Numbers 9:2

“The Israelites are to observe ¹  the Passover ²  at its appointed time. ³ 

"Make the Israelites celebrate the Passover at the appointed time.

"Now, let the sons of Israel observe the Passover at its appointed time.

"Tell the Israelites to celebrate the Passover at the proper time,

"Have the People of Israel celebrate Passover at the set time.

Let the children of Israel keep the Passover at its regular time.

Let the Israelites keep the passover at its appointed time.

"Let the children of Israel keep the Passover at its appointed time.

“The Israelites are to observe ¹  the Passover ²  at its appointed time. ³ 

¹ tn The verb is simply “to do; to make” (עָשָׂה [’asah] in the jussive). It must have the idea here of “to perform; to keep; to observe” the ritual of the Passover.

² sn For a detailed study note on the Passover, see the discussion with the original institution in Exod 12. The word פֶּסַח (pesakh) – here in pause and with the article – has become the technical name for the spring festival of Israel. In Exod 12 the name is explained by the use of the verb “to pass over” (עָבַר, ’avar), indicating that the angel of death would pass over the house with the blood applied. Many scholarly attempts have been made to supply the etymology of the word, but none has been compelling enough to be accepted by a large number of biblical scholars. For general literature on the Passover, see J. B. Segal, The Hebrew Passover, as well as the Bible dictionaries and encyclopedias.

³ tc The Greek text uses a plural here but the singular in vv. 7 and 13; the Smr uses the plural in all three places.