Numbers 10

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

The Silver Trumpets

10 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Make two silver trumpets; of hammered work you shall make them; and you shall use them for summoning the congregation, and for breaking camp. ³ And when 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 the leaders, the heads of the tribes of Israel, shall gather themselves to you. ⁵ When you blow an alarm, the camps that are on the east side shall set out. ⁶ And when you blow an alarm the second time, 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, you shall blow, but you shall not sound an alarm. ⁸ 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 when you go to war in your land against the adversary who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, that you may be remembered before the Lord your God, and you shall be saved from your enemies. ¹⁰ On the day of your gladness also, and at your appointed feasts, and 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 serve you for remembrance before your God: I am the Lord your God.”

Departure from Sinai

¹¹ In the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle of the testimony, ¹² and the people of Israel set out by stages from the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud settled down in the wilderness of Paran. ¹³ They set out for the first time at the command of the Lord by Moses. ¹⁴ The standard of the camp of the men of Judah set out first by their companies; and over their host was Nahshon the son of Ammin′adab. ¹⁵ And over the host of the tribe of the men of Is′sachar was Nethan′el the son of Zu′ar. ¹⁶ And over the host of the tribe of the men of Zeb′ulun was Eli′ab the son of Helon.

¹⁷ And when the tabernacle was taken down, the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merar′i, who carried the tabernacle, set out. ¹⁸ And the standard of the camp of Reuben set out by their companies; and over their host was Eli′zur the son of Shed′eur. ¹⁹ And over the host of the tribe of the men of Simeon was Shelu′mi-el the son of Zurishad′dai. ²⁰ And over the host of the tribe of the men of Gad was Eli′asaph the son of Deu′el.

²¹ Then the Ko′hathites set out, carrying the holy things, and the tabernacle was set up before their arrival. ²² And the standard of the camp of the men of E′phraim set out by their companies; and over their host was Elish′ama the son of Ammi′hud. ²³ And over the host of the tribe of the men of Manas′seh was Gama′liel the son of Pedah′zur. ²⁴ And over the host of the tribe of the men of Benjamin was Abi′dan the son of Gideo′ni.

²⁵ Then the standard of the camp of the men of Dan, acting as the rear guard of all the camps, set out by their companies; and over their host was Ahi-e′zer the son of Ammishad′dai. ²⁶ And over the host of the tribe of the men of Asher was Pa′giel the son of Ochran. ²⁷ And over the host of the tribe of the men of Naph′tali was Ahi′ra the son of Enan. ²⁸ This was the order of march of the people of Israel according to their hosts, when they set out.

²⁹ And Moses said to Hobab the son of Reu′el the Mid′ianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We are setting out for the place of which the Lord said, ‘I will give it to you’; come with us, and we will do you good; for 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, “Do not leave us, I pray you, for you know how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and you will serve as eyes for us. ³² And if you go with us, whatever good the Lord will do to us, the same will we do to you.”

³³ So they set out from 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 a resting place for them. ³⁴ 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, “Arise, O Lord, and let thy enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee.” ³⁶ And when it rested, he said, “Return, O Lord, to the ten thousand thousands of Israel.”