Numbers 10

1 And Yahweh spake unto Moses, saying:

Yahweh spoke to Moses. He said,

2 Make thee two trumpets of silver, of beaten work, shalt thou make them, —and they shall be unto thee for calling the assembly, and for setting forward the camps.

“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 As soon as they blow therewith, so soon shall all the assembly assemble themselves unto thee, unto the entrance of the tent of meeting.

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 And, if, only once, they blow, then shall the princes, the heads of the thousands of Israel, gather themselves unto thee.

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

5 But when ye blow an alarm, then shall set forward the camps that are encamped eastwards;

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

6 and when ye blow a second alarm, then shall set forward the camps that are encamped southwards, —an alarm, shall they blow for setting them forward,

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 in calling together the convocation, ye shall blow but shall not sound an alarm.

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

8 And, the sons of Aaron the priests, shall blow with the trumpets, —and it shall be unto you for a statute age-abiding, unto 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 And when ye go into war in your land against the assailant that assaileth you, then shall ye blow an alarm with the trumpets, —and bring yourselves to mind before Yahweh your God, and be saved, from 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 And in your day of rejoicing and in your appointed seasons and in the beginnings of your months, then shall ye blow with the trumpets, over your ascending-sacrifices, and over your peace-offerings, —so shall they be unto you for a memorial before your God. I—Yahweh, am 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 And so it came to pass in the second year, in the second month on the twentieth of the month, that the cloud lifted itself up, from off the habitation of the testimony;

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 forward by their removals from the desert of Sinai, and then the cloud abode in the desert 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 Thus then did they set forward for the first time, —at the bidding of Yahweh, by the hand of Moses.

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

14 So the standard of the camp of the sons of Judah set forward first, by their hosts, and over his own host, was Nahshon, 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 and, over the host of the tribe of the sons of Issachar, Nethanel, son of Zuar;

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

16 and, over the host of the tribe of the sons of Zebulun, Eliab, son of Helon.

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

17 Then was taken down the habitation, —and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari set forward bearing the habitation.

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

18 Then set forward the standard of the camp of Reuben, by their hosts, —and over his own host, Elizur, 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, over the host of the tribe of the sons of Simeon, Shelumiel, son of Zurishaddai;

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

20 and, over the host of the tribe of the sons of Gad, Eliasaph, son of Deuel.

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

21 Then set forward the Kohathites, bearing the sanctuary, —and so the habitation was reared by the time they came in.

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 Then set forward the standard of the camp of the sons of Ephraim by their hosts, —and over his own host, was Elishama 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, over the host of the tribe of the sons of Manasseh, Gamaliel, son of Pedahzur;

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

24 and, over the host of the tribe of the sons of Benjamin, Abidan, son of Gideoni.

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

25 Then set forward the standard of the camp of the sons of Dan, bringing up the rear of all the camps, by their hosts, —and over his own host, Ahiezur, 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, over the host of the tribe of the sons of Asher, Pagiel, son of Ochran;

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

27 and, over the host of the tribe of the sons of Naphtali, Ahira, son of Enan.

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

28 These, were the settings-forward of the sons of Israel by their hosts, —thus did they set forward.

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

29 Then said Moses to Hobab, son of Raguel the Midianite, father-in-law of Moses: Setting forward, are we unto the place of which Yahweh hath said, The same, will I give unto you, —Oh come with us and we will do thee good, for, Yahweh, hath spoken good, concerning 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 said unto him, I will not go, —but unto my own land, and unto my own kindred, will I go.

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

31 Then said he: I beseech thee, do not forsake us, —for, on this account, hast thou come to know of our encamping in the desert, so shalt thou be unto us as eyes;

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

32 and it shall be if thou wilt go with us, —yea it shall be that with the very good wherewith Yahweh shall do us good, will we do good unto thee.

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

33 So then they went forward, from the mountain of Yahweh, a journey of three days, —and the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, was going before them a journey of three days, to search out for them a resting-place,

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 And the cloud of Yahweh, was over them by day, —when they set forward out of the camp.

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

35 And it came to pass when the ark set forward, that Moses said: Arise, O Yahweh! and scattered be thy foes, Let them that hate thee flee before thee;

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

36 But when it rested, he said, —Return, O Yahweh! unto the myriads of the thousands of Israel.

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