The Silver Trumpets
1The Lord said to Moses: 2“Make two trumpets of hammered silver, and use them for calling the community together and for having the camps 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 traveled 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 traveled 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.”
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.”
