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
New American Standard Bible
The Silver Trumpets
10 The Lord spoke further to Moses, saying, 2 “Make yourself two trumpets of silver, you shall make them of hammered work; and you shall use them for (A)summoning the congregation and breaking camp. 3 Now (B)when both are blown, all the congregation shall meet you at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 4 But if only one is blown, then the (C)leaders, the heads of the [a]divisions of Israel, shall meet you. 5 And when you blow an alarm, the camps that are pitched (D)on the east side shall set out. 6 Then when you sound an alarm the second time, the camps that are pitched on (E)the south side shall set out; an alarm is to be sounded for them to break camp. 7 When convening the assembly, however, you shall blow the trumpets without (F)sounding an alarm. 8 (G)The sons of Aaron, moreover, the priests, shall blow the trumpets; and this shall be a permanent statute for you throughout your generations. 9 And when you go to war in your land against the enemy who (H)attacks you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, so that you will be (I)thought of by the Lord your God, and be saved from your enemies. 10 Also on the day of your joy and at your appointed [b]feasts, and on the first days of your months, (J)you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices 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 Now in (K)the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth of the month, the cloud was lifted from above the [c]tabernacle of the testimony; 12 and the sons of Israel set out on (L)their journeys from the wilderness of Sinai. Then the cloud settled in the (M)wilderness of Paran. 13 (N)So they moved on for the first time in accordance with the [d]command of the Lord through Moses. 14 The [e]flag of the camp of the sons of Judah, by their armies, (O)set out first, with Nahshon the son of Amminadab, over its army, 15 and Nethanel the son of Zuar, over the tribal army of the sons of Issachar; 16 and Eliab the son of Helon over the tribal army of the sons of Zebulun.
17 (P)Then the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, who were carrying the tabernacle, set out. 18 Next (Q)the flag of the camp of Reuben, by their armies, set out with Elizur the son of Shedeur, over its army, 19 and Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai over the tribal army of the sons of Simeon, 20 and Eliasaph the son of Deuel was over the tribal army of the sons of Gad.
21 (R)Then the Kohathites set out, carrying the holy objects; and (S)the tabernacle was set up before their arrival. 22 (T)Next the flag of the camp of the sons of Ephraim, by their armies, set out, with Elishama the son of Ammihud over its army, 23 and Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur over the tribal army of the sons of Manasseh; 24 and Abidan the son of Gideoni over the tribal army of the sons of Benjamin.
25 (U)Then the flag of the camp of the sons of Dan, by their armies, which formed the (V)rear guard for all the camps, set out, with Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai over its army, 26 and Pagiel the son of Ochran over the tribal army of the sons of Asher; 27 and Ahira the son of Enan over the tribal army of the sons of Naphtali. 28 [f]This was the order of marching for the sons of Israel by their armies as they set out.
29 Then Moses said to (W)Hobab the son of (X)Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We are setting out to the place of which the Lord said, ‘(Y)I will give it to you.’ (Z)Come with us and we will do you good, for the Lord (AA)has [g]promised good concerning Israel.” 30 But he said to him, “(AB)I will not come, but rather will go to my own land and relatives.” 31 Then he said, “Please do not leave us, since you know [h]where we should camp in the wilderness, and you (AC)will be as eyes for us. 32 So it will be, if you go with us, that [i](AD)whatever good the Lord [j]does for us, (AE)we will [k]do for you.”
33 (AF)So they moved on from the mountain of the Lord three days’ journey, with (AG)the ark of the covenant of the Lord going on in front of them for the [l]three days, to seek out (AH)a resting place for them. 34 (AI)And the cloud of the Lord was over them by day when they set out from the camp.
35 Then it came about when the ark set out that Moses said,
“(AJ)Rise up, Lord!
And may Your enemies be scattered,
And those (AK)who hate You flee from Your presence.”
36 And when it came to rest, he said,
Footnotes
- Numbers 10:4 Lit thousands; or clans
- Numbers 10:10 Or times
- Numbers 10:11 Lit dwelling place, and so throughout the ch
- Numbers 10:13 Lit mouth
- Numbers 10:14 Or division, and so throughout the ch
- Numbers 10:28 Lit These were the regulations for the order
- Numbers 10:29 Lit spoken
- Numbers 10:31 Lit our camping
- Numbers 10:32 Lit that good which
- Numbers 10:32 Lit does good
- Numbers 10:32 Lit do good
- Numbers 10:33 Lit three days’ journey
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New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
