Numbers 10

1 Yahweh spoke to Moses. He said,

And the Lord said to Moses,

2 “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.

Make two silver horns of hammered work, to be used for getting the people together and to give the sign for the moving of the tents.

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

When they are sounded, all the people are to come together to you at the door of the Tent of meeting.

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

If only one of them is sounded, then the chiefs, the heads of the thousands of Israel, are to come to you.

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

When a loud note is sounded, the tents placed on the east side are to go forward.

6 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.

At the sound of a second loud note, the tents on the south side are to go forward: the loud note will be the sign to go forward.

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

But when all the people are to come together, the horn is to be sounded but not loudly.

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

The horns are to be sounded by the sons of Aaron, the priests; this is to be a law for you for ever, from generation to generation.

9 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.

And if you go to war in your land against any who do you wrong, then let the loud note of the horn be sounded; and the Lord your God will keep you in mind and give you salvation from those who are against you.

10 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.”

And on days of joy and on your regular feasts and on the first day of every month, let the horns be sounded over your burned offerings and your peace-offerings; and they will put the Lord in mind of you: I am the Lord your God.

11 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.

Now in the second year, on the twentieth day of the second month, the cloud was taken up from over the Tent of witness.

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

And the children of Israel went on their journey out of the waste land of Sinai; and the cloud came to rest in the waste land of Paran.

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

They went forward for the first time on their journey as the Lord had given orders by the hand of Moses.

14 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.

First the flag of the children of Judah went forward with their armies: and at the head of his army was Nahshon, the son of Amminadab.

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

And at the head of the army of the children of Issachar was Nethanel, the son of Zuar.

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

And at the head of the army of the children of Zebulun was Eliab, the son of Helon.

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

Then the House was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, who were responsible for moving the House, went forward.

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

Then the flag of the children of Reuben went forward with their armies: and at the head of his army was Elizur, the son of Shedeur.

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

And at the head of the army of the children of Simeon was Shelumiel, the son of Zurishaddai.

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

At the head of the army of the children of Gad was Eliasaph, the son of Reuel.

21 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.

Then the Kohathites went forward with the holy place; the others put up the House ready for their coming.

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

Then the flag of the children of Ephraim went forward with their armies: and at the head of his army was Elishama, the son of Ammihud.

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

At the head of the army of the children of Manasseh was Gamaliel, the son of Pedahzur.

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

At the head of the army of the children of Benjamin was Abidan, the son of Gideoni.

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

And the flag of the children of Dan, whose tents were moved last of all, went forward with their armies: and at the head of his army was Ahiezer, the son of Ammishaddai.

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

At the head of the army of the children of Asher was Pagiel, the son of Ochran.

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

And at the head of the army of the children of Naphtali was Ahira, the son of Enan.

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

This was the order in which the children of Israel were journeying by armies; so they went forward.

29 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.”

Then Moses said to Hobab, the son of his father-in-law Reuel the Midianite, We are journeying to that place of which the Lord has said, I will give it to you: so come with us, and it will be for your profit: for the Lord has good things in store for Israel.

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

But he said, I will not go with you, I will go back to the land of my birth and to my relations.

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

And he said, Do not go from us; for you will be eyes for us, guiding us to the right places in the waste land to put up our tents.

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

And if you come with us, we will give you a part in whatever good the Lord does for us.

33 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.

So they went forward three days' journey from the mountain of the Lord; and the ark of the Lord's agreement went three days' journey before them, looking for a resting-place for them;

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

And by day the cloud of the Lord went over them, when they went forward from the place where they had put up their tents.

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

And when the ark went forward Moses said, Come up, O Lord, and let the armies of those who are against you be broken, and let your haters go in flight before you.

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

And when it came to rest, he said, Take rest, O Lord, and give a blessing to the families of Israel.