Numbers 10
10
The Silver Trumpets
1Now the Lord said to Moses, 2“Make two trumpets of hammered silver for calling the community to assemble and for signaling the breaking of camp. 3When both trumpets are blown, everyone must gather before you at the entrance of the Tabernacle.#10:3 Hebrew Tent of Meeting. 4But if only one trumpet is blown, then only the leaders—the heads of the clans of Israel—must present themselves to you.
5“When you sound the signal to move on, the tribes camped on the east side of the Tabernacle must break camp and move forward. 6When you sound the signal a second time, the tribes camped on the south will follow. You must sound short blasts as the signal for moving on. 7But when you call the people to an assembly, blow the trumpets with a different signal. 8Only the priests, Aaron’s descendants, are allowed to blow the trumpets. This is a permanent law for you, to be observed from generation to generation.
9“When you arrive in your own land and go to war against your enemies who attack you, sound the alarm with the trumpets. Then the Lord your God will remember you and rescue you from your enemies. 10Blow the trumpets in times of gladness, too, sounding them at your annual festivals and at the beginning of each month. And blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and peace offerings. The trumpets will remind your God of his covenant with you. I am the Lord your God.”
The Israelites Leave Sinai
11In the second year after Israel’s departure from Egypt—on the twentieth day of the second month#10:11a This day in the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar occurred in late April, May, or early June.—the cloud lifted from the Tabernacle of the Covenant.#10:11b Or Tabernacle of the Testimony. 12So the Israelites set out from the wilderness of Sinai and traveled on from place to place until the cloud stopped in the wilderness of Paran.
13When the people set out for the first time, following the instructions the Lord had given through Moses, 14Judah’s troops led the way. They marched behind their banner, and their leader was Nahshon son of Amminadab. 15They were joined by the troops of the tribe of Issachar, led by Nethanel son of Zuar, 16and the troops of the tribe of Zebulun, led by Eliab son of Helon.
17Then the Tabernacle was taken down, and the Gershonite and Merarite divisions of the Levites were next in the line of march, carrying the Tabernacle with them. 18Reuben’s troops went next, marching behind their banner. Their leader was Elizur son of Shedeur. 19They were joined by the troops of the tribe of Simeon, led by Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai, 20and the troops of the tribe of Gad, led by Eliasaph son of Deuel.
21Next came the Kohathite division of the Levites, carrying the sacred objects from the Tabernacle. Before they arrived at the next camp, the Tabernacle would already be set up at its new location. 22Ephraim’s troops went next, marching behind their banner. Their leader was Elishama son of Ammihud. 23They were joined by the troops of the tribe of Manasseh, led by Gamaliel son of Pedahzur, 24and the troops of the tribe of Benjamin, led by Abidan son of Gideoni.
25Dan’s troops went last, marching behind their banner and serving as the rear guard for all the tribal camps. Their leader was Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai. 26They were joined by the troops of the tribe of Asher, led by Pagiel son of Ocran, 27and the troops of the tribe of Naphtali, led by Ahira son of Enan.
28This was the order in which the Israelites marched, division by division.
29One day Moses said to his brother-in-law, Hobab son of Reuel the Midianite, “We are on our way to the place the Lord promised us, for he said, ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us and we will treat you well, for the Lord has promised wonderful blessings for Israel!”
30But Hobab replied, “No, I will not go. I must return to my own land and family.”
31“Please don’t leave us,” Moses pleaded. “You know the places in the wilderness where we should camp. Come, be our guide. 32If you do, we’ll share with you all the blessings the Lord gives us.”
33They marched for three days after leaving the mountain of the Lord, with the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant moving ahead of them to show them where to stop and rest. 34As they moved on each day, the cloud of the Lord hovered over them. 35And whenever the Ark set out, Moses would shout, “Arise, O Lord, and let your enemies be scattered! Let them flee before you!” 36And when the Ark was set down, he would say, “Return, O Lord, to the countless thousands of Israel!”
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Numbers 10: NLT
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Numbers 10
10
The Silver Trumpets
1The Lord said to Moses, 2“Make two trumpets. Use silver and hammer it to make the trumpets. These trumpets will be for calling the people together and for telling them when it is time to move the camp. 3If you blow long blasts on both trumpets, all the people must meet together at the entrance of the Meeting Tent. 4But if you blow long blasts on only one trumpet, only the leaders will come to meet with you. (These are the leaders of the twelve tribes of Israel.)
5“Short blasts on the trumpets will be the way to tell the people to move the camp. The first time you blow a short blast on the trumpets, the tribes camping on the east side of the Meeting Tent must begin to move. 6The second time you blow a short blast on the trumpets, the tribes camping on the south side of the Meeting Tent will begin to move. 7But if you want to gather the people together for a special meeting, blow the trumpets in a different way—blow a long steady blast on the trumpets. 8Only Aaron’s sons, the priests, should blow the trumpets. This is a law for you that will continue forever, for generations to come.
9“If you are fighting an enemy in your own land, blow loudly on the trumpets before you go to fight them. The Lord your God will hear you, and he will save you from your enemies. 10Also blow these trumpets for your special meetings, New Moon celebrations, and all your happy times together. Blow the trumpets when you give your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. This will be a special way for your God to remember you. I command you to do this; I am the Lord your God.”
The Israelites Move Their Camp
11On the 20th day of the second month of the second year after the Israelites left Egypt, the cloud rose from above the Tent of the Agreement. 12So the Israelites began their journey. They left the desert of Sinai and traveled until the cloud stopped in the desert of Paran. 13This was the first time the people moved their camp. They moved it the way the Lord commanded Moses.
14The three divisions from Judah’s camp went first. They traveled under their flag. The first group was the tribe of Judah. Nahshon son of Amminadab was the commander of that group. 15Next came the tribe of Issachar. Nethanel son of Zuar was the commander of that group. 16And then came the tribe of Zebulun. Eliab son of Helon was the commander of that group.
17Then the Holy Tent was taken down. And the men from the Gershon and the Merari families carried the Holy Tent. So the people from these families were next in line.
18Then came the three divisions from Reuben’s camp. They traveled under their flag. The first group was the tribe of Reuben. Elizur son of Shedeur was the commander of that group. 19Next came the tribe of Simeon. Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai was the commander of that group. 20And then came the tribe of Gad. Eliasaph son of Deuel#10:20 Deuel Or “Reuel.” was the commander of that group. 21Then came the Kohath family. They carried the holy things from inside the Holy Tent. These people came at this time so that the other people could set up the Holy Tent and make it ready at the new camp before these people arrived.
22Next came the three groups from Ephraim’s camp. They traveled under their flag. The first group was the tribe of Ephraim. Elishama son of Ammihud was the commander of that group. 23Next came the tribe of Manasseh. Gamaliel son of Pedahzur was the commander of that group. 24Then came the tribe of Benjamin. Abidan son of Gideoni was the commander of that group.
25The last three tribes in the line were the rear guard for all the other tribes. These were the groups from Dan’s camp. They traveled under their flag. The first group was the tribe of Dan. Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai was their commander. 26Next came the tribe of Asher. Pagiel son of Ocran was the commander of that group. 27Then came the tribe of Naphtali. Ahira son of Enan was the commander of that group. 28That was the way the Israelites marched when they moved from place to place.
29Hobab was the son of Reuel, the Midianite. (Reuel was Moses’ father-in-law.) Moses said to Hobab, “We are traveling to the land that the Lord promised to give to us. Come with us and we will be good to you. The Lord has promised good things to the Israelites.”
30But Hobab answered, “No, I will not go with you. I will go back to my homeland and to my own people.”
31Then Moses said, “Please don’t leave us. You know more about the desert than we do. You can be our guide. 32If you come with us, we will share with you all the good things that the Lord gives us.”
33So they began traveling from the mountain of the Lord. The priests took the Box of the Lord’s Agreement and walked in front of the people. They carried the Holy Box for three days, looking for a place to camp. 34The Lord’s cloud was over them every day. And when they left their camp every morning, the cloud was there to lead them.
35When the people lifted the Holy Box to move the camp, Moses always said,
“Get up, Lord!
May your enemies be scattered.
May your enemies run away from you.”
36And when the Holy Box was put in its place, Moses always said,
“Come back, Lord,
to the millions of Israelites.”
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