Silver Trumpets

10 The Lord also told Moses, ² “Make two trumpets, crafting them from beaten silver, for use in calling the congregation together and for notifying the camps to set out for travel. ³ Sound them when the whole assembly is to gather together at the entrance to the appointed place of meeting. ⁴ When one trumpet is blown, the elders and the heads of the thousands of the Israelis are to gather to you. ⁵ When you sound an alarm, the ones encamped on the east side are to begin to travel. ⁶ When you sound the alarm the second time, those encamped on the south are to begin to travel. Alarms are to be sounded for their travels. ⁷ But when you blow the trumpet to assemble the whole congregation, don’t use the same sound as you do for sounding an alarm.^{[a] 8} The descendants of Aaron the priest are to blow the trumpets. Have them do this for you permanently throughout your generations to come.”

Sounding the Trumpet in Battle

⁹ “When you wage war in your land against an enemy who is hostile to you, you are to sound an alarm with the trumpets. Then you will be remembered before the face of the Lord your God and you will be delivered from your enemies. ¹⁰ At the beginning of the month, during your time of rejoicing at the appointed place, sound the trumpet over your burnt offering, then sacrifice your peace offering, since they are to be your memorial before the Lord your God. I am the Lord your God.”

Order of Travel in the Wilderness

¹¹ On the twentieth day of the second month in the second year, the cloud was lifted up from the Tent of Meeting, ¹² so the Israelis set out from the Sinai Wilderness until the cloud settled in the Paran Wilderness, ¹³ doing what the Lord had said through Moses.

¹⁴ The standard of the camp of Judah was the first to travel, accompanied by its army with Amminadab’s son Nahshon in charge. ¹⁵ Zuar’s son Nethanel was in charge of the camp of Issachar. ¹⁶ Helon’s son Eliab was in charge of the camp of Zebulun. ¹⁷ The tent was taken down, and the descendants of Gershon and Merari carried the tent.

¹⁸ Then the standard of the camp of Reuben set out, accompanied by its army with Shedeur’s son Elizur in charge. ¹⁹ Zurishaddai’s son Shelumiel was in charge of the tribe of Simeon. ²⁰ Deuel’s son Eliasaph was in charge of the tribe of Gad. ²¹ Then the descendants of Kohath, carrying the sanctuary, set out, since the tent was to be set up before they arrive.

²² After this, the standard of the camp of Ephraim set out, accompanied by its army with Ammihud’s son Elishama in charge. ²³ Pedazzur’s son Gamaliel was in charge of the tribe of Manasseh. ²⁴ Gideoni’s son Abidan was in charge of the army of the tribe of Benjamin.

²⁵ Then the standard of the camp of Dan set out, functioning as the rear guard for all the encampments, accompanied by its army with Ammishaddai’s son Ahiezer. ²⁶ Ochran’s son Pagiel was in charge of the tribe of Asher. ²⁷ Enan’s son Ahira was in charge of the tribe of Naphtali.

²⁸ This was the travel order for the Israelis, whenever their companies traveled.

Moses invites His Father-in-Law to Accompany Israel

²⁹ Then Moses told Reuel’s son Hobab, Moses’ relative by marriage^[b] from Midian, “We are traveling to the place about which the Lord said ‘I will give it to you.’ So come with us and we’ll be good to you, because the Lord has spoken good things about Israel.”

³⁰ But he said, “I won’t go with you because I’m returning to my land and to my own family.”

³¹ Then Moses^[c] responded, “Please don’t leave us now, since you know where we can camp in the wilderness. You could be our guide.^{[d] 32} And when you come with us, the good things that the Lord will grant us, we’ll give you as well.”^[e]

³³ So they traveled from the mountain of the Lord, a three-day trip, with the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord traveling in front of them—a three day trip to explore a place for them to rest. ³⁴ Moreover, the cloud of the Lord protected them during the day when they left their camp. ³⁵ Whenever the ark was ready to travel, Moses would say:

³⁶ Whenever the ark was being readied to rest, he would say: