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
Numbers 10
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 10
The Silver Trumpets. 1 The Lord said to Moses: 2 Make two trumpets of silver, making them of hammered silver, for you to use in summoning the community and in breaking camp. 3 When both are blown, the whole community shall gather round you at the entrance of the tent of meeting; 4 but when one of them is blown, only the tribal leaders, the heads of the clans of Israel, shall gather round you. 5 When you sound the signal, those encamped on the east side shall break camp; 6 when you sound a second signal, those encamped on the south side shall break camp; when you sound a third signal, those encamped on the west side shall break camp; when you sound a fourth signal, those encamped on the north side shall break camp. Thus shall the signal be sounded for them to break camp. 7 But in calling forth an assembly you are to blow a blast, without sounding the signal.
8 The sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets; this is prescribed forever for you and your descendants. 9 (A)When in your own land you go to war against an enemy that is attacking you, you shall sound the alarm on the trumpets, and you shall be remembered before the Lord, your God, and be saved from your foes. 10 And when you rejoice[a] on your festivals, and your new-moon feasts, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and your communion sacrifices,(B) so that this serves as a reminder of you before your God. I, the Lord, am your God.
II. Departure, Rebellion, and Wandering in the Wilderness for Forty Years
Departure from Sinai. 11 In the second year, on the twentieth day of the second month, the cloud rose from the tabernacle of the covenant, 12 and the Israelites moved on from the wilderness of Sinai by stages, until the cloud came to rest in the wilderness of Paran.
13 The first time that they broke camp at the direction of the Lord through Moses, 14 (C)the divisional camp of the Judahites, arranged in companies, was the first to set out. Over its whole company was Nahshon, son of Amminadab, 15 with Nethanel, son of Zuar, over the company of the tribe of Issacharites, 16 and Eliab, son of Helon, over the company of the tribe of Zebulunites. 17 Then, after the tabernacle was dismantled, the Gershonites and Merarites who carried the tabernacle set out. 18 The divisional camp of the Reubenites, arranged in companies, was the next to set out. Over its whole company was Elizur, son of Shedeur, 19 with Shelumiel, son of Zurishaddai, over the company of the tribe of Simeonites, 20 and Eliasaph, son of Reuel, over the company of the tribe of Gadites. 21 The Kohathites, who carried the sacred objects, then set out. Before their arrival the tabernacle would be erected. 22 The divisional camp of the Ephraimites set out next, arranged in companies. Over its whole company was Elishama, son of Ammihud, 23 with Gamaliel, son of Pedahzur, over the company of the tribe of Manassites, 24 and Abidan, son of Gideoni, over the company of the tribe of Benjaminites. 25 Finally, as rear guard for all the camps, the divisional camp of the Danites set out, arranged in companies. Over its whole company was Ahiezer, son of Ammishaddai, 26 with Pagiel, son of Ochran, over the company of the tribe of Asherites, 27 and Ahira, son of Enan, over the company of the tribe of Naphtalites. 28 This was the order of march for the Israelites, company by company, when they set out.
Hobab as Guide. 29 Moses said to Hobab,[b] son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We are setting out for the place concerning which the Lord has said, ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us, and we will be generous toward you, for the Lord has promised prosperity to Israel.” 30 But he answered, “No, I will not come. I am going instead to the land of my birth.” 31 Moses said, “Please, do not leave us; you know where we can camp in the wilderness, and you can serve as our guide. 32 If you come with us, we will share with you the prosperity the Lord will bestow on us.”
Into the Wilderness. 33 (D)From the mountain of the Lord[c] they made a journey of three days, and the ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them for the three-day journey to seek out a resting place for them. 34 And the cloud of the Lord was over them by day when they set out from camp.
35 Whenever the ark set out, Moses would say,
“Arise, O Lord, may your enemies be scattered,
and may those who hate you flee before you.”
36 And when it came to rest, he would say,
“Bring back, O Lord, the myriads of Israel’s troops!”
Footnotes
- 10:10 When you rejoice: cf. Dt 16:14. Festivals: the great annual feasts of the Passover, Pentecost and Booths described in Lv 23; Nm 28–29.
- 10:29–32 Hobab: one of three names for the father-in-law of Moses (see Ex 2:18; 4:18; 18:6; Jgs 4:11). Here perhaps Hobab’s initial refusal indicates he wished to be coaxed before granting the favor. From Jgs 1:16 it seems probable that he did accede to Moses’ request. However, Ex 18:27 suggests Moses’ father-in-law returned to his own land. Indeed, to the extent Nm 10:29–32 appears to repeat Ex 18:27, it may indicate a resumption of the narrative of Israel’s march through the wilderness after the “digression” formed by the Israelite sojourn at Sinai, Ex 19:1–Nm 10:28.
- 10:33 The mountain of the Lord: Sinai (Horeb), elsewhere always called “the mountain of God.”
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