Numbers 9:14

9:14 If a resident foreigner lives ¹  among you and wants to keep ²  the Passover to the Lord, he must do so according to the statute of the Passover, and according to its custom. You must have ³  the same ⁴  statute for the resident foreigner ⁵  and for the one who was born in the land.’”

Numbers 15:14

15:14 If a resident foreigner is living ⁶  with you – or whoever is among you ⁷  in future generations ⁸  – and prepares an offering made by fire as a pleasing aroma to the Lord, he must do it the same way you are to do it. ⁹ 

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¹ tn The words translated “resident foreigner” and “live” are from the same Hebrew root, גּוּר (gur), traditionally translated “to sojourn.” The “sojourner” who “sojourns” is a foreigner, a resident alien, who lives in the land as a temporary resident with rights of land ownership.

² tn The verb is the simple perfect tense with vav (ו) consecutive. It is therefore the equivalent to the imperfect that comes before it. The desiderative imperfect fits this usage well, since the alien is not required to keep the feast, but may indeed desire to do so.

³ tn The Hebrew text has “there will be to you,” which is the way of expressing possession in Hebrew. Since this is legal instruction, the imperfect tense must be instruction or legislation.

⁴ tn Or “you must have one statute.”

⁵ tn The conjunction is used here to specify the application of the law: “and for the resident foreigner, and for the one…” indicates “both for the resident foreigner and the one who….”

⁶ tn The word גּוּר (gur) was traditionally translated “to sojourn,” i.e., to live temporarily in a land. Here the two words are from the root: “if a sojourner sojourns.”

⁷ tn Heb “in your midst.”

⁸ tn The Hebrew text just has “to your generations,” but it means in the future.

⁹ tn The imperfect tenses must reflect the responsibility to comply with the law, and so the classifications of instruction or obligation may be applied.