The Observance of the Passover

91 Thus the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai , in the first month of the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt , saying , 2 "Now, let the sons of Israel observe the Passover at its appointed time . 3 "On the fourteenth e day of this month , at twilight , you shall observe it at its appointed time ; you shall observe it according to all its statutes and according to all its ordinances ." 4 So Moses told the sons of Israel to observe the Passover . 5 They observed the Passover in the first month, on the fourteenth e day of the month , at twilight , in the wilderness of Sinai ; according to all that the Lord had commanded Moses , so the sons of Israel did . 6 But there were some men who were unclean because of the dead person , so that they could not observe Passover on that day ; so they came before Moses and Aaron on that day . 7 Those men said to him, "Though we are unclean because of the dead person , why are we restrained from presenting the offering of the Lord at its appointed time among the sons of Israel ?" 8 Moses therefore said to them, " Wait , and I will listen to what the Lord will command concerning you." 9 Then the Lord spoke to Moses , saying , 10 "Speak to the sons of Israel , saying , 'If any one of you or of your generations becomes unclean because of a dead person , or is on a distant journey , he may, however, observe the Passover to the Lord . 11 'In the second month on the fourteenth e day at twilight , they shall observe it; they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs . 12 'They shall leave none of it until morning , nor break a bone of it; according to all the statute of the Passover they shall observe it. 13 ' But the man who is clean and is not on a journey , and yet neglects to observe the Passover , that person shall then be cut off from his people , for he did not present the offering of the Lord at its appointed time . That man will bear his sin . 14 ' If an alien sojourns among you and observes the Passover to the Lord , according to the statute of the Passover and according to its ordinance , so he shall do ; you shall have one statute , both for the alien and for the native of the land .' "

The Cloud over the Tabernacle

15 Now on the day that the tabernacle was erected the cloud covered the tabernacle , the tent of the testimony , and in the evening it was like the appearance of fire over the tabernacle , until morning . 16 So it was continuously ; the cloud would cover it by day, and the appearance of fire by night . 17 Whenever the cloud was lifted from over the tent , afterward e the sons of Israel would then set out; and in the place where e the cloud settled down , there the sons of Israel would camp . 18 At the command of the Lord the sons of Israel would set out, and at the command of the Lord they would camp ; as long e as the cloud settled over the tabernacle , they remained camped . 19 Even when the cloud lingered over the tabernacle for many days , the sons of Israel would keep the Lord'S charge and not set out. 20 If sometimes the cloud remained a few days over the tabernacle , according to the command of the Lord they remained camped . Then according to the command of the Lord they set out. 21 If sometimes the cloud remained from evening until morning , when the cloud was lifted in the morning , they would move out; or if it remained in the daytime and at night , whenever the cloud was lifted , they would set out. 22 Whether it was two days or a month or a year that the cloud lingered over the tabernacle , staying above it, the sons of Israel remained camped and did not set out; but when it was lifted , they did set out. 23 At the command of the Lord they camped , and at the command of the Lord they set out; they kept the Lord'S charge , according to the command of the Lord through Moses .

The Silver Trumpets

101 The Lord spoke further to Moses , saying , 2 "Make yourself two trumpets of silver , of hammered work you shall make them; and you shall use them for summoning the congregation and for having the camps set out. 3 " When both are blown , all the congregation shall gather themselves to you at the doorway of the tent of meeting . 4 "Yet if only one is blown , then the leaders , the heads of the divisions of Israel , shall assemble before you. 5 "But when you blow an alarm , the camps that are pitched on the east side shall set out. 6 "When you blow an alarm the second time , the camps that are pitched on the south side shall set out; an alarm is to be blown for them to set out. 7 "When convening the assembly , however, you shall blow without sounding an alarm . 8 " The priestly sons of Aaron , moreover, shall blow the trumpets ; and this shall be for you a perpetual statute throughout your generations . 9 "When you go to war in your land against the adversary who attacks you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets , that you may be remembered before the Lord your God , and be saved from your enemies . 10 "Also in the day of your gladness and in your appointed feasts , and on the first days of your months , you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings , and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings ; and they shall be as a reminder of you before your God . I am the Lord your God ."

The Israelites Depart from Sinai

11 Now in the second year , in the second month , on the twentieth of the month , the cloud was lifted from over the tabernacle of the testimony ; 12 and the sons of Israel set out on their journeys from the wilderness of Sinai . Then the cloud settled down in the wilderness of Paran . 13 So they moved out for the first time according to the commandment of the Lord through Moses . 14 The standard of the camp of the sons of Judah , according to their armies , set out first , with Nahshon the son of Amminadab , over its army , 15 and Nethanel the son of Zuar , over the tribal army of the sons of Issachar ; 16 and Eliab the son of Helon over the tribal army of the sons of Zebulun . 17 Then the tabernacle was taken down ; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari , who were carrying the tabernacle , set out. 18 Next the standard of the camp of Reuben , according to their armies , set out with Elizur the son of Shedeur , over its army , 19 and Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai over the tribal army of the sons of Simeon , 20 and Eliasaph the son of Deuel was over the tribal army of the sons of Gad . 21 Then the Kohathites set out, carrying the holy objects; and the tabernacle was set up before their arrival . 22 Next the standard of the camp of the sons of Ephraim , according to their armies , was set out, with Elishama the son of Ammihud over its army , 23 and Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur over the tribal army of the sons of Manasseh ; 24 and Abidan the son of Gideoni over the tribal army of the sons of Benjamin . 25 Then the standard of the camp of the sons of Dan , according to their armies , which formed the rear guard for all the camps , set out, with Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai over its army , 26 and Pagiel the son of Ochran over the tribal army of the sons of Asher ; 27 and Ahira the son of Enan over the tribal army of the sons of Naphtali . 28 This was the order of march of the sons of Israel by their armies as they set out.

29 Then Moses said to Hobab the son of Reuel the Midianite , Moses' father-in-law , "We are setting out to the place of which the Lord said , ' I will give it to you'; come with us and we will do you good , for the Lord has promised good concerning Israel ." 30 But he said to him, " I will not come , but rather e will go to my own land and relatives ." 31 Then he said , "Please do not leave us, inasmuch e e as you know where we should camp in the wilderness , and you will be as eyes for us. 32 "So it will be, if you go with us, that whatever good the Lord does for us, we will do for you." 33 Thus they set out from the mount of the Lord three days' journey , with the ark of the covenant of the Lord journeying in front of them for the three days , to seek out a resting place for them. 34 The cloud of the Lord was over them by day when they set out from the camp . 35 Then it came about when the ark set out that Moses said , " Rise up, O Lord ! And let Your enemies be scattered , And let those who hate You flee before e You." 36 When it came to rest , he said , " Return , O Lord , To the myriad thousands of Israel ."

The LORD Sends Quails

111 Now the people became like those who complain of adversity in the hearing of the Lord ; and when the Lord heard it, His anger was kindled , and the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp . 2 The people therefore cried out to Moses , and Moses prayed to the Lord and the fire died out. 3 So the name of that place was called Taberah , because the fire of the Lord burned among them.

4 The rabble who were among them had greedy desires e ; and also the sons of Israel wept again and said , " Who will give us meat to eat ? 5 " We remember the fish which we used to eat free in Egypt , the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic , 6 but now our appetite is gone . There is nothing at all to look at except this manna ." 7 Now the manna was like coriander seed , and its appearance like that of bdellium . 8 The people would go about and gather it and grind it between two millstones or beat it in the mortar , and boil it in the pot and make cakes with it; and its taste was as the taste of cakes baked with oil . 9 When the dew fell on the camp at night , the manna would fall with it. 10 Now Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families , each man at the doorway of his tent ; and the anger of the Lord was kindled greatly , and Moses was displeased e . 11 So Moses said to the Lord , "Why have You been so hard on Your servant ? And why have I not found favor in Your sight , that You have laid the burden of all this people on me? 12 "Was it I who conceived all this people ? Was it I who brought them forth , that You should say to me, 'Carry them in your bosom as a nurse carries a nursing infant , to the land which You swore to their fathers '? 13 "Where e am I to get meat to give to all this people ? For they weep before me, saying , 'Give us meat that we may eat !' 14 " I alone am not able to carry all this people , because it is too burdensome for me. 15 " So if You are going to deal thus with me, please kill me at once , if I have found favor in Your sight , and do not let me see my wretchedness ."

16 The Lord therefore said to Moses , "Gather for Me seventy men from the elders of Israel , whom you know to be the elders of the people and their officers and bring them to the tent of meeting , and let them take their stand there with you. 17 " Then I will come down and speak with you there , and I will take of the Spirit who is upon you, and will put Him upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you will not bear it all alone . 18 "Say to the people , ' Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow , and you shall eat meat ; for you have wept in the ears of the Lord , saying , "Oh that someone would give us meat to eat ! For we were well-off in Egypt ." Therefore the Lord will give you meat and you shall eat . 19 'You shall eat , not one day , nor two days , nor five days , nor ten days , nor twenty days , 20 but a whole month , until e it comes out of your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you; because e you have rejected the Lord who is among you and have wept before Him, saying , "Why did we ever leave e Egypt ?""' 21 But Moses said , "The people , among whom I am, are 600,000 e e on foot ; yet You have said , 'I will give them meat , so that they may eat for a whole month .' 22 "Should flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, to be sufficient for them? Or should all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to be sufficient for them?" 23 The Lord said to Moses , "Is the Lord'S power limited ? Now you shall see whether My word will come true for you or not."

24 So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord . Also, he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people , and stationed them around the tent . 25 Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him; and He took of the Spirit who was upon him and placed Him upon the seventy elders . And when the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied . But they did not do it again . 26 But two men had remained in the camp ; the name of one was Eldad and the name of the other Medad . And the Spirit rested upon them (now they were among those who had been registered , but had not gone out to the tent ), and they prophesied in the camp . 27 So a young man ran and told Moses and said , "Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp ." 28 Then Joshua the son of Nun , the attendant of Moses from his youth , said , " Moses , my lord , restrain them." 29 But Moses said to him, "Are you jealous for my sake? Would e that all the Lord'S people were prophets , that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them!" 30 Then Moses returned to the camp , both he and the elders of Israel .

31 Now there went forth a wind from the Lord and it brought quail from the sea , and let them fall beside the camp , about a day's journey on this side and a day's journey on the other side , all around the camp and about two cubits deep on the surface of the ground . 32 The people spent all day and all night and all the next day , and gathered the quail (he who gathered least gathered ten homers ) and they spread them out for themselves all around the camp . 33 While the meat was still between their teeth , before it was chewed , the anger of the Lord was kindled against the people , and the Lord struck the people with a very severe plague . 34 So the name of that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah , because there they buried the people who had been greedy . 35 From Kibroth-hattaavah the people set out for Hazeroth , and they remained at Hazeroth .

The Gadarene Demoniac Healed

51 They came to the other side of the sea , into the country of the Gerasenes . 2 When He got out of the boat , immediately a man from the tombs with an unclean spirit met Him, 3 and he had his dwelling among the tombs . And no e one was able to bind him anymore , even with a chain ; 4 because he had often been bound with shackles and chains , and the chains had been torn apart by him and the shackles broken in pieces , and no one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Constantly , night and day , he was screaming among the tombs and in the mountains , and gashing himself with stones . 6 Seeing Jesus from a distance , he ran up and bowed down before Him; 7 and shouting with a loud voice , he said , " What business do we have with each other, Jesus , Son of the Most High God ? I implore You by God , do not torment me!" 8 For He had been saying to him, "Come out of the man , you unclean spirit !" 9 And He was asking him, "What is your name ?" And he said to Him, "My name is Legion ; for we are many ." 10 And he began to implore Him earnestly not to send them out of the country . 11 Now there was a large herd of swine feeding nearby on the mountain . 12 The demons implored Him, saying , "Send us into the swine so that we may enter them." 13 Jesus gave them permission . And coming out, the unclean spirits entered the swine ; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea , about two thousand of them; and they were drowned in the sea . 14 Their herdsmen ran away and reported it in the city and in the country . And the people came to see what it was that had happened . 15 They came to Jesus and observed the man who had been demon-possessed sitting down , clothed and in his right mind , the very man who had had the " legion "; and they became frightened . 16 Those who had seen it described to them how it had happened to the demon-possessed man, and all about the swine . 17 And they began to implore Him to leave their region . 18 As He was getting into the boat , the man who had been demon-possessed was imploring Him that he might accompany e Him. 19 And He did not let him, but He said to him, " Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you." 20 And he went away and began to proclaim in Decapolis what great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed .

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Mark 5:1-20

Commentary on Mark 5:1-20

(Read Mark 5:1-20)

Some openly wilful sinners are like this madman. The commands of the law are as chains and fetters, to restrain sinners from their wicked courses; but they break those bands in sunder; and it is an evidence of the power of the devil in them. A legion of soldiers consisted of six thousand men, or more. What multitudes of fallen spirits there must be, and all enemies to God and man, when here was a legion in one poor wretched creature! Many there are that rise up against us. We are not a match for our spiritual enemies, in our own strength; but in the Lord, and in the power of his might, we shall be able to stand against them, though there are legions of them. When the vilest transgressor is delivered by the power of Jesus from the bondage of Satan, he will gladly sit at the feet of his Deliverer, and hear his word, who delivers the wretched slaves of Satan, and numbers them among his saints and servants. When the people found that their swine were lost, they had a dislike to Christ. Long-suffering and mercy may be seen, even in the corrections by which men lose their property while their lives are saved, and warning given them to seek the salvation of their souls. The man joyfully proclaimed what great things Jesus had done for him. All men marvelled, but few followed him. Many who cannot but wonder at the works of Christ, yet do not, as they ought, wonder after him.