Numbers 10

Two Silver Trumpets

1 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 2 "Make two silver trumpets for yourself; you shall make them of hammered work; you shall use them for *Is. 1:13calling the congregation and for directing the movement of the camps. 3 When *Jer. 4:5; Joel 2:15they blow both of them, all the congregation shall gather before you at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. 4 But if they blow only one, then the leaders, the *Ex. 18:21; Num. 1:16; 7:2heads of the divisions of Israel, shall gather to you. 5 When you sound the *Joel 2:1advance, the camps that lie on the east side shall then begin their journey. 6 When you sound the advance the second time, then *Num. 2:3the camps that lie *Num. 2:10on the south side shall begin their journey; they shall sound the call for them to begin their journeys. 7 And when the assembly is to be gathered together, *Num. 10:3you shall blow, but not *Joel 2:1sound the advance. 8 *Num. 31:6; Josh. 6:4; 1 Chr. 15:24; 2 Chr. 13:12The sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets; and these shall be to you as an ordinance forever throughout your generations.

9 *Num. 31:6; Josh. 6:5; 2 Chr. 13:14"When you go to war in your land against the enemy who *Judg. 2:18; 4:3; 6:9; 10:8, 12oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, and you will be *Gen. 8:1; Ps. 106:4remembered before the Lord your God, and you will be saved from your enemies. 10 Also *Lev. 23:24; Num. 29:1; 1 Chr. 15:24; 2 Chr. 5:12; Ps. 81:3in 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 *Lev. 23:24; Num. 10:9a 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 *Num. 9:17was taken up from above the tabernacle of the Testimony. 12 And the children of Israel set out from *Ex. 19:1; Num. 1:1; 9:5the Wilderness of Sinai on *Ex. 40:36their journeys; then the cloud settled down in the *Gen. 21:21; Num. 12:16; Deut. 1:1Wilderness of Paran. 13 So they started out for the first time *Num. 10:5, 6according to the command of the Lord by the hand of Moses.

14 The standard of the camp of the children of Judah *Num. 2:3–9set out first according to their armies; over their army was *Num. 1:7Nahshon 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 *Num. 1:51the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari set out, *Num. 4:21–32; 7:7–9carrying the tabernacle.

18 And *Num. 2:10–16the 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 *Num. 4:4–20; 7:9holy things. (The tabernacle would be prepared for their arrival.)

22 And *Num. 2:18–24the 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 *Num. 2:25–31; Josh. 6:9the 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 *Num. 2:34Thus was the order of march of the children of Israel, according to their armies, when they began their journey.

29 Now Moses said to *Judg. 4:11Hobab the son of *Ex. 2:18; 3:1; 18:12Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, "We are setting out for the place of which the Lord said, *Gen. 12:7; Ex. 6:4–8‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us, and *Judg. 1:16we will treat you well; for *Gen. 32:12; Ex. 3:8the 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 be our *Job 29:15eyes. 32 And it shall be, if you go with us—indeed it shall be—that *Ex. 18:9; Lev. 19:34; Judg. 1:16whatever good the Lord will do to us, the same we will do to you."

33 So they departed from *Ex. 3:1; Deut. 1:6the mountain of the Lord on a journey of three days; and the ark of the covenant of the Lord*Deut. 1:33; Josh. 3:3–6; Ezek. 20:6went before them for the three days’ journey, to search out a resting place for them. 34 And *Ex. 13:21; Neh. 9:12, 19the cloud of the Lordwas above them by day when they went out from the camp.

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

*Ps. 68:1, 2; 132:8; Is. 17:12–14"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."