Numbers 10
Expanded Bible
The Silver Trumpets
10 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Make two trumpets of hammered silver, and use them to call the ·people [community; congregation; assembly] together and to march out of camp. 3 When both trumpets are blown, the ·people [community; congregation; assembly] should gather before you at the entrance to the Meeting Tent. 4 If you blow only one trumpet, the leaders, the heads of the ·family groups [clans] of Israel, should meet before you. 5 When you loudly blow the trumpets, the ·tribes [L camps] camping on the east should move. 6 When you loudly blow them again, the ·tribes [L camps] camping on the south should move; the loud sound will tell them to move. 7 When you want to gather the people, blow the trumpets, but don’t blow them as loudly.
8 “Aaron’s sons, the priests, should blow the trumpets. This is a ·law [perpetual/eternal regulation] for you and your descendants ·from now on [throughout your generations]. 9 When you are fighting an enemy who attacks you in your own land, blow the trumpets loudly. The Lord your God will ·take notice of [remember] you and will save you from your enemies. 10 Also blow your trumpets at happy times and during your feasts and at New Moon festivals [29:6; 1 Sam. 20:5; 2 Kin. 4:23; Ezra 3:5; Ps. 81:3; Is. 1:13; Amos 8:5]. Blow them over your burnt offerings [Lev. 1:1–17] and ·fellowship [or peace; well-being] offerings [Lev. 3:1], because they will help you remember your God. I am the Lord your God.”
The Israelites Move Camp
11 The cloud lifted from the ·Tent [Tabernacle] of the ·Agreement [Testimony; Treaty; Covenant] on the twentieth day of the second month of the second year. 12 So the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] moved from the ·Desert [Wilderness] of Sinai and continued until the cloud stopped in the ·Desert [Wilderness] of Paran. 13 This was their first time to move, and they did it as the Lord had commanded Moses.
14 The divisions from the camp of ·Judah [L the sons/descendants of Judah] moved first under their ·flag [banner]. Nahshon son of Amminadab was the commander. 15 Nethanel son of Zuar was over the division of the tribe of ·Issachar [L the sons/descendants of Issachar]. 16 Eliab son of Helon was over the division of the tribe of ·Zebulun [L the sons/descendants of Zebulun]. 17 Then the ·Holy Tent [Tabernacle] was taken down, and the ·Gershonites [L sons/descendants of Gershon; 3:18, 21–26; 4:21–28] and ·Merarites [L sons/descendants of Merari; 3:20, 33–37; 4:29–33], who carried it, moved next.
18 Then came the divisions from the camp of Reuben under their ·flag [banner], and Elizur son of Shedeur was the commander. 19 Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai was over the division of the tribe of ·Simeon [L the sons/descendants of Simeon]. 20 Eliasaph son of Deuel was over the division of the tribe of Gad. 21 Then came the Kohathites [3:19, 27–32; 4:1–20], who carried the holy things; the ·Holy Tent [Tabernacle] was to be set up before they arrived.
22 Next came the divisions from the camp of ·Ephraim [L the sons/descendants of Ephraim] under their ·flag [banner], and Elishama son of Ammihud was the commander. 23 Gamaliel son of Pedahzur was over the division of the tribe of ·Manasseh [L the sons/descendants of Manasseh], 24 and Abidan son of Gideoni was over the division of the tribe of ·Benjamin [L the sons/descendants of Benjamin].
25 The last ones were the rear guard for all the tribes. These were the divisions from the camp of ·Dan [L the sons/descendants of Dan] under their flag, and Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai was the commander. 26 Pagiel son of Ocran was over the division of the tribe of ·Asher [L the sons/descendants of Asher]; 27 Ahira son of Enan was over the division of the tribe of ·Naphtali [L the sons/descendants of Naphtali]. 28 This was the order the Israelite divisions marched in when they moved.
29 Hobab was the son of Reuel the Midianite, who was Moses’ father-in-law [C also called Jethro; Ex. 2:16]. Moses said to Hobab, “We are moving to the land the Lord promised to give us. Come with us and we will be good to you, because the Lord has promised good things to Israel.”
30 But Hobab answered, “No, I will not go. I will go back to my own land where I was born.”
31 But Moses said, “Please don’t ·leave [abandon; forsake] us. You know where we can camp in the ·desert [wilderness], and you can be our ·guide [L eyes]. 32 Come with us. We will share with you all the good things the Lord gives us.” 33 So they left the mountain of the Lord [C Mount Sinai] and traveled for three days. The Ark of the Lord’s ·Agreement [Treaty; Covenant; Ex. 25:10] went in front of the people for those three days, as they looked for a ·place to camp [resting place]. 34 The Lord’s cloud [C symbolic of God’s presence] was over them during the day when they left their camp.
35 When the Ark left the camp, Moses said,
“Rise up, Lord!
Scatter your enemies:
make those who hate you run from you [C the wilderness journey was seen as a march into battle].”
36 And when the Ark ·was set down [came to rest], Moses said,
“Return, Lord,
to the thousands of people of Israel.”
Numbers 10
The Message
The Two Bugles
10 1-3 God spoke to Moses: “Make two bugles of hammered silver. Use them to call the congregation together and give marching orders to the camps. When you blow them, the whole community will meet you at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting.
4-7 “When a bugle gives a single, short blast, that’s the signal for the leaders, the heads of the clans, to assemble. When it gives a long blast, that’s the signal to march. At the first blast the tribes who were camped on the east set out. At the second blast the camps on the south set out. The long blasts are the signals to march. The bugle call that gathers the assembly is different from the signal to march.
8-10 “The sons of Aaron, the priests, are in charge of blowing the bugles; it’s their assigned duty down through the generations. When you go to war against an aggressor, blow a long blast on the bugle so that God will notice you and deliver you from your enemies. Also at times of celebration, at the appointed feasts and New Moon festivals, blow the bugles over your Whole-Burnt-Offerings and Peace-Offerings: they will keep your attention on God. I am God, your God.”
The March from Sinai to Paran
11-13 In the second year, on the twentieth day of the second month, the Cloud went up from over The Dwelling of The Testimony. At that the People of Israel set out on their travels from the Wilderness of Sinai until the Cloud finally settled in the Wilderness of Paran. They began their march at the command of God through Moses.
14-17 The flag of the camp of Judah led the way, rank after rank under the command of Nahshon son of Amminadab. Nethanel son of Zuar commanded the forces of the tribe of Issachar, and Eliab son of Helon commanded the forces of the tribe of Zebulun. As soon as The Dwelling was taken down, the Gershonites and the Merarites set out, carrying The Dwelling.
18-21 The flag of the camp of Reuben was next with Elizur son of Shedeur in command. Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai commanded the forces of the tribe of Simeon; Eliasaph son of Deuel commanded the forces of the tribe of Gad. Then the Kohathites left, carrying the holy things. By the time they arrived The Dwelling would be set up.
22-24 The flag of the tribe of Ephraim moved out next, commanded by Elishama son of Ammihud. Gamaliel son of Pedahzur commanded the forces of the tribe of Manasseh; Abidan son of Gideoni commanded the forces of the tribe of Benjamin.
25-27 Finally, under the flag of the tribe of Dan, the rear guard of all the camps marched out with Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai in command. Pagiel son of Ocran commanded the forces of the tribe of Asher; Ahira son of Enan commanded the forces of the tribe of Naphtali.
28 These were the marching units of the People of Israel. They were on their way.
29 Moses said to his brother-in-law Hobab son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We’re marching to the place about which God promised, ‘I’ll give it to you.’ Come with us; we’ll treat you well. God has promised good things for Israel.”
30 But Hobab said, “I’m not coming; I’m going back home to my own country, to my own family.”
31-32 Moses countered, “Don’t leave us. You know all the best places to camp in the wilderness. We need your eyes. If you come with us, we’ll make sure that you share in all the good things God will do for us.”
33-36 And so off they marched. From the Mountain of God they marched three days with the Chest of the Covenant of God in the lead to scout out a campsite. The Cloud of God was above them by day when they marched from the camp. With the Chest leading the way, Moses would say,
Get up, God!
Put down your enemies!
Chase those who hate you to the hills!
And when the Chest was set down, he would say,
Rest with us, God,
Stay with the many,
Many thousands of Israel.
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson