Numbers 10
Big idea: Two silver trumpets are made, and their signals are precise: both blown means the whole congregation gathers, one means the princes, an alarm means a division moves out. They are for war, so that you will be remembered before Yahweh your God and be saved from your enemies — and for gladness, feasts and new moons. Then, in the second year, second month, twentieth day, the cloud lifts, and Israel leaves Sinai for the first time. The march goes exactly as chapter 2 arranged it. Moses asks his Midianite brother-in-law Hobab to come and be their eyes; Hobab says no; Moses asks again. And when the ark sets out, Moses says the words that will follow it for centuries: Rise up, Yahweh, and let your enemies be scattered.
Chapter 10 ends with Israel marching in perfect order behind the ark. Chapter 11 begins with the people complaining — three days out.
10:1–10 — Two silver trumpets
Make two trumpets of silver, of beaten work, for calling the congregation and for the journeying of the camps. When both are blown, the whole congregation gathers at the door of the tent; when one, the princes gather. An alarm sends the east camps forward, a second alarm the south camps. For gathering, blow without sounding an alarm. Aaron's sons, the priests, shall blow them — a statute forever. In war against an oppressing adversary, sound an alarm, and you will be remembered before Yahweh your God and saved from your enemies. And in the day of your gladness, at your set feasts and new moons, blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and peace offerings — a memorial before your God.
1 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Make two trumpets of silver. You shall make them of beaten work. You shall use them for the calling of the congregation and for the journeying of the camps. 3 When they blow them, all the congregation shall gather themselves to you at the door of the Tent of Meeting. 4 If they blow just one, then the princes, the heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves to you. 5 When you blow an alarm, the camps that lie on the east side shall go forward. 6 When you blow an alarm the second time, the camps that lie on the south side shall go forward. They shall blow an alarm for their journeys. 7 But when the assembly is to be gathered together, you shall blow, but you shall not sound an alarm. 8 “The sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets. This shall be to you for a statute forever throughout your generations. 9 When you go to war in your land against the adversary who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets. Then you will be remembered before Yahweh your God, and you will be saved from your enemies. 10 “Also in the day of your gladness, and in your set feasts, and in the beginnings of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; and they shall be to you for a memorial before your God. I am Yahweh your God.”
10:11–28 — The cloud lifts, and Israel marches
In the second year, second month, twentieth day, the cloud is taken up from over the tabernacle of the covenant, and Israel goes forward out of the wilderness of Sinai; the cloud settles in the wilderness of Paran. They set out first according to the commandment of Yahweh by Moses. Judah's standard goes first under Nahshon, with Nethanel over Issachar and Eliab over Zebulun; the tabernacle is taken down and the Gershonites and Merarites go forward carrying it. Then Reuben's standard under Elizur, with Shelumiel and Eliasaph. Then the Kohathites bearing the sanctuary, the others setting up the tabernacle before they arrived. Then Ephraim's standard under Elishama, with Gamaliel and Abidan; and finally Dan's standard as rear guard under Ahiezer, with Pagiel and Ahira.
11 In the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle of the covenant. 12 The children of Israel went forward on their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud stayed in the wilderness of Paran. 13 They first went forward according to the commandment of Yahweh by Moses. 14 First, the standard of the camp of the children of Judah went forward according to their armies. Nahshon the son of Amminadab was over his army. 15 Nethanel the son of Zuar was over the army of the tribe of the children of Issachar. 16 Eliab the son of Helon was over the army of the tribe of the children of Zebulun. 17 The tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, who bore the tabernacle, went forward. 18 The standard of the camp of Reuben went forward according to their armies. Elizur the son of Shedeur was over his army. 19 Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai was over the army of the tribe of the children of Simeon. 20 Eliasaph the son of Deuel was over the army of the tribe of the children of Gad. 21 The Kohathites set forward, bearing the sanctuary. The others set up the tabernacle before they arrived. 22 The standard of the camp of the children of Ephraim set forward according to their armies. Elishama the son of Ammihud was over his army. 23 Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur was over the army of the tribe of the children of Manasseh. 24 Abidan the son of Gideoni was over the army of the tribe of the children of Benjamin. 25 The standard of the camp of the children of Dan, which was the rear guard of all the camps, set forward according to their armies. Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai was over his army. 26 Pagiel the son of Ochran was over the army of the tribe of the children of Asher. 27 Ahira the son of Enan was over the army of the tribe of the children of Naphtali. 28 Thus were the travels of the children of Israel according to their armies; and they went forward.
10:29–36 — Be our eyes — and rise up, Yahweh
Moses asks Hobab, son of Reuel the Midianite, his father-in-law: come with us and we will treat you well, for Yahweh has spoken good concerning Israel. Hobab says he will go to his own land and his relatives. Moses presses: don't leave us, please — you know how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and you can be our eyes; whatever good Yahweh does to us, we will do the same to you. They set out from the Mount of Yahweh three days' journey, the ark going before them to seek out a resting place, the cloud over them by day. And when the ark went forward Moses said, Rise up, Yahweh, and let your enemies be scattered; let those who hate you flee before you. And when it rested he said, Return, Yahweh, to the ten thousands of the thousands of Israel.
29 Moses said to Hobab, the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We are journeying to the place of which Yahweh said, ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us, and we will treat you well; for Yahweh has spoken good concerning Israel.” 30 He said to him, “I will not go; but I will depart to my own land, and to my relatives.” 31 Moses said, “Don’t leave us, please; because you know how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and you can be our eyes. 32 It shall be, if you go with us—yes, it shall be—that whatever good Yahweh does to us, we will do the same to you.” 33 They set forward from the Mount of Yahweh three days’ journey. The ark of Yahweh’s covenant went before them three days’ journey, to seek out a resting place for them. 34 The cloud of Yahweh was over them by day, when they set forward from the camp. 35 When the ark went forward, Moses said, “Rise up, Yahweh, and let your enemies be scattered! Let those who hate you flee before you!” 36 When it rested, he said, “Return, Yahweh, to the ten thousands of the thousands of Israel.”
Scripture text: World English Bible (public domain).