The Silver Trumpets

10 The Lord said to Moses: “Make two trumpets(A) of hammered silver, and use them for calling the community(B) together and for having the camps set out.(C) When both are sounded, the whole community is to assemble before you at the entrance to the tent of meeting. If only one is sounded, the leaders(D)—the heads of the clans of Israel—are to assemble before you. When a trumpet blast is sounded, the tribes camping on the east are to set out.(E) At the sounding of a second blast, the camps on the south are to set out.(F) The blast will be the signal for setting out. To gather the assembly, blow the trumpets,(G) but not with the signal for setting out.(H)

“The sons of Aaron, the priests, are to blow the trumpets. This is to be a lasting ordinance for you and the generations to come.(I) When you go into battle in your own land against an enemy who is oppressing you,(J) sound a blast on the trumpets.(K) Then you will be remembered(L) by the Lord your God and rescued from your enemies.(M) 10 Also at your times of rejoicing—your appointed festivals and New Moon feasts(N)—you are to sound the trumpets(O) over your burnt offerings(P) and fellowship offerings,(Q) and they will be a memorial for you before your God. I am the Lord your God.(R)

The Israelites Leave Sinai

11 On the twentieth day of the second month of the second year,(S) the cloud lifted(T) from above the tabernacle of the covenant law.(U) 12 Then the Israelites set out from the Desert of Sinai and traveled from place to place until the cloud came to rest in the Desert of Paran.(V) 13 They set out, this first time, at the Lord’s command through Moses.(W)

14 The divisions of the camp of Judah went first, under their standard.(X) Nahshon son of Amminadab(Y) was in command. 15 Nethanel son of Zuar was over the division of the tribe(Z) of Issachar,(AA) 16 and Eliab son of Helon(AB) was over the division of the tribe of Zebulun.(AC) 17 Then the tabernacle was taken down, and the Gershonites and Merarites, who carried it, set out.(AD)

18 The divisions of the camp of Reuben(AE) went next, under their standard.(AF) Elizur son of Shedeur(AG) was in command. 19 Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai was over the division of the tribe of Simeon,(AH) 20 and Eliasaph son of Deuel was over the division of the tribe of Gad.(AI) 21 Then the Kohathites(AJ) set out, carrying the holy things.(AK) The tabernacle was to be set up before they arrived.(AL)

22 The divisions of the camp of Ephraim(AM) went next, under their standard. Elishama son of Ammihud(AN) was in command. 23 Gamaliel son of Pedahzur was over the division of the tribe of Manasseh,(AO) 24 and Abidan son of Gideoni was over the division of the tribe of Benjamin.(AP)

25 Finally, as the rear guard(AQ) for all the units, the divisions of the camp of Dan set out under their standard. Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai(AR) was in command. 26 Pagiel son of Okran was over the division of the tribe of Asher,(AS) 27 and Ahira son of Enan was over the division of the tribe of Naphtali.(AT) 28 This was the order of march for the Israelite divisions as they set out.

29 Now Moses said to Hobab(AU) son of Reuel(AV) the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law,(AW) “We are setting out for the place about which the Lord said, ‘I will give it to you.’(AX) Come with us and we will treat you well, for the Lord has promised good things to Israel.”

30 He answered, “No, I will not go;(AY) I am going back to my own land and my own people.(AZ)

31 But Moses said, “Please do not leave us. You know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you can be our eyes.(BA) 32 If you come with us, we will share with you(BB) whatever good things the Lord gives us.(BC)

33 So they set out(BD) from the mountain of the Lord and traveled for three days. The ark of the covenant of the Lord(BE) went before them during those three days to find them a place to rest.(BF) 34 The cloud of the Lord was over them by day when they set out from the camp.(BG)

35 Whenever the ark set out, Moses said,

“Rise up,(BH) Lord!
    May your enemies be scattered;(BI)
    may your foes flee before you.(BJ)(BK)

36 Whenever it came to rest, he said,

“Return,(BL) Lord,
    to the countless thousands of Israel.(BM)

10 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps.

And when they shall blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

And if they blow but with one trumpet, then the princes, which are heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves unto thee.

When ye blow an alarm, then the camps that lie on the east parts shall go forward.

When ye blow an alarm the second time, then the camps that lie on the south side shall take their journey: they shall blow an alarm for their journeys.

But when the congregation is to be gathered together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm.

And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and they shall be to you for an ordinance for ever throughout your generations.

And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the Lord your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies.

10 Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the Lord your God.

11 And it came to pass on the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, that the cloud was taken up from off the tabernacle of the testimony.

12 And the children of Israel took their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran.

13 And they first took their journey according to the commandment of the Lord by the hand of Moses.

14 In the first place went the standard of the camp of the children of Judah according to their armies: and over his host was Nahshon the son of Amminadab.

15 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Issachar was Nethaneel the son of Zuar.

16 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon.

17 And the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari set forward, bearing the tabernacle.

18 And the standard of the camp of Reuben set forward according to their armies: and over his host was Elizur the son of Shedeur.

19 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Simeon was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.

20 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Gad was Eliasaph the son of Deuel.

21 And the Kohathites set forward, bearing the sanctuary: and the other did set up the tabernacle against they came.

22 And the standard of the camp of the children of Ephraim set forward according to their armies: and over his host was Elishama the son of Ammihud.

23 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Manasseh was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.

24 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gideoni.

25 And the standard of the camp of the children of Dan set forward, which was the rereward of all the camps throughout their hosts: and over his host was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.

26 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Asher was Pagiel the son of Ocran.

27 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Naphtali was Ahira the son of Enan.

28 Thus were the journeyings of the children of Israel according to their armies, when they set forward.

29 And Moses said unto Hobab, the son of Raguel the Midianite, Moses' father in law, We are journeying unto the place of which the Lord said, I will give it you: come thou with us, and we will do thee good: for the Lord hath spoken good concerning Israel.

30 And he said unto him, I will not go; but I will depart to mine own land, and to my kindred.

31 And he said, Leave us not, I pray thee; forasmuch as thou knowest how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and thou mayest be to us instead of eyes.

32 And it shall be, if thou go with us, yea, it shall be, that what goodness the Lord shall do unto us, the same will we do unto thee.

33 And they departed from the mount of the Lord three days' journey: and the ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them in the three days' journey, to search out a resting place for them.

34 And the cloud of the Lord was upon them by day, when they went out of the camp.

35 And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, Rise up, Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee.

36 And when it rested, he said, Return, O Lord, unto the many thousands of Israel.

The Silver Trumpets

10 Now the Lord said to Moses, “Make two trumpets of hammered silver for calling the community to assemble and for signaling the breaking of camp. When both trumpets are blown, everyone must gather before you at the entrance of the Tabernacle.[a] But if only one trumpet is blown, then only the leaders—the heads of the clans of Israel—must present themselves to you.

“When you sound the signal to move on, the tribes camped on the east side of the Tabernacle must break camp and move forward. When you sound the signal a second time, the tribes camped on the south will follow. You must sound short blasts as the signal for moving on. But when you call the people to an assembly, blow the trumpets with a different signal. Only the priests, Aaron’s descendants, are allowed to blow the trumpets. This is a permanent law for you, to be observed from generation to generation.

“When you arrive in your own land and go to war against your enemies who attack you, sound the alarm with the trumpets. Then the Lord your God will remember you and rescue you from your enemies. 10 Blow the trumpets in times of gladness, too, sounding them at your annual festivals and at the beginning of each month. And blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and peace offerings. The trumpets will remind your God of his covenant with you. I am the Lord your God.”

The Israelites Leave Sinai

11 In the second year after Israel’s departure from Egypt—on the twentieth day of the second month[b]—the cloud lifted from the Tabernacle of the Covenant.[c] 12 So the Israelites set out from the wilderness of Sinai and traveled on from place to place until the cloud stopped in the wilderness of Paran.

13 When the people set out for the first time, following the instructions the Lord had given through Moses, 14 Judah’s troops led the way. They marched behind their banner, and their leader was Nahshon son of Amminadab. 15 They were joined by the troops of the tribe of Issachar, led by Nethanel son of Zuar, 16 and the troops of the tribe of Zebulun, led by Eliab son of Helon.

17 Then the Tabernacle was taken down, and the Gershonite and Merarite divisions of the Levites were next in the line of march, carrying the Tabernacle with them. 18 Reuben’s troops went next, marching behind their banner. Their leader was Elizur son of Shedeur. 19 They were joined by the troops of the tribe of Simeon, led by Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai, 20 and the troops of the tribe of Gad, led by Eliasaph son of Deuel.

21 Next came the Kohathite division of the Levites, carrying the sacred objects from the Tabernacle. Before they arrived at the next camp, the Tabernacle would already be set up at its new location. 22 Ephraim’s troops went next, marching behind their banner. Their leader was Elishama son of Ammihud. 23 They were joined by the troops of the tribe of Manasseh, led by Gamaliel son of Pedahzur, 24 and the troops of the tribe of Benjamin, led by Abidan son of Gideoni.

25 Dan’s troops went last, marching behind their banner and serving as the rear guard for all the tribal camps. Their leader was Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai. 26 They were joined by the troops of the tribe of Asher, led by Pagiel son of Ocran, 27 and the troops of the tribe of Naphtali, led by Ahira son of Enan.

28 This was the order in which the Israelites marched, division by division.

29 One day Moses said to his brother-in-law, Hobab son of Reuel the Midianite, “We are on our way to the place the Lord promised us, for he said, ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us and we will treat you well, for the Lord has promised wonderful blessings for Israel!”

30 But Hobab replied, “No, I will not go. I must return to my own land and family.”

31 “Please don’t leave us,” Moses pleaded. “You know the places in the wilderness where we should camp. Come, be our guide. 32 If you do, we’ll share with you all the blessings the Lord gives us.”

33 They marched for three days after leaving the mountain of the Lord, with the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant moving ahead of them to show them where to stop and rest. 34 As they moved on each day, the cloud of the Lord hovered over them. 35 And whenever the Ark set out, Moses would shout, “Arise, O Lord, and let your enemies be scattered! Let them flee before you!” 36 And when the Ark was set down, he would say, “Return, O Lord, to the countless thousands of Israel!”

Footnotes

  1. 10:3 Hebrew Tent of Meeting.
  2. 10:11a This day in the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar occurred in late April, May, or early June.
  3. 10:11b Or Tabernacle of the Testimony.