Numbers 10
Modern English Version
The Silver Trumpets
10 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 2 Make for yourself two silver trumpets. Of a hammered work you will make them, and you will use them for summoning of the assembly and directing the breaking up of the camps. 3 When they blow both of them, all the assembly will assemble themselves to you at the door of the tent of meeting. 4 If they blow only one, then the leaders, who are heads of the thousands of Israel, will gather themselves to you. 5 When you blow an alarm, then the camps that lie on the east will set out. 6 When you blow an alarm the second time, then the camps that lie on the south will set out. They will blow an alarm for their setting out. 7 But when the assembly is to be gathered together, you will blow, but you will not sound an alarm.
8 The sons of Aaron, the priests, will blow the trumpets, and they will be to you as an ordinance forever throughout your generations. 9 And if you go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresses you, then you will blow an alarm with the trumpets, and you will be remembered before the Lord your God, and you will be saved from your enemies. 10 Also in the day of your gladness, and at your appointed days, and in the beginnings of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings that they may be a memorial for you before your God. I am the Lord your God.
The Departure From Sinai
11 And it was on the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, that the cloud was lifted up from over the tabernacle of the testimony. 12 The children of Israel set out from the Wilderness of Sinai. And the cloud dwelt in the Wilderness of Paran. 13 And they set out for the first time at the command of the Lord by the hand of Moses.
14 And the standard of the camp of the sons of Judah set out first by their armies, and over his armies was Nahshon the son of Amminadab. 15 Over the armies of the tribe of the children of Issachar was Nethanel the son of Zuar. 16 Over the armies of the tribe of the children of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon. 17 The tabernacle was taken down, and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari set out, carrying the tabernacle.
18 The standard of the camp of Reuben set out by their armies, and over his armies was Elizur the son of Shedeur. 19 Over the armies of the tribe of the children of Simeon was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. 20 Over the armies of the tribe of the children of Gad was Eliasaph the son of Deuel. 21 The Kohathites set out, carrying the sanctuary, and they set up the tabernacle before they came.
22 The standard of the camp of the children of Ephraim set out by their armies, and over his armies was Elishama the son of Ammihud. 23 Over the armies of the tribe of the children of Manasseh was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. 24 Over the armies of the tribe of the children of Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gideoni.
25 Then the standard of the camp of the children of Dan set out, which was the rear guard of all the camps by their armies, and over his armies was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. 26 Over the armies of the tribe of the children of Asher was Pagiel the son of Okran. 27 Over the armies of the tribe of the children of Naphtali was Ahira the son of Enan. 28 This was the order of march of the children of Israel, company by company, when they set out.
29 Moses said to Hobab, the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We are setting out to the place of which the Lord said, ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us, and we will do good to you because the Lord has spoken good concerning Israel.”
30 Hobab said to him, “I will not go. But I will depart to my own land, and to my kindred.”
31 So Moses said, “Please do not leave us, because you know where to camp in the wilderness, and you may be our eyes. 32 Moreover, if you go with us, then it will be that whatever good the Lord will do for us, we will likewise do for you.”
33 They set out three days from the mountain of the Lord, and the ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them the three days’ journey, to find a resting place for them. 34 And the cloud of the Lord was over them by day when they set out from of the camp.
35 And it was, when the ark set out, that Moses said,
“Rise up, O Lord,
and let Your enemies be scattered,
and let them that hate You flee before You.”
36 And when it rested, he said,
“Return, O Lord,
to the multitude of thousands of Israel.”
Numbers 10
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Two Silver Trumpets
10 The Lord spoke to Moses: 2 “Make two trumpets of hammered silver to summon the community(A) and have the camps set out. 3 When both are sounded in long blasts, the entire community is to gather before you at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 4 However, if one is sounded, only the leaders, the heads of Israel’s clans,(B) are to gather before you.
5 “When you sound short blasts, the camps pitched on the east(C) are to set out. 6 When you sound short blasts a second time, the camps pitched on the south(D) are to set out. Short blasts are to be sounded for them to set out. 7 When calling the assembly together, you are to sound long blasts, not short ones. 8 The sons of Aaron, the priests, are to sound the trumpets. Your use of these is a permanent statute throughout your generations.
9 “When you enter into battle in your land against an adversary who is attacking you, sound short blasts on the trumpets, and you will be remembered before the Lord your God and be delivered from your enemies.(E) 10 You are to sound the trumpets over your burnt offerings and your fellowship sacrifices and on your joyous occasions, your appointed festivals, and the beginning of each of your months. They will serve as a reminder for you before your God: I am Yahweh your God.”(F)
From Sinai to Paran
11 During the second year, in the second month on the twentieth day of the month, the cloud was lifted up above the tabernacle of the testimony. 12 The Israelites traveled on from the Wilderness of Sinai, moving from one place to the next(G) until the cloud stopped in the Wilderness of Paran.(H) 13 They set out for the first time according to the Lord’s command through Moses.(I)
14 The military divisions of the camp of Judah with their banner set out first, and Nahshon son of Amminadab(J) was over Judah’s divisions. 15 Nethanel son of Zuar(K) was over the division of the Issachar tribe, 16 and Eliab son of Helon was over the division of the Zebulun tribe. 17 The tabernacle was then taken down, and the Gershonites and the Merarites set out, transporting the tabernacle.
18 The military divisions of the camp of Reuben with their banner set out, and Elizur son of Shedeur was over Reuben’s division. 19 Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai(L) was over the division of Simeon’s tribe, 20 and Eliasaph son of Deuel was over the division of the tribe of Gad. 21 The Kohathites then set out, transporting the holy objects;(M) the tabernacle was to be set up before their arrival.
22 Next the military divisions of the camp of Ephraim with their banner set out, and Elishama son of Ammihud(N) was over Ephraim’s division. 23 Gamaliel son of Pedahzur was over the division of the tribe of Manasseh, 24 and Abidan son of Gideoni was over the division of the tribe of Benjamin.
25 The military divisions of the camp of Dan with their banner set out, serving as rear guard for all the camps, and Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai(O) was over Dan’s division. 26 Pagiel son of Ochran was over the division of the tribe of Asher, 27 and Ahira son of Enan was over the division of the tribe of Naphtali. 28 This was the order of march for the Israelites by their military divisions as they set out.
29 Moses said to Hobab, son of Moses’ father-in-law[a] Reuel[b](P) the Midianite: “We’re setting out for the place the Lord promised: ‘I will give it to you.’(Q) Come with us, and we will treat you well, for the Lord has promised good things to Israel.”(R)
30 But he replied to him, “I don’t want to go. Instead, I will go to my own land and my relatives.”
31 “Please don’t leave us,” Moses said, “since you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you can serve as our eyes. 32 If you come with us, whatever good the Lord does for us we will do for you.”(S)
33 They set out from the mountain of the Lord on a three-day journey with the ark of the Lord’s covenant traveling ahead of them for those three days to seek a resting place for them.(T) 34 Meanwhile, the cloud of the Lord was over them by day when they set out from the camp.
35 Whenever the ark set out, Moses would say:
Arise, Lord!
Let Your enemies be scattered,
and those who hate You flee from Your presence.(U)
36 When it came to rest, he would say:
Return, Lord,
to the countless thousands of Israel.(V)
Footnotes
- Numbers 10:29 Or said to Hobab’s brother-in-law
- Numbers 10:29 = Jethro; Ex 2:16-18; 3:1; 4:18
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
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