או יומם ולילה. הנה פעמים יסעו בלילה ויש אומרים כי פירושו יומם ולילה כמשמעו והוא הנכון בעיני והעד או יומם: OR IF IT CONTINUED BY DAY AND BY NIGHT. They thus occasionally journeyed at night.12This means that yomam va-laylah (by day and by night) is to be rendered, by day or by night. Our verse reads as follows: or if it (the cloud) continued by day or by night, when the cloud was taken up they journeyed. In other words, sometimes the cloud stayed over the tabernacle during the day and was taken up at the beginning of the night. Thus Israel at times took up their journey at night. Others say that yomam va-laylah (by day and by night) is to be interpreted literally.13In other words, the vav of yomam va-laylah is to be translated literally. Thus yomam va-laylah means by day and by night. Therefore what the verse is telling us is that the cloud continued on the tabernacle a day and a night and was taken up in the morning, and then Israel journeyed. The verse thus teaches that Israel journeyed in the morning, not at night. This interpretation appears correct to me. The term yomayim (two days) (v. 22)14So Vat. Ebr. 38. See also Filwarg. The printed texts have yomam. is proof that this interpretation is correct.15The term yomayim follows yomam va-laylah. Yomayim refers to two days and two nights. Hence yomam va-laylah must refer to a day and a night.