As duas trombetas de prata
1Então o Senhor disse a Moisés: 2“Faz duas cornetas de prata batida, para com elas convocares o povo para uma reunião, ou para levantarem o acampamento. 3Quando ambas as trombetas tocarem ao mesmo tempo, o povo ficará a saber que deverá juntar-se à entrada da tenda do encontro. 4Se for uma só a tocar, então é porque são só convocados os chefes das tribos para virem ter contigo.
5-7Serão também precisos toques diferentes para distinguir entre a convocação de toda a assembleia do povo e o sinal de levantar o acampamento e continuar a marcha. Quando se tratar do sinal de prosseguir a deslocação, as tribos que estão a oriente do tabernáculo serão as primeiras a partir; ao segundo sinal, seguirão as que estão a sul.
8Só aos sacerdotes é permitido tocar as cornetas. É uma ordem permanente, a ser seguida por toda as gerações vindouras.
9Quando chegarem à terra prometida e tiverem de combater, o Senhor, vosso Deus, vos ouvirá e vos salvará dos vossos inimigos, quando tocarem em sinal de alarme, com estas duas cornetas. 10Usem-nas igualmente em tempos de alegria, como por exemplo nas vossas festividades anuais, assim como no início de cada mês, para se alegrarem com os vossos holocaustos e sacrifícios de paz, como memorial para o povo de Israel da aliança que Deus fez convosco. Eu sou o Senhor, o vosso Deus.”
Os israelitas deixam o Sinai
11A nuvem ergueu-se então sobre o tabernáculo no dia 20 do segundo mês do segundo ano após a saída de Israel do Egito; 12e foi assim que os Israelitas deixaram o deserto de Sinai, seguindo a nuvem até se deter sobre o deserto de Parã. 13Esta foi a sua primeira deslocação após terem recebido as instruções que o Senhor deu a Moisés respeitantes às viagens que teriam de realizar.
14À cabeça da coluna ia a tribo de Judá, agrupada atrás do seu pendão, conduzida por Nassom, o filho de Aminadabe. 15Logo a seguir vinha a tribo de Issacar, chefiada por Netanel, filho de Zuar; 16após eles, a tribo de Zebulão, com Eliabe, filho de Helom, à frente.
17O tabernáculo fora desarmado e os homens dos grupos de Gerson e de Merari, da tribo de Levi, vinham logo a seguir na linha de marcha, transportando o tabernáculo aos ombros.
18Vinha a seguir a bandeira do campo de Rúben, com Elizur, filho de Sedeur, conduzindo o povo. 19E depois a tribo de Simeão, trazendo à cabeça Selumiel, filho de Zurisadai; 20após eles, a tribo de Gad, comandados por Eliasafe, filho de Deuel.
21Seguiam-se os coatitas, carregando os objetos que lhes competiam, do interior do santuário. Quando estes chegavam ao novo local, já os outros tinham montado a estrutura do tabernáculo.
22A seguir, na ordem da coluna, vinha a tribo de Efraim, sob a sua bandeira, conduzida por Elisama, filho de Amiude; 23e depois a tribo de Manassés, com Gamaliel, filho de Pedazur, à frente, 24e a tribo de Benjamim, conduzida por Abidã, filho de Gideoni.
25A coluna fechava com as seguintes três tribos, ordenadas assim: Dan sob a chefia de Aiezer, filho de Amisadai; 26Aser, com Pagiel, filho de Ocrã, como chefe; 27e Naftali, conduzida por Airá, filho de Enã.
28Esta era a ordem pela qual se deslocavam as tribos.
29Um dia, Moisés disse para o seu cunhado Hobabe, filho de Reuel, midianita, sogro de Moisés: “Estamos, enfim, a caminhar para a terra prometida! Vem connosco e te faremos bem. Olha que o Senhor fez promessas maravilhosas a Israel!”
30Mas ele respondeu-lhe: “Eu tenho de regressar à minha terra e à minha família.”
31“Fica connosco”, insistiu Moisés, “porque como conheces bem todos os caminhos do deserto, serias uma grande ajuda para nós. 32Já sabes, se vieres, partilharás de todas as boas coisas que o Senhor nos der e fizer.”
33E assim viajaram durante três dias, após terem deixado o monte do Senhor, levando a arca da aliança do Senhor à cabeça da coluna, para lhes mostrar o local onde deviam parar. 34Era dia quando iniciaram a marcha, com a nuvem deslocando-se à sua frente. 35Quando a arca partia, Moisés dizia:
“Levanta-te, Senhor, e dispersa os teus inimigos!
Que fujam diante de ti!”
36Assim também, quando a arca tornava a ser posta no chão, dizia:
“Volta, Senhor, para os milhares de milhares de 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.”
