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
Amplified Bible
The Silver Trumpets
10 The Lord spoke further to Moses, saying, 2 “Make two trumpets of silver; you shall make them of hammered work. You shall use them to summon the congregation and to have the camps move out. 3 When both are blown, all the congregation [that is, all adult males] shall gather before you at the doorway of the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle). 4 However, if a single trumpet is blown, then the leaders, heads of the tribes of Israel, shall gather themselves to you. 5 When you blow an alarm, the camps on the east side [of the tabernacle] shall set out. 6 When you blow an alarm the second time, then the camps on the south side [of the tabernacle] shall set out. They shall blow an alarm whenever they are to move out [on their journeys]. 7 When the assembly is to be gathered, you shall blow [the trumpets in short, sharp tones], but without sounding an alarm. 8 The sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets; and the trumpets shall be for you a perpetual statute throughout your generations. 9 When you go to war in your land against the enemy that attacks you, then sound an alarm with the trumpets, so that you may be remembered before the Lord your God, and you shall be saved from your enemies. 10 Also in the day of rejoicing, and in your appointed feasts, and at the beginnings of your months, you shall sound the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifice of your peace offerings; and they shall be as a reminder of you before your God. I am the Lord your God.”
The Tribes Leave Sinai
11 On the twentieth day of the second month in the second year [since leaving Egypt], the cloud [of the Lord’s presence] was lifted from over the tabernacle of the Testimony, 12 and the Israelites set out on their journey from the Wilderness of Sinai, and the cloud [of the Lord’s guiding presence] settled down in the Wilderness of Paran. 13 So they moved out for the first time in accordance with the command of the Lord through Moses. 14 The [a]standard of the camp of the sons of Judah, according to their armies, moved out first, Nahshon the son of Amminadab was [commander] over its army, 15 and Nethanel the son of Zuar was [commander] over the tribal army of the sons of Issachar; 16 and Eliab the son of Helon was [commander] over the tribal army of the sons of Zebulun.
17 Then the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, who were carrying the tabernacle, moved out. 18 Next the [b]standard of the camp of the sons of Reuben, according to their armies, moved out, with Elizur the son of Shedeur [commander] over its army, 19 and Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai was [commander] over the tribal army of the sons of Simeon, 20 and Eliasaph the son of Deuel was [commander] over the tribal army of the sons of Gad.
21 Then the Kohathites moved out, carrying the holy things, and the tabernacle was set up before they arrived. 22 Next the [c]standard of the camp of the sons of Ephraim moved out, according to their armies, with Elishama the son of Ammihud [commander] over its army, 23 and Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur was [commander] over the tribal army of the sons of Manasseh, 24 and Abidan the son of Gideoni was [commander] over the tribal army of the sons of Benjamin.
25 Then the [d]standard of the camp of the sons of Dan, according to their armies, which formed the rear guard for all the camps, moved out, with Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai [commander] over its army, 26 and Pagiel the son of Ochran was [commander] over the tribal army of the sons of Asher, 27 and Ahira the son of Enan was [commander] over the tribal army of the sons of Naphtali. 28 This was the order of march of the sons of Israel by their armies as they moved out.
29 Then Moses said to Hobab the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We are going to the place of which the Lord said, ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us, and we will be good to you, for the Lord has promised good [things] concerning Israel.” 30 But Hobab [Moses’ brother-in-law] said to him, “I will not go; I will return to my own land and to my family.” 31 Then Moses said, “[e]Please do not leave us, for you know how we are to camp in the wilderness, and you will serve as eyes for us [as we make our trek through the desert]. 32 So if you will go with us, it shall be that [f]whatever good the Lord does for us, we will do the same for you.”
33 So they set out from the mountain of the Lord (Sinai) three days’ journey; and the ark of the covenant of the Lord went in front of them during the three days’ journey to seek out a resting place for them. 34 The cloud of the Lord was over them by day when they set out from the camp.
35 Whenever the ark set out, Moses said,
“Rise up, O Lord!
Let Your enemies be scattered;
And let those who hate You flee before You.”(A)
36 And when the ark rested, Moses said,
“Return, O Lord,
To the myriad (many) thousands of Israel.”
Footnotes
- Numbers 10:14 The three tribes under this standard were Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.
- Numbers 10:18 The three tribes under this standard were Reuben, Simeon, and Gad.
- Numbers 10:22 The three tribes under this standard were Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin.
- Numbers 10:25 The three tribes under this standard were Dan, Asher, and Naphtali.
- Numbers 10:31 The text does not say so, but Hobab seems to have remained with the Israelites, for later history shows that his descendants lived in Canaan (Judg 1:16; 1 Sam 15:6).
- Numbers 10:32 Lit that good which.
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