Numbers 10

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 breaking camp. 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 but 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, then 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 shall be remembered before Yahweh your God, and you shall 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. 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 took their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud stayed in the wilderness of Paran. ¹³ They first took their journey according to the commandment of Yahweh by Moses.

¹⁴ In the first place the standard of the camp of the children of Judah set forward according to their armies; and over his army was Nahshon the son of Amminadab. ¹⁵ Over the army of the tribe of the children of Issachar was Nethanel the son of Zuar. ¹⁶ Over the army of the tribe of the children of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon.

¹⁷ The tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari set forward, bearing the tabernacle.

¹⁸ The standard of the camp of Reuben set forward according to their armies; and over his army was Elizur the son of Shedeur. ¹⁹ Over the army of the tribe of the children of Simeon was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. ²⁰ Over the army of the tribe of the children of Gad was Eliasaph the son of Deuel.

²¹ The Kohathites set forward, bearing the sanctuary; and 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; and over his army was Elishama the son of Ammihud. ²³ Over the army of the tribe of the children of Manasseh was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. ²⁴ Over the army of the tribe of the children of Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gideoni.

²⁵ The standard of the camp of the children of Dan set forward, which was the rear guard of all the camps, according to their armies; and over his army was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. ²⁶ Over the army of the tribe of the children of Asher was Pagiel the son of Ochran. ²⁷ Over the army of the tribe of the children of Naphtali was Ahira the son of Enan.

²⁸ This was the order of the marching of the children of Israel according to their armies, when they set 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, “Please don’t leave us, because you know how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and you shall be to us instead of eyes. ³² It shall be, if you go with us, yes it shall be, that whatever good Yahweh does to us, the same we will do to you.”

³³ They set forward from the mountain of Yahweh three days’ journey; and 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 It happened, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, “Rise up, Yahweh! 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.”