Two Silver Trumpets

10 The Lord spoke to Moses: “Make two trumpets of hammered silver to summon the community(A) and have the camps set out. When both are sounded in long blasts, the entire community is to gather before you at the entrance to the tent of meeting. However, if one is sounded, only the leaders, the heads of Israel’s clans,(B) are to gather before you.

“When you sound short blasts, the camps pitched on the east(C) are to set out. 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. When calling the assembly together, you are to sound long blasts, not short ones. The sons of Aaron, the priests, are to sound the trumpets. Your use of these is a permanent statute throughout your generations.

“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 saved 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 the Lord 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’s descendants with their banner set out first, and Nahshon son of Amminadab(J) was over their divisions. 15 Nethanel son of Zuar(K) was over the division of the tribe of Issachar’s descendants, 16 and Eliab son of Helon was over the division of the tribe of Zebulun’s descendants. 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 their divisions. 19 Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai(L) was over the division of the tribe of Simeon’s descendants, 20 and Eliasaph son of Deuel[a] was over the division of the tribe of Gad’s descendants. 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’s descendants with their banner set out, and Elishama son of Ammihud(N) was over their divisions. 23 Gamaliel son of Pedahzur was over the division of the tribe of Manasseh’s descendants, 24 and Abidan son of Gideoni was over the division of the tribe of Benjamin’s descendants.

25 The military divisions of the camp of Dan’s descendants with their banner set out, serving as rear guard for all the camps, and Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai(O) was over their divisions. 26 Pagiel son of Ochran was over the division of the tribe of Asher’s descendants, 27 and Ahira son of Enan was over the division of the tribe of Naphtali’s descendants. 28 This was the order of march for the Israelites by their military divisions as they set out.

29 Moses said to Hobab, descendant of Reuel(P) the Midianite and Moses’s relative by marriage, “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

  1. 10:20 LXX, Syr read Reuel

The Silver Trumpets

10 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Make two silver trumpets; you shall make them of hammered work, and you shall use them for summoning the congregation and for breaking camp. When both are blown, the whole congregation shall assemble before you at the entrance of the tent of meeting.(A) But if only one is blown, then the leaders, the heads of the tribes of Israel, shall assemble before you. When you blow an alarm, the camps on the east side shall set out;(B) when you blow a second alarm, the camps on the south side shall set out. An alarm is to be blown whenever they are to set out.(C) But when the assembly is to be gathered, you shall blow, but you shall not sound an alarm. The sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets; this shall be a perpetual institution for you throughout your generations.(D) When you go to war in your land against the adversary who oppresses you, you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, so that you may be remembered before the Lord your God and be saved from your enemies.(E) 10 Also on your days of rejoicing, at your appointed festivals, and at the beginnings of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over your sacrifices of well-being; they shall serve as a reminder on your behalf before the Lord your God: I am the Lord your God.”(F)

Departure from Sinai

11 In the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, the cloud lifted from over the tabernacle of the covenant.(G) 12 Then the Israelites set out by stages from the wilderness of Sinai, and the cloud settled down in the wilderness of Paran. 13 They set out for the first time at the command of the Lord by Moses.(H) 14 The standard of the camp of Judah set out first, company by company, and over the whole company was Nahshon son of Amminadab.(I) 15 Over the company of the tribe of Issachar was Nethanel son of Zuar, 16 and over the company of the tribe of Zebulun was Eliab son of Helon.

17 Then the tabernacle was taken down, and the Gershonites and the Merarites, who carried the tabernacle, set out.(J) 18 Next the standard of the camp of Reuben set out, company by company, and over the whole company was Elizur son of Shedeur.(K) 19 Over the company of the tribe of Simeon was Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai, 20 and over the company of the tribe of Gad was Eliasaph son of Deuel.

21 Then the Kohathites, who carried the holy things, set out, and the tabernacle was set up before their arrival.(L) 22 Next the standard of the camp of Ephraim set out, company by company, and over the whole company was Elishama son of Ammihud.(M) 23 Over the company of the tribe of Manasseh was Gamaliel son of Pedahzur, 24 and over the company of the tribe of Benjamin was Abidan son of Gideoni.

25 Then the standard of the camp of Dan, acting as the rear guard of all the camps, set out, company by company, and over the whole company was Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.(N) 26 Over the company of the tribe of Asher was Pagiel son of Ochran, 27 and over the company of the tribe of Naphtali was Ahira son of Enan. 28 This was the order of march of the Israelites, company by company, when they set out.

29 Moses said to Hobab son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’s father-in-law, “We are setting out for the place of which the Lord said, ‘I will give it to you’; come with us, and we will treat you well, for the Lord has promised good to Israel.”(O) 30 But he said to him, “I will not go, but I will go back to my own land and to my kindred.” 31 He said, “Do not leave us, for you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you will serve as eyes for us. 32 Moreover, if you go with us, whatever good the Lord does for us, the same we will do for you.”(P)

33 So they set out from the mount of the Lord three days’ journey with the ark of the covenant of the Lord going before them three days’ journey, to seek out a resting place for them,(Q) 34 the cloud of the Lord being over them by day when they set out from the camp.(R)

35 Whenever the ark set out, Moses would say,

“Arise, O Lord, let your enemies be scattered
    and your foes flee before you.”(S)

36 And whenever it came to rest, he would say,

“Return, O Lord, to the ten thousand thousands of Israel.”[a]

Footnotes

  1. 10.36 Meaning of Heb uncertain