1The LORD said to Moses,2‘Make two trumpets out of hammered silver. Blow them when you want the community to gather together. And blow them when you want the camps to start out.3When both trumpets are blown, the whole community must gather in front of you. They must come to the entrance to the tent of meeting.4Suppose only one trumpet is blown. Then the leaders must gather in front of you. They are the heads of the tribes of Israel.5When a trumpet blast is blown, the tribes camped on the east side must start out.6When the second blast is blown, the camps on the south side must start out. The blast will tell them when to start.7Blow the trumpets to gather the people together. But do not use the same kind of blast.8‘The sons of Aaron, the priests, must blow the trumpets. That is a law for you and your children after you for all time to come.9Suppose you go into battle in your own land. And suppose it is against an enemy who is treating you badly. Then blow a blast on the trumpets. If you do, I will remember you. I will save you from your enemies. I am the LORD your God.10You must also blow the trumpets when you are happy. Blow them at your appointed feasts. Blow them at your New Moon feasts. Blow them when you sacrifice your burnt offerings. Blow them when you sacrifice your friendship offerings. They will remind me of you. I am the LORD your God.’
The Israelites leave the Sinai Desert
11It was the 20th day of the second month of the second year. On that day the cloud began to move. It went up from above the holy tent where the tablets of the covenant law were kept.12Then the Israelites started out from the Desert of Sinai. They travelled from place to place. They kept going until the cloud came to rest in the Desert of Paran.13The first time they started out, the LORD commanded Moses to tell them to do it. And they did it.14The groups of the camp of Judah went first. They marched out under their flag. Nahshon was their commander. He was the son of Amminadab.15Nethanel was over the group of the tribe of Issachar. Nethanel was the son of Zuar.16Eliab was over the group of the tribe of Zebulun. Eliab was the son of Helon.17The holy tent was taken down. The men of Gershon and Merari started out. They carried the tent.18The groups of the camp of Reuben went next. They marched out under their flag. Elizur was their commander. He was the son of Shedeur.19Shelumiel was over the group of the tribe of Simeon. Shelumiel was the son of Zurishaddai.20Eliasaph was over the group of the tribe of Gad. Eliasaph was the son of Deuel.21The men of Kohath started out. They carried the holy things. The holy tent had to be set up before they arrived.22The groups of the camp of Ephraim went next. They marched out under their flag. Elishama was their commander. He was the son of Ammihud.23Gamaliel was over the group of the tribe of Manasseh. Gamaliel was the son of Pedahzur.24Abidan was over the group of the tribe of Benjamin. Abidan was the son of Gideoni.25Finally, the groups of the camp of Dan started out. They marched out under their flag. They followed behind all the other groups and guarded them. Ahiezer was their commander. He was the son of Ammishaddai.26Pagiel was over the group of the tribe of Asher. Pagiel was the son of Okran.27Ahira was over the group of the tribe of Naphtali. Ahira was the son of Enan.28As the groups of Israel started out, that was the order they marched in.29Moses spoke to Hobab, the son of Reuel. Reuel was Moses’ father-in-law. Reuel was from Midian. Moses said to Hobab, ‘We’re starting out for the place the LORD promised to us. He said to us, “I will give it to you.” So come with us. We’ll treat you well. The LORD has promised to give good things to Israel.’30Hobab answered, ‘No. I can’t go. I’m going back to my own land. I’m returning to my own people.’31But Moses said, ‘Please don’t leave us. You know where we should camp in the desert. You can be our guide.32So come with us. The LORD will give us good things. We’ll share them with you.’33So they started out from the mountain of the LORD. They travelled for three days. The ark of the covenant of the LORD went in front of them during those three days. It went ahead of them to find a place for them to rest.34They started out from the camp by day. And the cloud of the LORD was above them.35When the ark started out, Moses said, ‘LORD, rise up! Let your enemies be scattered. Let them run away from you.’36When the ark stopped, Moses said, ‘LORD, return. Return to the many thousands of people in 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.”