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10 Adonai said to Moshe, “Make two trumpets; make them of hammered silver. Use them for summoning the community and for sounding the call to break camp and move on. When they are sounded, the entire community is to assemble before you at the entrance to the tent of meeting. If only one is sounded, then just the leaders, the heads of the clans of Isra’el, are to assemble before you.

“When you sound an alarm, the camps to the east will commence traveling. When you sound a second alarm, the camps to the south will set out; they will sound alarms to announce when to travel. However, when the community is to be assembled, you are to sound; but don’t sound an alarm. It will be the sons of Aharon, the cohanim, who are to sound the trumpets; this will be a permanent regulation for you through all your generations.

“When you go to war in your land against an adversary who is oppressing you, you are to sound an alarm with the trumpets; then you will be remembered before Adonai your God, and you will be saved from your enemies.

10 “Also on your days of rejoicing, at your designated times and on Rosh-Hodesh, you are to sound the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; these will be your reminder before your God. I am Adonai your God.”

(v) 11 On the twentieth day of the second month of the second year, the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle of the testimony; 12 and the people of Isra’el moved out in stages from the Sinai Desert. The cloud stopped in the Pa’ran Desert.

13 So they set out on their first journey, in keeping with Adonai’s order through Moshe. 14 In the lead was the banner of the camp of the descendants of Y’hudah, whose companies moved forward; over his company was Nachshon the son of ‘Amminadav. 15 Over the company of the tribe of the descendants of Yissakhar was N’tan’el the son of Tzu‘ar. 16 Over the company of the descendants of Z’vulun was Eli’av the son of Helon.

17 Then the tabernacle was taken down; and the descendants of Gershon and the descendants of M’rari set out, carrying the tabernacle.

18 Next, the banner of the camp of Re’uven moved forward by companies; over his company was Elitzur the son of Sh’de’ur. 19 Over the company of the tribe of the descendants of Shim‘on was Shlumi’el the son of Tzurishaddai. 20 Over the company of the descendants of Gad was Elyasaf the son of De‘u’el.

21 Then the descendants of K’hat set out, carrying the sanctuary, so that [at the next camp] the tabernacle could be set up before they arrived.

22 The banner of the camp of the descendants of Efrayim moved forward by companies; over his company was Elishama the son of ‘Ammihud. 23 Over the company of the tribe of the descendants of M’nasheh was Gamli’el the son of P’dahtzur. 24 Over the company of the descendants of Binyamin was Avidan the son of Gid‘oni.

25 The banner of the camp of the descendants of Dan, forming the rearguard for all the camps, moved forward by companies; over his company was Achi‘ezer the son of ‘Ammishaddai. 26 Over the company of the tribe of the descendants of Asher was Pag‘i’el the son of ‘Okhran. 27 Over the company of the descendants of Naftali was Achira the son of ‘Enan.

28 This is how the people of Isra’el traveled by companies; thus they moved forward.

(S: vi) 29 Moshe said to Hovav the son of Re‘u’el the Midyani, Moshe’s father-in-law, “We are traveling to the place about which Adonai said, ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us, and we will treat you well, because Adonai has promised good things to Isra’el.” 30 But he replied, “I will not go; I would rather go back to my own country and my own kinsmen.” 31 Moshe continued, “Please don’t leave us, because you know that we have to camp in the desert, and you can serve as our eyes. 32 If you do go with us, then whatever good Adonai does for us, we will do the same for you.”

33 So they set out from Adonai’s mountain and traveled for three days. Ahead of them on this three-day journey went the ark of Adonai’s covenant, searching for a new place to stop. 34 The cloud of Adonai was over them during the day as they set out from the camp. (A: vi) 35 When the ark moved forward, Moshe said,

“Arise, Adonai! May your enemies be scattered!
Let those who hate you flee before you!”

36 When it stopped, he said,

“Return, Adonai of the many, many
thousands of Isra’el!”

The Silver Trumpets

10 The Lord spoke further to Moses, saying, “Make yourself two trumpets of silver, you shall make them of hammered work; and you shall use them for (A)summoning the congregation and breaking camp. Now (B)when both are blown, all the congregation shall meet you at the entrance of the tent of meeting. But if only one is blown, then the (C)leaders, the heads of the [a]divisions of Israel, shall meet you. And when you blow an alarm, the camps that are pitched (D)on the east side shall set out. Then when you sound an alarm the second time, the camps that are pitched on (E)the south side shall set out; an alarm is to be sounded for them to break camp. When convening the assembly, however, you shall blow the trumpets without (F)sounding an alarm. (G)The sons of Aaron, moreover, the priests, shall blow the trumpets; and this shall be a permanent statute for you throughout your generations. And when you go to war in your land against the enemy who (H)attacks you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, so that you will be (I)thought of by the Lord your God, and be saved from your enemies. 10 Also on the day of your joy and at your appointed [b]feasts, and on the first days of your months, (J)you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; and they shall be as a reminder of you before your God. I am the Lord your God.”

The Tribes Leave Sinai

11 Now in (K)the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth of the month, the cloud was lifted from above the [c]tabernacle of the testimony; 12 and the sons of Israel set out on (L)their journeys from the wilderness of Sinai. Then the cloud settled in the (M)wilderness of Paran. 13 (N)So they moved on for the first time in accordance with the [d]command of the Lord through Moses. 14 The [e]flag of the camp of the sons of Judah, by their armies, (O)set out first, with Nahshon the son of Amminadab, over its army, 15 and Nethanel the son of Zuar, over the tribal army of the sons of Issachar; 16 and Eliab the son of Helon over the tribal army of the sons of Zebulun.

17 (P)Then the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, who were carrying the tabernacle, set out. 18 Next (Q)the flag of the camp of Reuben, by their armies, set out with Elizur the son of Shedeur, over its army, 19 and Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai over the tribal army of the sons of Simeon, 20 and Eliasaph the son of Deuel was over the tribal army of the sons of Gad.

21 (R)Then the Kohathites set out, carrying the holy objects; and (S)the tabernacle was set up before their arrival. 22 (T)Next the flag of the camp of the sons of Ephraim, by their armies, set out, with Elishama the son of Ammihud over its army, 23 and Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur over the tribal army of the sons of Manasseh; 24 and Abidan the son of Gideoni over the tribal army of the sons of Benjamin.

25 (U)Then the flag of the camp of the sons of Dan, by their armies, which formed the (V)rear guard for all the camps, set out, with Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai over its army, 26 and Pagiel the son of Ochran over the tribal army of the sons of Asher; 27 and Ahira the son of Enan over the tribal army of the sons of Naphtali. 28 [f]This was the order of marching for the sons of Israel by their armies as they set out.

29 Then Moses said to (W)Hobab the son of (X)Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We are setting out to the place of which the Lord said, ‘(Y)I will give it to you.’ (Z)Come with us and we will do you good, for the Lord (AA)has [g]promised good concerning Israel.” 30 But he said to him, “(AB)I will not come, but rather will go to my own land and relatives.” 31 Then he said, “Please do not leave us, since you know [h]where we should camp in the wilderness, and you (AC)will be as eyes for us. 32 So it will be, if you go with us, that [i](AD)whatever good the Lord [j]does for us, (AE)we will [k]do for you.”

33 (AF)So they moved on from the mountain of the Lord three days’ journey, with (AG)the ark of the covenant of the Lord going on in front of them for the [l]three days, to seek out (AH)a resting place for them. 34 (AI)And the cloud of the Lord was over them by day when they set out from the camp.

35 Then it came about when the ark set out that Moses said,

(AJ)Rise up, Lord!
And may Your enemies be scattered,
And those (AK)who hate You flee from Your presence.”

36 And when it came to rest, he said,

(AL)Return, Lord,
To the myriad (AM)thousands of Israel.”

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 10:4 Lit thousands; or clans
  2. Numbers 10:10 Or times
  3. Numbers 10:11 Lit dwelling place, and so throughout the ch
  4. Numbers 10:13 Lit mouth
  5. Numbers 10:14 Or division, and so throughout the ch
  6. Numbers 10:28 Lit These were the regulations for the order
  7. Numbers 10:29 Lit spoken
  8. Numbers 10:31 Lit our camping
  9. Numbers 10:32 Lit that good which
  10. Numbers 10:32 Lit does good
  11. Numbers 10:32 Lit do good
  12. Numbers 10:33 Lit three days’ journey