1The Lord said to Moses:2‘Make two trumpets of hammered silver, and use them for calling the community together and for the camps to set out.3When both are sounded, the whole community is to assemble before you at the entrance to the tent of meeting.4If only one is sounded, the leaders – the heads of the clans of Israel – are to assemble before you.5When a trumpet blast is sounded, the tribes camping on the east are to set out.6At the sounding of a second blast, the camps on the south are to set out. The blast will be the signal for setting out.7To gather the assembly, blow the trumpets, but not with the signal for setting out.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.9When you go into battle in your own land against an enemy who is oppressing you, sound a blast on the trumpets. Then you will be remembered by the Lord your God and rescued from your enemies.10Also at your times of rejoicing – your appointed festivals and New Moon feasts – you are to sound the trumpets over your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, and they will be a memorial for you before your God. I am the Lord your God.’
The Israelites leave Sinai
11On the twentieth day of the second month of the second year, the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle of the covenant law.12Then the Israelites set out from the Desert of Sinai and travelled from place to place until the cloud came to rest in the Desert of Paran.13They set out, this first time, at the Lord’s command through Moses.14The divisions of the camp of Judah went first, under their standard. Nahshon son of Amminadab was in command.15Nethanel son of Zuar was over the division of the tribe of Issachar,16and Eliab son of Helon was over the division of the tribe of Zebulun.17Then the tabernacle was taken down, and the Gershonites and Merarites, who carried it, set out.18The divisions of the camp of Reuben went next, under their standard. Elizur son of Shedeur was in command.19Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai was over the division of the tribe of Simeon,20and Eliasaph son of Deuel was over the division of the tribe of Gad.21Then the Kohathites set out, carrying the holy things. The tabernacle was to be set up before they arrived.22The divisions of the camp of Ephraim went next, under their standard. Elishama son of Ammihud was in command.23Gamaliel son of Pedahzur was over the division of the tribe of Manasseh,24and Abidan son of Gideoni was over the division of the tribe of Benjamin.25Finally, as the rear guard for all the units, the divisions of the camp of Dan set out under their standard. Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai was in command.26Pagiel son of Okran was over the division of the tribe of Asher,27and Ahira son of Enan was over the division of the tribe of Naphtali.28This was the order of march for the Israelite divisions as they set out.29Now Moses said to Hobab son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, ‘We are setting out for the place about which the Lord said, “I will give it to you.” Come with us and we will treat you well, for the Lord has promised good things to Israel.’30He answered, ‘No, I will not go; I am going back to my own land and my own people.’31But Moses said, ‘Please do not leave us. You know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you can be our eyes.32If you come with us, we will share with you whatever good things the Lord gives us.’33So they set out from the mountain of the Lord and travelled for three days. The ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them during those three days to find them a place to rest.34The cloud of the Lord was over them by day when they set out from the camp.35Whenever the ark set out, Moses said, ‘Rise up, Lord! May your enemies be scattered; may your foes flee before you.’36Whenever it came to rest, he said, ‘Return, Lord, to the countless thousands of Israel.’
Numbers 10
English Standard Version
The Silver Trumpets
1The Lord spoke to Moses, saying,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. (Ps 81:3; Isa 1:13; Joe 1:14)3And when both are blown, all the congregation shall gather themselves to you at the entrance of the tent of meeting. (Jer 4:5; Joe 2:15)4But if they blow only one, then the chiefs, the heads of the tribes of Israel, shall gather themselves to you. (Ex 18:21; Nu 1:16; Nu 7:2)5When you blow an alarm, the camps that are on the east side shall set out. (Nu 2:3; Nu 10:14)6And 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. (Nu 2:10; Nu 10:18)7But when the assembly is to be gathered together, you shall blow a long blast, but you shall not sound an alarm. (Nu 10:3; Joe 2:1)8And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets. The trumpets shall be to you for a perpetual statute throughout your generations. (1Ch 15:24; 2Ch 13:12)9And 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. (Ge 8:1; Nu 10:7; Nu 31:6; Jos 6:5; Jud 2:18; Jud 4:3; Jud 10:8; Jud 10:12; 1Sa 10:18; 2Ch 13:14)10On 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 be a reminder of you before your God: I am the Lord your God.” (Nu 10:9; Nu 28:11; Nu 29:1; 1Ch 15:24; 2Ch 5:12; 2Ch 7:6; 2Ch 29:26; Ezr 3:10; Ne 12:35; Ps 81:3)
Israel Leaves Sinai
11In the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, the cloud lifted from over the tabernacle of the testimony, (Nu 9:17)12and the people of Israel set out by stages from the wilderness of Sinai. And the cloud settled down in the wilderness of Paran. (Ge 21:21; Ex 19:1; Ex 40:36; Nu 1:1; Nu 9:5; Nu 12:16; Nu 13:3; Nu 13:26; De 1:1)13They set out for the first time at the command of the Lord by Moses. (Nu 2:34; Nu 10:5)14The standard of the camp of the people of Judah set out first by their companies, and over their company was Nahshon the son of Amminadab. (Nu 1:7; Nu 2:3)15And over the company of the tribe of the people of Issachar was Nethanel the son of Zuar.16And over the company of the tribe of the people of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon.17And when the tabernacle was taken down, the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, who carried the tabernacle, set out. (Nu 1:51; Nu 4:24; Nu 7:6)18And the standard of the camp of Reuben set out by their companies, and over their company was Elizur the son of Shedeur. (Nu 1:5; Nu 2:10)19And over the company of the tribe of the people of Simeon was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. (Nu 1:6)20And over the company of the tribe of the people of Gad was Eliasaph the son of Deuel. (Nu 1:14; Nu 2:14)21Then the Kohathites set out, carrying the holy things, and the tabernacle was set up before their arrival. (Nu 4:4; Nu 7:9; Nu 10:17)22And the standard of the camp of the people of Ephraim set out by their companies, and over their company was Elishama the son of Ammihud. (Nu 1:10; Nu 2:18)23And over the company of the tribe of the people of Manasseh was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. (Nu 10:22)24And over the company of the tribe of the people of Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gideoni. (Nu 1:11)25Then the standard of the camp of the people of Dan, acting as the rear guard of all the camps, set out by their companies, and over their company was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. (Nu 1:12; Nu 2:25; Jos 6:9)26And over the company of the tribe of the people of Asher was Pagiel the son of Ochran. (Nu 1:13)27And over the company of the tribe of the people of Naphtali was Ahira the son of Enan. (Nu 1:15)28This was the order of march of the people of Israel by their companies, when they set out. (Nu 2:34)29And Moses said to Hobab the son of Reuel the Midianite, 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 good to you, for the Lord has promised good to Israel.” (Ge 12:7; Ge 32:12; Ex 2:18; Ex 3:8; Ex 6:7)30But he said to him, “I will not go. I will depart to my own land and to my kindred.”31And he said, “Please do not leave us, for you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you will serve as eyes for us. (Job 29:15)32And if you do go with us, whatever good the Lord will do to us, the same will we do to you.” (Nu 10:29; Jud 1:16; Jud 4:11)33So 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. (Ex 3:1; Ps 132:8; Jer 31:2)34And the cloud of the Lord was over them by day, whenever they set out from the camp. (Ex 13:21)35And whenever the ark set out, Moses said, “Arise, O Lord, and let your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate you flee before you.” (Ps 68:1)36And when it rested, he said, “Return, O Lord, to the ten thousand thousands of Israel.”