile by sin, are unfit for communion with God, and cannot partake with comfort of the gospel passover, till they are cleansed by tru repentance and faith. Observe with what trouble and concern these me complained that they were kept back from offering to the Lord. I should be a trouble to us, when by any occasion we are kept back from the solemnities of a sabbath or a sacrament. Observe the deliberatio of Moses in resolving this case. Ministers must ask counsel of God' mouth, not determine according to their own fancy or affection, but according to the word of God to the best of their knowledge. And if, i difficult cases, time is taken to spread the matter before God be humble, believing prayer, the Holy Spirit assuredly will direct in the good and right way. God gave directions in this case, and in othe similar cases, explanatory of the law of the passover. As those who against their minds, are forced to absent themselves from God' ordinances, may expect the favours of God's grace under their affliction, so those who, of choice, absent themselves, may expec God's wrath for their sin. Be not deceived: God is not mocked.
Original Hebrew ויהי1961 אנשׁים582 אשׁר834 היו1961 טמאים2931 לנפשׁ5315 אדם120 ולא3808 יכלו3201 לעשׂת6213 הפסח6453 ביום3117 ההוא1931 ויקרבו7126 לפני6440 משׁה4872 ולפני6440 אהרן175 ביום3117 ההוא׃1931
