Numbers 10

The Blowing of Trumpets

10:1¹ The Lord spoke to Moses: 10:2 “Make² two trumpets of silver; you are to make³ them from a single hammered piece.⁴ You will use them⁵ for assembling the community and for directing the traveling of the camps. 10:3 When⁶ they blow⁷ them both, all the community must come⁸ to you to the entrance of the tent of meeting.

10:4 “But if they blow with one trumpet, then the leaders, the heads of the thousands of Israel, must come to you.⁹ 10:5 When you blow an alarm,¹⁰ then the camps that are located¹¹ on the east side must begin to travel.¹² 10:6 And when you blow an alarm the second time, then the camps that are located on the south side must begin to travel.¹³ An alarm must be sounded¹⁴ for their journeys. 10:7 But when you assemble the community,¹⁵ you must blow, but you must not sound an alarm.¹⁶ 10:8 The sons of Aaron, the priests, must blow the trumpets; and they will be to you for an eternal ordinance throughout your generations. 10:9 If you go to war in your land against an adversary who opposes¹⁷ you, then you must sound an alarm with the trumpets, and you will be remembered before the Lord your God, and you will be saved¹⁸ from your enemies.

10:10 “Also in the time when you rejoice, such as¹⁹ on your appointed festivals or²⁰ at the beginnings of your months, you must blow with your trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings, so that they may²¹ become²² a memorial for you before your God: I am the Lord your God.”

The Journey From Sinai to Kadesh

10:11²³ On the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle of the testimony.²⁴ 10:12 So the Israelites set out²⁵ on their journeys from the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud settled in the wilderness of Paran.

Judah Begins the Journey

10:13 This was the first time they set out on their journey according to the commandment²⁶ of the Lord, by the authority²⁷ of Moses.

10:14 The standard²⁸ of the camp of the Judahites set out first according to their companies, and over his company was Nahshon son of Amminadab.

10:15 Over the company of the tribe of Issacharites was Nathanel son of Zuar, 10:16 and over the company of the tribe of the Zebulunites was Elion son of Helon. 10:17 Then the tabernacle was dismantled, and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari set out, carrying the tabernacle.

Journey Arrangements for the Tribes

10:18 The standard of the camp of Reuben set out according to their companies; over his company was Elizur son of Shedeur. 10:19 Over the company of the tribe of the Simeonites was Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai, 10:20 and over the company of the tribe of the Gadites was Eliasaph son of Deuel. 10:21 And the Kohathites set out, carrying the articles for the sanctuary;²⁹ the tabernacle was to be set up³⁰ before they arrived.³¹ 10:22 And the standard of the camp of the Ephraimites set out according to their companies; over his company was Elishama son of Ammihud. 10:23 Over the company of the tribe of the Manassehites was Gamaliel son of Pedahzur, 10:24 and over the company of the tribe of Benjaminites was Abidan son of Gideoni.

10:25 The standard of the camp of the Danites set out, which was the rear guard³² of all the camps by their companies; over his company was Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai. 10:26 Over the company of the tribe of the Asherites was Pagiel son of Ocran, 10:27 and over the company of the tribe of the Naphtalites was Ahira son of Enan. 10:28 These were the traveling arrangements³³ of the Israelites according to their companies when they traveled.³⁴

The Appeal to Hobab

10:29³⁵ Moses said to Hobab son of Reuel, the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law,³⁶ “We are journeying to the place about which the Lord said, ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us and we will treat you well,³⁷ for the Lord has promised good things³⁸ for Israel.” 10:30 But Hobab³⁹ said to him, “I will not go, but I will go instead to my own land and to my kindred.” 10:31 Moses⁴⁰ said, “Do not leave us,⁴¹ because you know places for us to camp in the wilderness, and you could be our guide.⁴² 10:32 And if you come with us, it is certain⁴³ that whatever good things the Lord will favor us with, we will share with you as well.”

10:33 So they traveled from the mountain of the Lord three days’ journey;⁴⁴ and the ark of the covenant of the Lord was traveling before them during the three days’ journey, to find a resting place for them. 10:34⁴⁵ And the cloud of the Lord was over them by day, when they traveled⁴⁶ from the camp. 10:35 And when the ark traveled, Moses would say, “Rise up, O Lord! May your enemies be scattered, and may those who hate you flee before you!” 10:36 And when it came to rest he would say, “Return, O Lord, to the many thousands of Israel!”⁴⁷

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