The Silver Trumpets

10 The Lord said to Moses: ² “Make two trumpets^(A) of hammered silver, and use them for calling the community^(B) together and for having the camps set out.^{(C) 3} When both are sounded, the whole community is to assemble before you at the entrance to the tent of meeting. ⁴ If only one is sounded, the leaders^(D)—the heads of the clans of Israel—are to assemble before you. ⁵ When a trumpet blast is sounded, the tribes camping on the east are to set out.^{(E) 6} 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. ⁷ To gather the assembly, blow the trumpets,^(G) but not with the signal for setting out.^(H)

⁸ “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) 9} 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,

³⁶ Whenever it came to rest, he said,

⁸ Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle?^{(A) 9} So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air. ¹⁰ Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. ¹¹ If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and the speaker is a foreigner to me.^{(B) 12} So it is with you. Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit,^(C) try to excel in those that build up^(D) the church.

¹³ For this reason the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what they say.^{(E) 14} For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays,^(F) but my mind is unfruitful. ¹⁵ So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit,^(G) but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing^(H) with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding. ¹⁶ Otherwise when you are praising God in the Spirit, how can someone else, who is now put in the position of an inquirer,^[a] say “Amen”^(I) to your thanksgiving,^(J) since they do not know what you are saying? ¹⁷ You are giving thanks well enough, but no one else is edified.^(K)

¹⁸ I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. ¹⁹ But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.^(L)

²⁰ Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children.^(M) In regard to evil be infants,^(N) but in your thinking be adults. ²¹ In the Law^(O) it is written:

²² Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy,^(Q) however, is not for unbelievers but for believers. ²³ So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and inquirers or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind?^{(R) 24} But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, ²⁵ as the secrets^(S) of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!”^(T)

Good Order in Worship

²⁶ What then shall we say, brothers and sisters?^(U) When you come together, each of you^(V) has a hymn,^(W) or a word of instruction,^(X) a revelation, a tongue^(Y) or an interpretation.^(Z) Everything must be done so that the church may be built up.^{(AA) 27} If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. ²⁸ If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God.

²⁹ Two or three prophets^(AB) should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said.^{(AC) 30} And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. ³¹ For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. ³² The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets.^{(AD) 33} For God is not a God of disorder^(AE) but of peace^(AF)—as in all the congregations^(AG) of the Lord’s people.^(AH)

³⁴ Women^[c] should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak,^(AI) but must be in submission,^(AJ) as the law^(AK) says. ³⁵ If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.^[d]

³⁶ Or did the word of God^(AL) originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached? ³⁷ If anyone thinks they are a prophet^(AM) or otherwise gifted by the Spirit,^(AN) let them acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command.^{(AO) 38} But if anyone ignores this, they will themselves be ignored.^[e]

³⁹ Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager^(AP) to prophesy,^(AQ) and do not forbid speaking in tongues. ⁴⁰ But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly^(AR) way.