Numbers 10
Common English Bible
Trumpets
10 The Lord spoke to Moses: 2 Make two silver trumpets and make them from hammered metalwork. Use them for summoning the community and for breaking camp. 3 When both are blown, the entire community will meet you at the entrance of the meeting tent. 4 When one is blown, the chiefs, the leaders of Israel’s divisions, will meet you. 5 When you blow a series of short blasts, the camp on the east side will march. 6 And when you blow a second series of short blasts, the camp on the south side will march. You will blow a series of short blasts to announce their march.
7 To gather the assembly, blow a long blast, not a series of short blasts. 8 Aaron’s sons the priests will blow the trumpets. This will be a permanent regulation for you throughout time.
9 When you go to war in your land against an enemy who is attacking you, you will blow short blasts with the trumpets so that you may be remembered by the Lord your God and be saved from your enemies.
10 On your festival days, your appointed feasts, and at the beginning of your months, you will blow the trumpets over your entirely burned offerings and your well-being sacrifices. They will serve as a reminder of you to your God. I am the Lord your God.
Organization of the wilderness march
11 On the twentieth day of the second month in the second year, the cloud ascended from the covenant dwelling. 12 The Israelites set out on their march from the Sinai desert, and the cloud settled in the Paran desert.
13 They marched for the first time at the Lord’s command through Moses. 14 The banner of Judah’s camp marched first with its military units. Nahshon, Amminadab’s son, commanded its military. 15 Nethanel, Zuar’s son, commanded the military of the tribe of Issachar. 16 Eliab, Helon’s son, commanded the military of the tribe of Zebulun. 17 The dwelling was taken down, and the Gershonites and the Merarites, who carried the dwelling, marched. 18 The banner of Reuben’s camp marched with its military units. Elizur, Shedeur’s son, commanded its military. 19 Shelumiel, Zurishaddai’s son, commanded the military of the tribe of Simeon. 20 Eliasaph, Deuel’s son, commanded the military of the tribe of Gad. 21 The Kohathites, who carried the holy things, marched. The dwelling would be set up before their arrival. 22 The banner of Ephraim’s camp marched with its military units. Elishama, Ammihud’s son, commanded its military. 23 Gamaliel, Pedahzur’s son, commanded the military of the tribe of Manasseh. 24 Abidan, Gideoni’s son, commanded the military of the tribe of Benjamin. 25 The banner of Dan’s camp, at the rear of the whole camp, marched with its military units. Ahiezer, Ammishaddai’s son, commanded its military. 26 Pagiel, Ochran’s son, commanded the military of the tribe of Asher. 27 Ahira, Enan’s son, commanded the military of the tribe of Naphtali. 28 This was the order of departure of the Israelites with their military units when they set out.
The chest leads
29 Moses said to Hobab the Midianite, Reuel’s son and Moses’ father-in-law, “We’re marching to the place about which the Lord has said, ‘I’ll give it to you.’ Come with us and we’ll treat you well, for the Lord has promised to treat Israel well.”
30 Hobab said to him, “I won’t go; I’d rather go to my land and to my folk.”
31 Moses said, “Please don’t abandon us, for you know where we can camp in the desert, and you can be our eyes. 32 If you go with us, whatever good the Lord does for us, we’ll do for you.”
33 They marched from the Lord’s mountain for three days. The Lord’s chest containing the covenant marched ahead of them for three days to look for a resting place for them. 34 Now the Lord’s cloud was over them by day when they marched from the camp. 35 When the chest set out, Moses would say, “Arise, Lord, let your enemies scatter, and those who hate you flee.” 36 When it rested, he would say, “Return, Lord of the ten thousand thousands of Israel.”
Numbers 10
Contemporary English Version
The Silver Trumpets
10 The Lord told Moses:
2 Have someone make two trumpets out of hammered silver. These will be used to call the people together and to give the signal for moving your camp. 3 If both trumpets are blown, everyone is to meet with you at the entrance to the sacred tent. 4 But if just one is blown, only the twelve tribal leaders need to come together.
5-6 Give a signal on a trumpet when it is time to break camp. The first blast will be the signal for the tribes camped on the east side, and the second blast will be the signal for those on the south. 7 But when you want everyone to come together, sound a different signal on the trumpet. 8 The priests of Aaron's family will be the ones to blow the trumpets, and this law will never change.
9 Whenever you go into battle against an enemy attacking your land, give a warning signal on the trumpets. Then I, the Lord, will hear it and rescue you. 10 During the celebration of the New Moon Festival and other religious festivals, sound the trumpets while you offer sacrifices. This will be a reminder that I am the Lord your God.
The Israelites Begin Their Journey
11 On the twentieth day of the second month[a] of that same year, the cloud over the sacred tent moved on. 12 So the Israelites broke camp and left the Sinai Desert. And some time later, the cloud stopped in the Paran Desert.[b] 13 This was the first time the Lord had told Moses to command the people of Israel to move on.
14 Judah and the tribes that camped alongside it marched out first, carrying their banner. Nahshon son of Amminadab was the leader of the Judah tribe, 15 Nethanel son of Zuar was the leader of the Issachar tribe, 16 and Eliab son of Helon was the leader of the Zebulun tribe.
17 The sacred tent had been taken down, and the Gershonites and the Merarites carried it, marching behind the Judah camp.
18 Reuben and the tribes that camped alongside it marched out second, carrying their banner. Elizur son of Shedeur was the leader of the Reuben tribe, 19 Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai was the leader of the Simeon tribe, 20 and Eliasaph son of Deuel was the leader of the Gad tribe.
21 Next were the Kohathites, carrying the objects for the sacred tent, which was to be set up before they arrived at the new camp.
22 Ephraim and the tribes that camped alongside it marched next, carrying their banner. Elishama son of Ammihud was the leader of the Ephraim tribe, 23 Gamaliel son of Pedahzur was the leader of the Manasseh tribe, 24 and Abidan son of Gideoni was the leader of the Benjamin tribe.
25 Dan and the tribes that camped alongside it were to protect the Israelites against an attack from behind, and so they marched last, carrying their banner. Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai was the leader of the tribe of Dan, 26 Pagiel son of Ochran was the leader of the Asher tribe, 27 and Ahira son of Enan was the leader of the Naphtali tribe.
28 This was the order in which the Israelites marched each time they moved their camp.
29 Hobab[c] the Midianite, the father-in-law of Moses, was there. And Moses said to him, “We're leaving for the place the Lord has promised us. He has said that all will go well for us. So come along, and we will make sure that all goes well for you.”
30 “No, I won't go,” Hobab answered. “I'm returning home to be with my own people.”
31 “Please go with us!” Moses said. “You can be our guide because you know the places to camp in the desert. 32 Besides that, if you go, we will give you a share of the good things the Lord gives us.”
33 The people of Israel began their journey from Mount Sinai.[d] They traveled three days, and the Levites who carried the sacred chest led the way, so the Lord could show them where to camp. 34 And the cloud always stayed with them.
35 (A) Each day as the Israelites began their journey, Moses would pray, “Our Lord, defeat your enemies and make them run!” 36 And when they stopped to set up camp, he would pray, “Our Lord, stay close to Israel's thousands and thousands of people.”
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