Numbers 10

1 And the Lord said to Moses,

The Lord told Moses,

2 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.

“Make two trumpets out of hammered silver. They are to be used for summoning the Israelites and to have the camp move out.

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

When both trumpets are blown, all the Israelites are to gather before you at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.

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

But if only one is blown, then only the tribal leaders are to gather before you.

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

When you blow the trumpet loudly, which is the alarm signal to move out, the camps on the east side are to march out first.

6 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.

When you blow the trumpet loudly the second time, the camps on the south side are to march out. That's their signal to start moving.

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

To summon the people, blow the trumpets normally, not the loud alarm signal.

8 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.

Aaron's descendants are to blow the trumpets. This regulation is for all time and for all future generations.

9 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.

When you're in your own land and have to go into battle against an enemy who has attacked you, blow the alarm signal and the Lord your God won't forget you—he will save you from your enemies.

10 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.

Blow the trumpets when you celebrate too, at your regular feasts and at the beginning of each month. This is when you give your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings which act as a reminder for you before your God. I am the Lord your God.”

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

The cloud rose up from the Tabernacle of the Testimony on the twentieth day of the second month of the second year.

12 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.

The Israelites left the Desert of Sinai and moved from place to place until the cloud stopped in the Desert of Paran.

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

This was the first time they moved out following the Lord's command through Moses.

14 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.

The tribal divisions of Judah went first, marching out under their flag, with Nahshon, son of Amminadab, in charge.

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

Nethanel, son of Zuar, was in charge of the tribal division of Issachar,

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

and Eliab, son of Helon, was in charge of the tribal division of Zebulun.

17 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.

Then the Tabernacle was dismantled, and the Gershonites and the Merarites set off, carrying it.

18 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.

Then came the divisions of Reuben who marched out under their flag, with Elizur, son of Shedeur, in charge.

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

Shelumiel, son of Zurishaddai, was in charge of the tribal division of Simeon,

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

and Eliasaph, son of Deuel, was in charge of the tribal division of Gad.

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

Then the Kohathites set off, carrying the holy objects. The Tabernacle would be put up before they arrived.

22 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.

Then came the divisions of Ephraim who marched out under their flag, with Elishama, son of Ammihud in charge.

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

Gamaliel, son of Pedahzur, was in charge of the tribal division of Manasseh,

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

and Abidan, son of Gideoni, was in charge of the tribal division of Benjamin.

25 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.

Lastly came the divisions of Dan who marched out under their flag, defending the rear of all the tribal groups, with Ahiezer, son of Ammishaddai, in charge.

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

Pagiel, son of Ocran, was in charge of the tribal division of Asher,

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

and Ahira, son of Enan, was in charge of the tribal division of Naphtali.

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

This was the order in which the Israelite tribal divisions moved out.

29 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.

Moses explained to Hobab, the son of Moses' father-in-law Reuel the Midianite, “We're leaving for the place of which the Lord promised, ‘I'm going to give it to you.’ Come with us, and we'll be good to you, because the Lord has promised good things to Israel.”

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

“No, I won't go—I'll return to my own country and my own people,” Hobab replied.

31 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.

“Please don't abandon us now,” Moses said, “because you're the one who knows where we should camp in the desert and you can guide us.

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

If you come with us, whatever good things the Lord blesses us with we'll share with you.”

33 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;

They left the mountain of the Lord to go on a three-day journey The Ark of the Lord's Agreement led the way for them during these three days to find a place for them to camp.

34 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.

The cloud of the Lord was above them during day as they moved on from the camp.

35 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.

Whenever the Ark was carried out, Moses would call out, “Stand up, Lord, and may your enemies be scattered, and may those who hate you run away from you.”

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

Whenever it was set down, he would call out, “Return, Lord, to the thousands and thousands of the people of Israel.”