Numbers 10
English Standard Version
The Silver Trumpets
10 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Make two silver trumpets. Of hammered work you shall make them, and you shall use them for (A)summoning the congregation and for breaking camp. 3 And when (B)both are blown, all the congregation shall gather themselves to you at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 4 But if they blow only one, then (C)the chiefs, the heads of the tribes of Israel, shall gather themselves to you. 5 When you blow an alarm, (D)the camps that are on the east side shall set out. 6 And when you blow an alarm the second time, (E)the camps that are on the south side shall set out. An alarm is to be blown whenever they are to set out. 7 But when the assembly is to be gathered together, (F)you shall blow a long blast, but you shall not (G)sound an alarm. 8 (H)And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets. The trumpets shall be to you for a perpetual statute throughout your generations. 9 And (I)when you go to war in your land against the adversary who (J)oppresses you, then you shall (K)sound an alarm with the trumpets, that you may be (L)remembered before the Lord your God, and you shall be saved from your enemies. 10 (M)On the day of your gladness also, and at your appointed feasts and (N)at the beginnings of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings. They shall be (O)a reminder of you before your God: I am the Lord your God.”
Israel Leaves Sinai
11 In the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, (P)the cloud lifted from over the tabernacle of the testimony, 12 and the people of Israel (Q)set out by stages from the (R)wilderness of Sinai. And the cloud settled down in the (S)wilderness of Paran. 13 They set out for the first time (T)at the command of the Lord by Moses. 14 The standard of the camp of the people of Judah set out (U)first by their companies, and over their company was (V)Nahshon the son of Amminadab. 15 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Issachar was Nethanel the son of Zuar. 16 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon.
17 And when (W)the tabernacle was taken down, the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, (X)who carried the tabernacle, set out. 18 And (Y)the standard of the camp of Reuben set out by their companies, and over their company was (Z)Elizur the son of Shedeur. 19 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Simeon was (AA)Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. 20 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Gad was (AB)Eliasaph the son of (AC)Deuel.
21 Then the Kohathites set out, (AD)carrying the holy things, and (AE)the tabernacle was set up before their arrival. 22 And (AF)the standard of the camp of the people of Ephraim set out by their companies, and over their company was (AG)Elishama the son of Ammihud. 23 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Manasseh was (AH)Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. 24 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Benjamin was (AI)Abidan the son of Gideoni.
25 Then (AJ)the standard of the camp of the people of Dan, acting as the (AK)rear guard of all the camps, set out by their companies, and over their company was (AL)Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. 26 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Asher was (AM)Pagiel the son of Ochran. 27 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Naphtali was (AN)Ahira the son of Enan. 28 (AO)This was the order of march of the people of Israel by their companies, when they set out.
29 And Moses said to Hobab the son of (AP)Reuel the Midianite, Moses' father-in-law, “We are setting out for the place of which the Lord said, (AQ)‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us, and we will do good to you, for (AR)the Lord has promised good to Israel.” 30 But he said to him, “I will not go. I will depart to my own land and to my kindred.” 31 And he said, “Please do not leave us, for you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you will serve (AS)as eyes for us. 32 And if you do go with us, (AT)whatever good the Lord will do to us, the same will we do to you.”
33 So they set out from (AU)the mount of the Lord three days' journey. And the ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them three days' journey, to seek out (AV)a resting place for them. 34 (AW)And the cloud of the Lord was over them by day, whenever they set out from the camp.
35 And whenever the ark set out, Moses said, (AX)“Arise, O Lord, and let your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate you flee before you.” 36 And when it rested, he said, “Return, O Lord, to the ten thousand thousands of Israel.”
Numbers 10
International Standard Version
Silver Trumpets
10 The Lord also told Moses, 2 “Make two trumpets, crafting them from beaten silver, for use in calling the congregation together and for notifying the camps to set out for travel. 3 Sound them when the whole assembly is to gather together at the entrance to the appointed place of meeting. 4 When one trumpet is blown, the elders and the heads of the thousands of the Israelis are to gather to you. 5 When you sound an alarm, the ones encamped on the east side are to begin to travel. 6 When you sound the alarm the second time, those encamped on the south are to begin to travel. Alarms are to be sounded for their travels. 7 But when you blow the trumpet to assemble the whole congregation, don’t use the same sound as you do for sounding an alarm.[a] 8 The descendants of Aaron the priest are to blow the trumpets. Have them do this for you permanently throughout your generations to come.”
Sounding the Trumpet in Battle
9 “When you wage war in your land against an enemy who is hostile to you, you are to sound an alarm with the trumpets. Then you will be remembered before the face of the Lord your God and you will be delivered from your enemies. 10 At the beginning of the month, during your time of rejoicing at the appointed place, sound the trumpet over your burnt offering, then sacrifice your peace offering, since they are to be your memorial before the Lord your God. I am the Lord your God.”
Order of Travel in the Wilderness
11 On the twentieth day of the second month in the second year, the cloud was lifted up from the Tent of Meeting, 12 so the Israelis set out from the Sinai Wilderness until the cloud settled in the Paran Wilderness, 13 doing what the Lord had said through Moses.
14 The standard of the camp of Judah was the first to travel, accompanied by its army with Amminadab’s son Nahshon in charge. 15 Zuar’s son Nethanel was in charge of the camp of Issachar. 16 Helon’s son Eliab was in charge of the camp of Zebulun. 17 The tent was taken down, and the descendants of Gershon and Merari carried the tent.
18 Then the standard of the camp of Reuben set out, accompanied by its army with Shedeur’s son Elizur in charge. 19 Zurishaddai’s son Shelumiel was in charge of the tribe of Simeon. 20 Deuel’s son Eliasaph was in charge of the tribe of Gad. 21 Then the descendants of Kohath, carrying the sanctuary, set out, since the tent was to be set up before they arrive.
22 After this, the standard of the camp of Ephraim set out, accompanied by its army with Ammihud’s son Elishama in charge. 23 Pedazzur’s son Gamaliel was in charge of the tribe of Manasseh. 24 Gideoni’s son Abidan was in charge of the army of the tribe of Benjamin.
25 Then the standard of the camp of Dan set out, functioning as the rear guard for all the encampments, accompanied by its army with Ammishaddai’s son Ahiezer. 26 Ochran’s son Pagiel was in charge of the tribe of Asher. 27 Enan’s son Ahira was in charge of the tribe of Naphtali.
28 This was the travel order for the Israelis, whenever their companies traveled.
Moses invites His Father-in-Law to Accompany Israel
29 Then Moses told Reuel’s son Hobab, Moses’ relative by marriage[b] from Midian, “We are traveling to the place about which the Lord said ‘I will give it to you.’ So come with us and we’ll be good to you, because the Lord has spoken good things about Israel.”
30 But he said, “I won’t go with you because I’m returning to my land and to my own family.”
31 Then Moses[c] responded, “Please don’t leave us now, since you know where we can camp in the wilderness. You could be our guide.[d] 32 And when you come with us, the good things that the Lord will grant us, we’ll give you as well.”[e]
33 So they traveled from the mountain of the Lord, a three-day trip, with the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord traveling in front of them—a three day trip to explore a place for them to rest. 34 Moreover, the cloud of the Lord protected them during the day when they left their camp. 35 Whenever the ark was ready to travel, Moses would say:
“Arise, Lord,
to scatter your enemies,
so that whoever hates you
will flee from your presence.”
36 Whenever the ark was being readied to rest, he would say:
“Return, Lord,
to the countless thousands of Israel.”
Footnotes
- Numbers 10:7 The Heb. lacks as you do for sounding an alarm
- Numbers 10:29 The Heb. word can connote any family relationship established through marriage, including father-in-law or brother-in-law; cf. Judg 4:11; Exod 2:18 3:1, 18.
- Numbers 10:31 Lit. he
- Numbers 10:31 Lit. be eyes for us
- Numbers 10:32 Lit. we’ll cause to be good to you
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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