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." 11 It happened in the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, that the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle of the testimony. 12 The children of Israel went forward according to 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. 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 He 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 the covenant of Yahweh 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 It happened, when the ark went forward, that 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."
Moses is commanded to make two silver trumpets for calling the assembly, Numbers 10:1, Numbers 10:2. On what occasions these trumpets should be sounded. First, for calling the assembly to the door of the tabernacle, Numbers 10:3. Secondly, to summon the princes and captains of the thousands of Israel, Numbers 10:4. Thirdly, to make the eastern camps strike their tents, Numbers 10:5. Fourthly, to make those on the south do the like, Numbers 10:6. No alarm to be sounded when the congregation only is to be assembled, Numbers 10:7. The sons of Aaron alone shall sound these trumpets, it shall be a perpetual ordinance, Numbers 10:8. Fifthly, the trumpets are to be sounded in the time of war, Numbers 10:9. Sixthly, on festival occasions, Numbers 10:10 On the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, the Israelites began their journey from the wilderness of Sinai, and came to the wilderness of Paran, Numbers 10:11, Numbers 10:12. By the commandment of God to Moses the first division, at the head of which was the standard of Judah, marched, first, Numbers 10:13, Numbers 10:14. Under him followed the tribe of Issachar, Numbers 10:15; and after them the tribe of Zebulun, Numbers 10:16. Then the Gershonites and Merarites followed with the tabernacle, Numbers 10:17. At the head of the second division was the standard and camp of Reuben, Numbers 10:18; and under him were that of Simeon, Numbers 10:19; and that of Gad, Numbers 10:20. Next followed the Kohathites bearing the sanctuary, Numbers 10:21. Then followed the third division, at the head of which was the standard of the camp of Ephraim, Numbers 10:22; and under him Manasseh, Numbers 10:23; and Benjamin, Numbers 10:24. At the head of the fourth division was the standard of the camp of Daniel, Numbers 10:25; and under him Asher, Numbers 10:26; and Naphtali, Numbers 10:27. This was their ordinary method of marching in the wilderness, Numbers 10:28. Moses entreats Hobab the Midianite to accompany them through the wilderness, Numbers 10:29. He refuses, Numbers 10:30. Moses continues and strengthens his entreaties with reasonings and promises, Numbers 10:31, Numbers 10:32. They depart from Sinai three days' journey, Numbers 10:33. The cloud accompanies them by day and night, Numbers 10:34. The words used by Moses when the ark set forward, Numbers 10:35, and when it rested, Numbers 10:36.
INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 10
This chapter gives an account of the directions given for making two silver trumpets, and of the use of them, the ends and purposes for which they were to be made, Numbers 10:1; and of the time of taking up of the cloud from the tabernacle, and of the removal of the camp of Israel from the wilderness of Sinai, and of the order of their march, Numbers 10:11; when Moses most earnestly passed Hobab, his brother in law, to continue with him, Numbers 10:29; and the chapter is closed with the prayer of Moses at the setting forward of the ark, and the resting of it, Numbers 10:33.
(Numbers 10:1-10) The silver trumpets.
(v. 11-28) The Israelites remove from Sinai to Paran.
(Numbers 10:29-32) Hobab entreated by Moses to continue.
(Numbers 10:33-36) The blessing pronounced by Moses.
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