Numbers 10
GOD’S WORD Translation
Two Silver Signal Trumpets
10 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Make two trumpets out of hammered silver. Use them to call the community together and as a signal to break camp. 3 When you blow both trumpets, the whole community will meet with you at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 4 If only one trumpet blows, the leaders, the heads of the divisions of Israel, will meet with you. 5 When they hear the trumpet fanfare, the tribes that are camped on the east side will break camp first. 6 When the trumpets sound a second fanfare, the tribes that are camped on the south will break camp. The fanfare is the signal to break camp. 7 But when you gather the assembly, the trumpets will blow without sounding a fanfare. 8 The sons of Aaron, the priests, will blow the trumpets. This will be a permanent law for you and your descendants.
9 “When you go to war in your own country against an enemy who is oppressing you, the trumpets will sound a fanfare. Then the Lord your God will remember you and rescue you from your enemies. 10 Also, on your festival days and on the first day of the month, blow the trumpets when you sacrifice your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. The trumpets will be a reminder for you in God’s presence. I am the Lord your God.”
Israel Leaves Mount Sinai
11 On the twentieth day of the second month of the second year, the ⌞column of⌟ smoke left the tent of the words of God’s promise. 12 So the Israelites moved from the Desert of Sinai and traveled from place to place until the ⌞column of⌟ smoke stopped in the Desert of Paran.
13 This was the first time they moved, following the command that the Lord had given through Moses. 14 With their flag in front, the armies led by Judah’s descendants broke camp first. Nahshon, son of Amminadab, was in command. 15 Nethanel, son of Zuar, commanded the army of Issachar. 16 Eliab, son of Helon, commanded the army of Zebulun. 17 Then the tent ⌞of meeting⌟ was taken down, and the Gershonites and Merarites, who carried it, broke camp.
18 With their flag in front, the armies led by Reuben’s descendants broke camp next. Elizur, son of Shedeur, was in command. 19 Shelumiel, son of Zurishaddai, commanded the army of Simeon. 20 Eliasaph, son of Deuel, commanded the army of Gad. 21 Then the Kohathites, who carried the holy things, broke camp. By the time they arrived, the tent ⌞of meeting⌟ would already be set up.
22 With their flag in front, the armies led by Ephraim’s descendants broke camp next. Elisha, son of Ammihud, was in command. 23 Gamaliel, son of Pedahzur, commanded the army of Manasseh. 24 Abidan, son of Gideoni, commanded the army of Benjamin.
25 As a rear guard for the whole camp, the armies led by Dan’s descendants broke camp last with their flag in front. Ahiezer, son of Ammishaddai, was in command. 26 Pagiel, son of Ochran, commanded the army of Asher. 27 Ahira, son of Enan, commanded the army of Naphtali.
28 This was the order in which the Israelite armies broke camp when they went from place to place.
29 Moses said to his brother-in-law Hobab, son of Reuel the Midianite, “We are going to the place the Lord promised to give us. Come with us. We will be good to you, because the Lord has promised good things to Israel.”
30 Hobab answered, “No, I won’t go. I want to go back to my own country where my relatives are.”
31 But Moses said, “Please don’t leave us. You know where we can set up camp in the desert, and you could be our guide. 32 If you come with us, we will share with you all the good things the Lord gives us.”
33 So they left the mountain of the Lord and traveled for three days. The ark of the Lord’s promise went ahead of them a distance of three days’ journey to find them a place to rest. 34 The Lord’s ⌞column of⌟ smoke was over them by day when they moved the camp.
35 Whenever the ark started to move, Moses would say,
“Arise, O Lord!
Scatter your enemies!
Make those who hate you run away from you!”
36 And whenever it stopped, 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.”
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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
