The Silver Trumpets
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 traveled 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 traveled 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.”
1And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps. 3And when they shall blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 4And if they blow but with one trumpet, then the princes, which are heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves unto thee. 5When ye blow an alarm, then the camps that lie on the east parts shall go forward. 6When ye blow an alarm the second time, then the camps that lie on the south side shall take their journey: they shall blow an alarm for their journeys. 7But when the congregation is to be gathered together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm. 8And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and they shall be to you for an ordinance for ever throughout your generations. 9And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the LORD your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies. 10Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the LORD your God.
11¶ And it came to pass on the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, that the cloud was taken up from off the tabernacle of the testimony. 12And the children of Israel took their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran. 13And they first took their journey according to the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.
14¶ In the first place went the standard of the camp of the children of Judah according to their armies: and over his host was Nahshon the son of Amminadab. 15And over the host of the tribe of the children of Issachar was Nethaneel the son of Zuar. 16And over the host of the tribe of the children of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon. 17And the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari set forward, bearing the tabernacle.
18¶ And the standard of the camp of Reuben set forward according to their armies: and over his host was Elizur the son of Shedeur. 19And over the host of the tribe of the children of Simeon was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. 20And over the host of the tribe of the children of Gad was Eliasaph the son of Deuel. 21And the Kohathites set forward, bearing the sanctuary: and the other did set up the tabernacle against they came.10.21 the other: that is, the Gershonites and the Merarites
22¶ And the standard of the camp of the children of Ephraim set forward according to their armies: and over his host was Elishama the son of Ammihud. 23And over the host of the tribe of the children of Manasseh was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. 24And over the host of the tribe of the children of Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gideoni.
25¶ And the standard of the camp of the children of Dan set forward, which was the rereward of all the camps throughout their hosts: and over his host was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. 26And over the host of the tribe of the children of Asher was Pagiel the son of Ocran. 27And over the host of the tribe of the children of Naphtali was Ahira the son of Enan. 28Thus were the journeyings of the children of Israel according to their armies, when they set forward.10.28 Thus: Heb. These
29¶ And Moses said unto Hobab, the son of Raguel the Midianite, Moses’ father in law, We are journeying unto the place of which the LORD said, I will give it you: come thou with us, and we will do thee good: for the LORD hath spoken good concerning Israel. 30And he said unto him, I will not go; but I will depart to mine own land, and to my kindred. 31And he said, Leave us not, I pray thee; forasmuch as thou knowest how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and thou mayest be to us instead of eyes. 32And it shall be, if thou go with us, yea, it shall be, that what goodness the LORD shall do unto us, the same will we do unto thee.
33¶ And they departed from the mount of the LORD three days’ journey: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them in the three days’ journey, to search out a resting place for them. 34And the cloud of the LORD was upon them by day, when they went out of the camp. 35And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, Rise up, LORD, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee. 36And when it rested, he said, Return, O LORD, unto the many thousands of Israel.10.36 many thousands: Heb. ten thousand thousands
