Numbers 10
New Living Translation
The Silver Trumpets
10 Now the Lord said to Moses, 2 “Make two trumpets of hammered silver for calling the community to assemble and for signaling the breaking of camp. 3 When both trumpets are blown, everyone must gather before you at the entrance of the Tabernacle.[a] 4 But if only one trumpet is blown, then only the leaders—the heads of the clans of Israel—must present themselves to you.
5 “When you sound the signal to move on, the tribes camped on the east side of the Tabernacle must break camp and move forward. 6 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. 7 But when you call the people to an assembly, blow the trumpets with a different signal. 8 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.
9 “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!”
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.”
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
