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.”
Currently Selected:
Numbers 10: ERV
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
Numbers 10
10
The Silver Trumpets
1The LORD said to Moses, 2“Make two trumpets of hammered silver to use for calling the people together and for breaking camp. 3When long blasts are sounded on both trumpets, the whole community is to gather round you at the entrance to the Tent of my presence. 4But when only one trumpet is sounded, then only the leaders of the clans are to gather round you. 5When short blasts are sounded, the tribes camped on the east will move out. 6When short blasts are sounded a second time, the tribes on the south will move out. So short blasts are to be sounded to break camp, 7but in order to call the community together, long blasts are to be sounded. 8The trumpets are to be blown by Aaron's sons, the priests.
“The following rule is to be observed for all time to come. 9When you are at war in your land, defending yourselves against an enemy who has attacked you, sound the signal for battle on these trumpets. I, the LORD your God, will help you and save you from your enemies. 10Also on joyful occasions — at your New Moon Festivals and your other religious festivals — you are to blow the trumpets when you present your burnt offerings and your fellowship offerings. Then I will help you. I am the LORD your God.”
The Israelites Break Camp
11On the twentieth day of the second month in the second year after the people left Egypt, the cloud over the Tent of the LORD's presence lifted, 12and the Israelites started on their journey out of the Sinai Desert. The cloud came to rest in the wilderness of Paran.
13They began to march at the command of the LORD through Moses, 14and each time they moved, they were in the same order. Those under the banner of the division led by the tribe of Judah started out first, company by company, with Nahshon son of Amminadab in command. 15Nethanel son of Zuar was in command of the tribe of Issachar, 16and Eliab son of Helon was in command of the tribe of Zebulun.
17Then the Tent would be taken down, and the clans of Gershon and Merari, who carried it, would start out.
18Next, those under the banner of the division led by the tribe of Reuben would start out, company by company, with Elizur son of Shedeur in command. 19Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai was in command of the tribe of Simeon, 20and Eliasaph son of Deuel was in command of the tribe of Gad.
21Then the Levite clan of Kohath would start out, carrying the sacred objects. By the time they arrived at the next camp, the Tent had been set up again.
22Next, those under the banner of the division led by the tribe of Ephraim would start out, company by company, with Elishama son of Ammihud in command. 23Gamaliel son of Pedahzur was in command of the tribe of Manasseh, 24and Abidan son of Gideoni was in command of the tribe of Benjamin.
25Finally, those under the banner of the division led by the tribe of Dan, serving as the rearguard of all the divisions, would start out, company by company, with Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai in command. 26Pagiel son of Ochran was in command of the tribe of Asher, 27and Ahira son of Enan was in command of the tribe of Naphtali. 28This, then, was the order of march, company by company, whenever the Israelites broke camp and set out.
29Moses said to his brother-in-law Hobab son of Jethro the Midianite, “We are about to start out for the place which the LORD said he would give us. He has promised to make Israel prosperous, so come with us, and we will share our prosperity with you.”
30Hobab answered, “No, I am going back to my native land.”
31“Please don't leave us,” Moses said. “You know where we can camp in the wilderness, and you can be our guide. 32If you come with us, we will share with you all the blessings that the LORD gives us.”
The People Set Out
33When the people left Sinai, the holy mountain, they travelled for three days. The LORD's Covenant Box always went ahead of them to find a place for them to camp. 34As they moved on from each camp, the cloud of the LORD was over them by day.
35 #
Ps 68.1
Whenever the Covenant Box started out, Moses would say, “Arise, LORD; scatter your enemies and put to flight those who hate you!” 36And whenever it stopped, he would say, “Return, LORD, to the thousands of families of Israel.”#10.36 Return… Israel; or Return, LORD, you who are like an army of millions for Israel.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Good News Bible. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.