Numbers 10
1 Yahweh also told Moses/me,
Yahweh spoke to Moses. He said,
2 “[Tell someone to] make two trumpets by hammering each one from [one lump of] silver. Blow the trumpets to summon the people to come together and also to signal that they must move their tents [to a new location].
“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 If both trumpets are blown, it means that everyone must gather together at the entrance of the Sacred Tent.
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 If only one trumpet is blown, it means that only the [twelve] leaders of the tribes must gather together.
If the priests blow only one trumpet, then the leaders, the heads of the clans of Israel, must gather to you.
5 If the trumpets are blown loudly, the tribes that are to the east [of the Sacred Tent] should start to travel.
When you blow a loud signal, the camps on the east side must begin their journey.
6 When the trumpets are blown loudly the second time, the tribes that are to the south should start to travel. The loud blasts on the trumpet will signal that they should start to travel.
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 When you want only to gather the people together, blow the trumpets, but do not blow them as loudly.
When the community gathers together, blow the trumpets, but not loudly.
8 “The priests who are descended from Aaron are the ones who should blow the trumpets. That is a regulation that will never be changed.
The sons of Aaron, the priests, must blow the trumpets. This will always be a regulation for you throughout your people's generations.
9 When you fight against enemies who attack you in your own land, tell the priests to blow the trumpets loudly. I, Yahweh, your God, will hear that, and I will rescue you 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 Also tell the priests to blow the trumpets when the people are happy, and at the festivals [each year], and at the times when they celebrate the new moon each month. Tell them to blow the trumpets when the people bring offerings that will be completely burned, and when they bring offerings to maintain fellowship with me. If they do that, it will help you to remember that I, Yahweh your God, [will help you].”
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 On the twentieth day of May in the second year [after the/we Israelis left Egypt], the cloud rose up from above the Sacred Tent.
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 So we/the Israelis traveled from the Sinai Desert, and we/they continued traveling [north] until the cloud stopped in the Paran Desert.
The people of Israel then went on their journey from the wilderness of Sinai. The cloud stopped in the wilderness of Paran.
13 That was the first time we/they moved, obeying the instructions that Yahweh had given to Moses/me to tell them.
They made their first journey, following Yahweh's command given through Moses.
14 The group that went first, carrying their flag/banner, was the group from the tribe of Judah. Nahshon, the son of Amminadab, was their leader.
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 The group from the tribe of Issachar [followed them]. Nethanel, the son of Zuar, was their leader.
Nethanel son of Zuar led the army of the tribe of Issachar's descendants.
16 The group from the tribe of Zebulun went next. Eliab, the son of Helon, was their leader.
Eliab son of Helon led the army of the tribe of Zebulun's descendants.
17 Then they dismantled the Sacred Tent, and the descendants of Gershon and Merari carried it, and they went next.
The descendants of Gershon and of Merari, who cared for the tabernacle, took down the tabernacle and then set out on their journey.
18 The group from the tribe of Reuben went next, carrying their flag. Elizur, the son of Shedeur, was their leader.
Next, the armies under the banner of Reuben's camp set out on their journey. Elizur son of Shedeur led Reuben's army.
19 The group from the tribe of Simeon was next. Shelumiel, the son of Zurishaddai, was their leader.
Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai led the army of the tribe of Simeon's descendants.
20 The group from the tribe of Gad was next. Eliasaph, the son of Deuel, was their leader.
Eliasaph son of Deuel led the army of the tribe of Gad's descendants.
21 The group descended from Kohath was next. They carried the sacred items from the Sacred Tent. The Sacred Tent itself was set up at the new location before they arrived there.
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 The group from the tribe of Ephraim was next, carrying their flag. Elishama, the son of Ammihud, was their leader.
The armies under the banner of Ephraim's descendants set out next. Elishama son of Ammihud led Ephraim's army.
23 The group from the tribe of Manasseh went next. Gamaliel, the son of Pedahzur, was their leader.
Gamaliel son of Pedahzur led the army of the tribe of Manasseh's descendants.
24 The group from the tribe of Benjamin, went next. Abidan, the son of Gideoni, was their leader.
Abidan son of Gideoni led the army of the tribe of Benjamin's descendants.
25 The ones who went last were the group from the tribe of Dan, carrying their flag. Ahiezer, the son of Ammishaddai, was their leader.
The armies that camped under the banner of Dan's descendants set out last. Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai led Dan's army.
26 The group from the tribe of Asher went next. Pagiel, the son of Ocran, was their leader.
Pagiel son of Okran led the army of the tribe of Asher's descendants.
27 The group from the tribe of Naphtali went last. Ahira, the son of Enan, was their leader.
Ahira son of Enan led the army of the tribe of Naphtali's descendants.
28 That was the order in which the groups of Israeli tribes traveled.
This is the way that the armies of the people of Israel set out on their journey.
29 One day Moses/I said to his/my brother-in-law Hobab, the son of Reuel from the Midian people-group, “We are on the way to the place that Yahweh promised to give to us. Come with us, and we will take good care of you, because Yahweh has promised [to do] good things for us Israeli people.”
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 But Hobab replied, “No, I will not go with you. I want to return to my own land and to my own family.”
But Hobab said to Moses, “I will not go with you. I will go to my own land and my own people.”
31 But Moses/I said, “Please do not leave us. You know the places where we can set up our tents in this desert, and you can guide us.
Then Moses replied, “Please do not leave us. You know how to camp in the wilderness. You must watch out for us.
32 Come with us. We will share with you all the good things that Yahweh gives to us.”
If you go with us, we will do for you the same good that Yahweh does to us.”
33 [So Hobab agreed to go with them]. The Israelis left Sinai Mountain, [which they called] Yahweh’s Mountain, and they walked for three days. The [men carrying the] sacred chest went in front of the other people for those three days, and they kept looking for a place to set up their tents.
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 The cloud sent by Yahweh was over them every day.
Yahweh's cloud was over them by daylight as they journeyed.
35 Each morning when the men who were carrying the sacred chest started to walk, Moses/I said, “Yahweh, arise! Scatter your enemies! Cause those who hate you to run away from you!”
Whenever the ark set out, Moses would say, “Rise up, Yahweh. Scatter your enemies. Make those who hate you run from you.”
36 And each time the men [stopped to] set down the sacred chest, Moses/I said, “Yahweh, stay close to the thousands of us Israelis!”
Whenever the ark stopped, Moses would say, “Return, Yahweh, to Israel's many tens of thousands.”
