Numbers 10

1 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

Yahweh spoke to Moses. He said,

2 “Make for yourself two trumpets of ductile silver, with which you may be able to call together the multitude when the camp is to be moved.

“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 when you sound the trumpets, all the multitude shall gather to you at the door of the tabernacle of the covenant.

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 you sound it only once, the leaders and the heads of the multitude 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 But if the sound of the trumpets is prolonged, but with interruptions, those who are toward the east side shall move the camp first.

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

6 Then, at the second sounding of the trumpet with the same cadence, those who live toward the south shall take up their tents. And the remainder shall act in like manner, when the trumpets shall reverberate for a 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 But when the people are to be gathered together, the sound of the trumpets shall be simple, and the sounds shall not be separated.

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

8 Now it is the sons of Aaron the priest who shall sound the trumpets. And this shall be an everlasting ordinance, in 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 If you go forth to war from your land, against the enemies who set out against you, you shall sound the trumpets repeatedly, and there shall be a remembrance of you before the Lord your God, so that you may be rescued from the hands of 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 If at any time you will have a banquet, and on feast days, and on the first days of the months, you shall sound the trumpets over the holocausts and the peace-offering victims, so that they may be for you as a remembrance by 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 In the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, the cloud was lifted up from the tabernacle of the covenant.

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 sons of Israel set out by their companies from the desert of Sinai, and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran.

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 to move their camp, according to the command of the Lord by the hand of Moses,

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

14 were the sons of Judah by their companies, whose leader was Nahshon the son of Amminadab.

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 In the tribe of the sons of Issachar, the leader was Nathanael the son of Zuar.

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

16 In the tribe of Zebulon, the leader was Eliab the son of Helon.

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

17 And the tabernacle was taken down, because the sons of Gershon and Merari, who carry it, were departing.

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 sons of Ruben also set out, by their companies and ranks, whose leader was Elizur the son of Shedeur.

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 in the tribe of Simeon, the leader was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.

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

20 And in the tribe of Gad, the leader was Eliasaph the son of Reuel.

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

21 Then the Kohathites also set out, carrying the Sanctuary. The tabernacle was carried, all the while, until they arrived at the place for setting it up.

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 sons of Ephraim also moved their camp by their companies, and the leader of their army was Elishama the son of Ammihud.

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

23 And in the tribe of the sons of Manasseh, the leader was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.

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

24 And in the tribe of Benjamin, the leader was Abidan the son of Gideoni.

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

25 The last of all the camp to set out were the sons of Dan by their companies, and the leader of their army was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.

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

26 And in the tribe of the sons of Asher, the leader was Pagiel the son of Ochran.

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

27 And in the tribe of the sons of Naphtali, the leader was Ahira the son of Enan.

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

28 These were the camps and departures of the sons of Israel by their companies, when they went forth.

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

29 And Moses said to Hobab the son of Raguel the Midianite, his kinsman: “We are setting out to the place which the Lord will give to us. Come with us, so that we may do good to you. For the Lord has promised good things to 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 answered him, “I will not go with you, but I will return to my own land, in which I was born.”

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: “Do not choose to leave us. For you know in which places in the desert we ought to make camp, and so you shall be our guide.

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

32 And if you come with us, whatever will be best among the riches which the Lord will deliver to us, we will give to you.”

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

33 Therefore, they set out from the Mountain of the Lord on a journey of three days. And the ark of the covenant of the Lord preceded them, for three days, in order to provide a place for the camp.

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 Likewise, the cloud of the Lord was over them, throughout the day, while they proceeded.

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

35 And when the ark was lifted up, Moses said, “Rise up, O Lord, and let your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate you flee from your face.”

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

36 And when it was set down, he said: “Return, O Lord, to the multitude of the army of Israel.”

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