Two Silver Trumpets

10 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “Make two silver trumpets for yourself; you shall make them of hammered work; you shall use them for (A)calling the congregation and for directing the movement of the camps. When (B)they blow both of them, all the congregation shall gather before you at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. But if they blow only one, then the leaders, the (C)heads of the divisions of Israel, shall gather to you. When you sound the (D)advance, (E)the camps that lie on the east side shall then begin their journey. When you sound the advance the second time, then the camps that lie (F)on the south side shall begin their journey; they shall sound the call for them to begin their journeys. And when the assembly is to be gathered together, (G)you shall blow, but not (H)sound the advance. (I)The sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets; and these shall be to you as an [a]ordinance forever throughout your generations.

(J)“When you go to war in your land against the enemy who (K)oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, and you will be (L)remembered before the Lord your God, and you will be saved from your enemies. 10 Also (M)in the day of your gladness, in your appointed feasts, and at the beginning of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; and they shall be (N)a memorial for you before your God: I am the Lord your God.”

Departure from Sinai

11 Now it came to pass on the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, that the cloud (O)was taken up from above the tabernacle of the Testimony. 12 And the children of Israel set out from the (P)Wilderness of Sinai on (Q)their journeys; then the cloud settled down in the (R)Wilderness of Paran. 13 So they started out for the first time (S)according to the command of the Lord by the hand of Moses.

14 The [b]standard of the camp of the children of Judah (T)set out first according to their armies; over their army was (U)Nahshon the son of Amminadab. 15 Over the army of the tribe of the children of Issachar was Nethanel the son of Zuar. 16 And over the army of the tribe of the children of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon.

17 Then (V)the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari set out, (W)carrying the tabernacle.

18 And (X)the standard of the camp of Reuben set out according to their armies; over their army was Elizur the son of Shedeur. 19 Over the army of the tribe of the children of Simeon was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. 20 And over the army of the tribe of the children of Gad was Eliasaph the son of Deuel.

21 Then the Kohathites set out, carrying the (Y)holy things. (The tabernacle would be [c]prepared for their arrival.)

22 And (Z)the standard of the camp of the children of Ephraim set out according to their armies; over their army was Elishama the son of Ammihud. 23 Over the army of the tribe of the children of Manasseh was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. 24 And over the army of the tribe of the children of Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gideoni.

25 Then (AA)the standard of the camp of the children of Dan (the rear guard of all the camps) set out according to their armies; over their army was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. 26 Over the army of the tribe of the children of Asher was Pagiel the son of Ocran. 27 And over the army of the tribe of the children of Naphtali was Ahira the son of Enan.

28 (AB)Thus was the order of march of the children of Israel, according to their armies, when they began their journey.

29 Now Moses said to (AC)Hobab the son of (AD)Reuel[d] the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We are setting out for the place of which the Lord said, (AE)‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us, and (AF)we will treat you well; for (AG)the Lord has promised good things to Israel.”

30 And he said to him, “I will not go, but I will depart to my own land and to my relatives.”

31 So Moses said, “Please do not leave, inasmuch as you know how we are to camp in the wilderness, and you can [e]be our (AH)eyes. 32 And it shall be, if you go with us—indeed it shall be—that (AI)whatever good the Lord will do to us, the same we will do to you.”

33 So they departed from (AJ)the mountain of the Lord on a journey of three days; and the ark of the covenant of the Lord (AK)went before them for the three days’ journey, to search out a resting place for them. 34 And (AL)the cloud of the Lord was above them by day when they went out from the camp.

35 So it was, whenever the ark set out, that Moses said:

(AM)“Rise up, O Lord!
Let Your enemies be scattered,
And let those who hate You flee before You.”

36 And when it rested, he said:

“Return, O Lord,
To the many thousands of Israel.”

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 10:8 statute
  2. Numbers 10:14 banner
  3. Numbers 10:21 Prepared by the Gershonites and the Merarites
  4. Numbers 10:29 Jethro, Ex. 3:1; LXX Raguel
  5. Numbers 10:31 Act as our guide

The Silver Trumpets

10 The Lord said to Moses: “Make two trumpets(A) of hammered silver, and use them for calling the community(B) together and for having the camps set out.(C) When both are sounded, the whole community is to assemble before you at the entrance to the tent of meeting. If only one is sounded, the leaders(D)—the heads of the clans of Israel—are to assemble before you. When a trumpet blast is sounded, the tribes camping on the east are to set out.(E) At the sounding of a second blast, the camps on the south are to set out.(F) The blast will be the signal for setting out. To gather the assembly, blow the trumpets,(G) but not with the signal for setting out.(H)

“The sons of Aaron, the priests, are to blow the trumpets. This is to be a lasting ordinance for you and the generations to come.(I) When you go into battle in your own land against an enemy who is oppressing you,(J) sound a blast on the trumpets.(K) Then you will be remembered(L) by the Lord your God and rescued from your enemies.(M) 10 Also at your times of rejoicing—your appointed festivals and New Moon feasts(N)—you are to sound the trumpets(O) over your burnt offerings(P) and fellowship offerings,(Q) and they will be a memorial for you before your God. I am the Lord your God.(R)

The Israelites Leave Sinai

11 On the twentieth day of the second month of the second year,(S) the cloud lifted(T) from above the tabernacle of the covenant law.(U) 12 Then the Israelites set out from the Desert of Sinai and traveled from place to place until the cloud came to rest in the Desert of Paran.(V) 13 They set out, this first time, at the Lord’s command through Moses.(W)

14 The divisions of the camp of Judah went first, under their standard.(X) Nahshon son of Amminadab(Y) was in command. 15 Nethanel son of Zuar was over the division of the tribe(Z) of Issachar,(AA) 16 and Eliab son of Helon(AB) was over the division of the tribe of Zebulun.(AC) 17 Then the tabernacle was taken down, and the Gershonites and Merarites, who carried it, set out.(AD)

18 The divisions of the camp of Reuben(AE) went next, under their standard.(AF) Elizur son of Shedeur(AG) was in command. 19 Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai was over the division of the tribe of Simeon,(AH) 20 and Eliasaph son of Deuel was over the division of the tribe of Gad.(AI) 21 Then the Kohathites(AJ) set out, carrying the holy things.(AK) The tabernacle was to be set up before they arrived.(AL)

22 The divisions of the camp of Ephraim(AM) went next, under their standard. Elishama son of Ammihud(AN) was in command. 23 Gamaliel son of Pedahzur was over the division of the tribe of Manasseh,(AO) 24 and Abidan son of Gideoni was over the division of the tribe of Benjamin.(AP)

25 Finally, as the rear guard(AQ) for all the units, the divisions of the camp of Dan set out under their standard. Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai(AR) was in command. 26 Pagiel son of Okran was over the division of the tribe of Asher,(AS) 27 and Ahira son of Enan was over the division of the tribe of Naphtali.(AT) 28 This was the order of march for the Israelite divisions as they set out.

29 Now Moses said to Hobab(AU) son of Reuel(AV) the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law,(AW) “We are setting out for the place about which the Lord said, ‘I will give it to you.’(AX) Come with us and we will treat you well, for the Lord has promised good things to Israel.”

30 He answered, “No, I will not go;(AY) I am going back to my own land and my own people.(AZ)

31 But Moses said, “Please do not leave us. You know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you can be our eyes.(BA) 32 If you come with us, we will share with you(BB) whatever good things the Lord gives us.(BC)

33 So they set out(BD) from the mountain of the Lord and traveled for three days. The ark of the covenant of the Lord(BE) went before them during those three days to find them a place to rest.(BF) 34 The cloud of the Lord was over them by day when they set out from the camp.(BG)

35 Whenever the ark set out, Moses said,

“Rise up,(BH) Lord!
    May your enemies be scattered;(BI)
    may your foes flee before you.(BJ)(BK)

36 Whenever it came to rest, he said,

“Return,(BL) Lord,
    to the countless thousands of Israel.(BM)