Numbers 10

1 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

Yahweh spoke to Moses. He said,

2 Make to yourself two silver trumpets: you shall make them of beaten work; and they shall be to you for the purpose of calling the assembly, and of removing the camps.

“Make two silver trumpets. Hammer the silver to make them. You must use the trumpets to call the community together and to call the community to move their camps.

3 And you shall sound with them, and all the congregation shall be gathered to the door of the tabernacle of witness.

The priests must blow the trumpets to call all the community together in front of you at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

4 And if they shall sound with one, all the rulers even the princes of Israel shall come to you.

If the priests blow only one trumpet, then the leaders, the heads of the clans of Israel, must gather to you.

5 And you shall sound an alarm, and the camps pitched eastward shall begin to move.

When you blow a loud signal, the camps on the east side must begin their journey.

6 And you shall sound a second alarm, and the camps pitched southward shall move; and you shall sound a third alarm, and the camps pitched westward shall move forward; and you shall sound a fourth alarm, and they that encamp toward the north shall move forward: they shall sound an alarm at their departure.

When you blow a loud signal the second time, the camps on the south side must begin their journey. They must blow a loud signal for their journeys.

7 And whenever you shall gather the assembly, you shall sound, but not an alarm.

When the community gathers together, blow the trumpets, but not loudly.

8 And the priests the sons of Aaron shall sound with the trumpets; and it shall be a perpetual ordinance for you throughout your generations.

The sons of Aaron, the priests, must blow the trumpets. This will always be a regulation for you throughout your people's generations.

9 And if you shall go forth to war in your land against your enemies that are opposed to you, then shall you sound with the trumpets; and you shall be had in remembrance before the Lord, and you shall be saved from your enemies.

When you go to war in your land against an adversary who oppresses you, then you must sound an alarm with the trumpets. I, Yahweh your God, will call you to mind and save you from your enemies.

10 And in the days of your gladness, and in your feasts, and in your new moons, you shall sound with the trumpets at your whole burnt offerings, and at the sacrifices of your peace-offerings; and there shall be a memorial for you before your God: I [am] the Lord your God.

Also, at the times of celebration, both your regular festivals and at the beginnings of the months, you must blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices for your fellowship offerings. These will act as a reminder of you to me, your God. I am Yahweh your God.”

11 And it came to pass in the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, the cloud went up from the tabernacle of witness.

In the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, the cloud was lifted from the tabernacle of the covenant decrees.

12 And the children of Israel set forward with their baggage in the wilderness of Sina; and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Pharan.

The people of Israel then went on their journey from the wilderness of Sinai. The cloud stopped in the wilderness of Paran.

13 And the first rank departed by the word of the Lord by the hand of Moses.

They made their first journey, following Yahweh's command given through Moses.

14 And they first set in motion the order of the camp of the children of Juda with their host; and over their host [was] Naasson, son of Aminadab.

The camp under the banner of Judah's descendants went out first, moving out their individual armies. Nahshon son of Amminadab led Judah's army.

15 And over the host of the tribe of the sons of Issachar, [was] Nathanael son of Sogar.

Nethanel son of Zuar led the army of the tribe of Issachar's descendants.

16 And over the host of the tribe of the sons of Zabulon, [was] Eliab the son of Chaelon.

Eliab son of Helon led the army of the tribe of Zebulun's descendants.

17 And they shall take down the tabernacle, and the sons of Gedson shall set forward, and the sons of Merari, who bear the tabernacle.

The descendants of Gershon and of Merari, who cared for the tabernacle, took down the tabernacle and then set out on their journey.

18 And the order of the camp of Ruben set forward with their host; and over their host [was] Elisur the son of Sediur.

Next, the armies under the banner of Reuben's camp set out on their journey. Elizur son of Shedeur led Reuben's army.

19 And over the host of the tribe of the sons of Symeon, [was] Salamiel son of Surisadai.

Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai led the army of the tribe of Simeon's descendants.

20 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Gad, [was] Elisaph the son of Raguel.

Eliasaph son of Deuel led the army of the tribe of Gad's descendants.

21 And the sons of Caath shall set forward bearing the holy things, and [the others] shall set up the tabernacle until they arrive.

The Kohathites set out. They carried the sanctuary's holy equipment. Others would set up the tabernacle before the Kohathites arrived at the next camp.

22 And the order of the camp of Ephraim shall set forward with their forces; and over their forces [was] Elisama the son of Semiud.

The armies under the banner of Ephraim's descendants set out next. Elishama son of Ammihud led Ephraim's army.

23 And over the forces of the tribes of the sons of Manasse, [was] Gamaliel the [son] of Phadassur.

Gamaliel son of Pedahzur led the army of the tribe of Manasseh's descendants.

24 And over the forces of the tribe of the children of Benjamin, [was] Abidan the [son] of Gadeoni.

Abidan son of Gideoni led the army of the tribe of Benjamin's descendants.

25 And the order of the camp of the sons of Dan shall set forward the last of all the camps, with their forces: and over their forces [was] Achiezer the [son] of Amisadai.

The armies that camped under the banner of Dan's descendants set out last. Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai led Dan's army.

26 And over the forces of the tribe of the sons of Aser, [was] Phageel the son of Echran.

Pagiel son of Okran led the army of the tribe of Asher's descendants.

27 And over the forces of the tribe of the sons of Nephthali, [was] Achire the son of Aenan.

Ahira son of Enan led the army of the tribe of Naphtali's descendants.

28 These [are] the armies of the children of Israel; and they set forward with their forces.

This is the way that the armies of the people of Israel set out on their journey.

29 And Moses said to Obab the son of Raguel the Madianite, the father-in-law of Moses, We are going forward to the place concerning which the Lord said, This will I give to you: Come with us, and we will do you good, for the Lord has spoken good concerning Israel.

Moses spoke to Hobab son of Reuel the Midianite. Reuel was the father of Moses' wife. Moses spoke to Hobab and said, “We are traveling to a place that Yahweh described. Yahweh said, 'I will give it to you.' Come with us and we will do you good. Yahweh has promised to do good for Israel.”

30 And he said to him, I will not go, but [I will go] to my land and to my kindred.

But Hobab said to Moses, “I will not go with you. I will go to my own land and my own people.”

31 And he said, Leave us not, because you have been with us in the wilderness, and you shall be an elder among us.

Then Moses replied, “Please do not leave us. You know how to camp in the wilderness. You must watch out for us.

32 And it shall come to pass if you will go with us, it shall even come to pass that in whatever things the Lord shall do us good, we will also do you good.

If you go with us, we will do for you the same good that Yahweh does to us.”

33 And they departed from the mount of the Lord a three days' journey; and the ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them a three days' journey to provide rest for them.

They journeyed from the mountain of Yahweh for three days. The ark of the covenant of Yahweh went before them for three days to find a place for them to rest.

34 And the cloud overshadowed them by day, when they departed from the camp.

Yahweh's cloud was over them by daylight as they journeyed.

35 And it came to pass when the ark set forward, that Moses said, Arise, O Lord, and let your enemies be scattered: let all that hate you flee.

Whenever the ark set out, Moses would say, “Rise up, Yahweh. Scatter your enemies. Make those who hate you run from you.”

36 And in the resting he said, Turn again, O Lord, the thousands [and] tens of thousands in Israel.

Whenever the ark stopped, Moses would say, “Return, Yahweh, to Israel's many tens of thousands.”