Numbers 10

1 The Lord told Moses,

And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying:

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

'Make thee two trumpets of silver; of beaten work shalt thou make them; and they shall be unto thee for the calling of the congregation, and for causing the camps to set forward.

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

And when they shall blow with them, all the congregation shall gather themselves unto thee at the door of the tent of meeting.

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

And if they blow but with one, then the princes, the heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves unto thee.

5 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.

And when ye blow an alarm, the camps that lie on the east side shall take their journey.

6 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.

And when ye blow an alarm the second time, the camps that lie on the south side shall set forward; they shall blow an alarm for their journeys.

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

But when the assembly is to be gathered together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm.

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

And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and they shall be to you for a statute for ever throughout your generations.

9 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.

And when ye go to war in your land against the adversary that oppresseth you, then ye shall sound an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the LORD your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies.

10 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.”

Also in the day of your gladness, and in your appointed seasons, and in your new moons, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt-offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace-offerings; and they shall be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the LORD your God.'

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

And it came to pass 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 Israelites left the Desert of Sinai and moved from place to place until the cloud stopped in the Desert of Paran.

And the children of Israel set forward by their stages out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud abode in the wilderness of Paran. —

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

And they took their first journey, according to the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.

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

And in the first place the standard of the camp of the children of Judah set forward according to their hosts; and over his host was Nahshon the son of Amminadab.

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

And over the host of the tribe of the children of Issachar was Nethanel the son of Zuar.

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

And over the host of the tribe of the children of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon.

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

And the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, who bore the tabernacle, set forward.

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

And the standard of the camp of Reuben set forward according to their hosts; and over his host was Elizur the son of Shedeur.

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

And over the host of the tribe of the children of Simeon was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.

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

And over the host of the tribe of the children of Gad was Eliasaph the son of Deuel.

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

And the Kohathites the bearers of the sanctuary set forward, that the tabernacle might be set up against their coming.

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

And the standard of the camp of the children of Ephraim set forward according to their hosts; and over his host was Elishama the son of Ammihud.

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

And over the host of the tribe of the children of Manasseh was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.

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

And over the host of the tribe of the children of Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gideoni.

25 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.

And the standard of the camp of the children of Dan, which was the rearward of all the camps, set forward according to their hosts; and over his host was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.

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

And over the host of the tribe of the children of Asher was Pagiel the son of Ochran.

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

And over the host of the tribe of the children of Naphtali was Ahira the son of Enan.

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

Thus were the journeyings of the children of Israel according to their hosts. — And they set forward.

29 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.”

And Moses said unto Hobab, the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses' father-in-law: 'We are journeying unto the place of which the LORD said: I will give it you; come thou with us, and we will do thee good; for the LORD hath spoken good concerning Israel.'

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

And he said unto him: 'I will not go; but I will depart to mine own land, and to my kindred.'

31 “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.

And he said: 'Leave us not, I pray thee; forasmuch as thou knowest how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and thou shalt be to us instead of eyes.

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

And it shall be, if thou go with us, yea, it shall be, that what good soever the LORD shall do unto us, the same will we do unto thee.'

33 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.

And they set forward from the mount of the LORD three days' journey; and the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them three days' journey, to seek out a resting-place for them.

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

And the cloud of the LORD was over them by day, when they set forward from the camp.

35 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.”

And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said: 'Rise up, O LORD, and let Thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate Thee flee before Thee.'

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

And when it rested, he said: 'Return, O LORD, unto the ten thousands of the families of Israel.'