Numbers 10

1 Yahweh also told Moses/me,

And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

2 “[Tell someone to] make two trumpets by hammering each one from [one lump of] silver. Blow the trumpets to summon the people to come together and also to signal that they must move their tents [to a new location].

Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps.

3 If both trumpets are blown, it means that everyone must gather together at the entrance of the Sacred Tent.

And when they shall blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

4 If only one trumpet is blown, it means that only the [twelve] leaders of the tribes must gather together.

And if they blow but with one trumpet, then the princes, who are heads of the thousands of Israel, shall assemble themselves to thee.

5 If the trumpets are blown loudly, the tribes that are to the east [of the Sacred Tent] should start to travel.

When ye blow an alarm, then the camps that lie on the east parts shall go forward.

6 When the trumpets are blown loudly the second time, the tribes that are to the south should start to travel. The loud blasts on the trumpet will signal that they should start to travel.

When ye blow an alarm the second time, then the camps that lie on the south side shall take their journey: they shall blow an alarm for their journeys.

7 When you want only to gather the people together, blow the trumpets, but do not blow them as loudly.

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

8 “The priests who are descended from Aaron are the ones who should blow the trumpets. That is a regulation that will never be changed.

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

9 When you fight against enemies who attack you in your own land, tell the priests to blow the trumpets loudly. I, Yahweh, your God, will hear that, and I will rescue you from your enemies.

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

10 Also tell the priests to blow the trumpets when the people are happy, and at the festivals [each year], and at the times when they celebrate the new moon each month. Tell them to blow the trumpets when the people bring offerings that will be completely burned, and when they bring offerings to maintain fellowship with me. If they do that, it will help you to remember that I, Yahweh your God, [will help you].”

Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the LORD your God.

11 On the twentieth day of May in the second year [after the/we Israelis left Egypt], the cloud rose up from above the Sacred Tent.

And it came to pass on the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, that the cloud was taken up from off the tabernacle of the testimony.

12 So we/the Israelis traveled from the Sinai Desert, and we/they continued traveling [north] until the cloud stopped in the Paran Desert.

And the children of Israel took their journeys from the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran.

13 That was the first time we/they moved, obeying the instructions that Yahweh had given to Moses/me to tell them.

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

14 The group that went first, carrying their flag/banner, was the group from the tribe of Judah. Nahshon, the son of Amminadab, was their leader.

In the first place went the standard of the camp of the children of Judah according to their armies: and over his host was Nahshon the son of Amminadab.

15 The group from the tribe of Issachar [followed them]. Nethanel, the son of Zuar, was their leader.

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

16 The group from the tribe of Zebulun went next. Eliab, the son of Helon, was their leader.

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

17 Then they dismantled the Sacred Tent, and the descendants of Gershon and Merari carried it, and they went next.

And the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari moved forward, bearing the tabernacle.

18 The group from the tribe of Reuben went next, carrying their flag. Elizur, the son of Shedeur, was their leader.

And the standard of the camp of Reuben moved forward according to their armies: and over his host was Elizur the son of Shedeur.

19 The group from the tribe of Simeon was next. Shelumiel, the son of Zurishaddai, was their leader.

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

20 The group from the tribe of Gad was next. Eliasaph, the son of Deuel, was their leader.

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

21 The group descended from Kohath was next. They carried the sacred items from the Sacred Tent. The Sacred Tent itself was set up at the new location before they arrived there.

And the Kohathites moved forward, bearing the sanctuary: and the other set up the tabernacle for their coming.

22 The group from the tribe of Ephraim was next, carrying their flag. Elishama, the son of Ammihud, was their leader.

And the standard of the camp of the children of Ephraim moved forward according to their armies: and over his host was Elishama the son of Ammihud.

23 The group from the tribe of Manasseh went next. Gamaliel, the son of Pedahzur, was their leader.

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

24 The group from the tribe of Benjamin, went next. Abidan, the son of Gideoni, was their leader.

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

25 The ones who went last were the group from the tribe of Dan, carrying their flag. Ahiezer, the son of Ammishaddai, was their leader.

And the standard of the camp of the children of Dan moved forward, which was the rear guard of all the camps throughout their hosts: and over his host was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.

26 The group from the tribe of Asher went next. Pagiel, the son of Ocran, was their leader.

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

27 The group from the tribe of Naphtali went last. Ahira, the son of Enan, was their leader.

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

28 That was the order in which the groups of Israeli tribes traveled.

Thus were the journeyings of the children of Israel according to their armies, when they moved forward.

29 One day Moses/I said to his/my brother-in-law Hobab, the son of Reuel from the Midian people-group, “We are on the way to the place that Yahweh promised to give to us. Come with us, and we will take good care of you, because Yahweh has promised [to do] good things for us Israeli people.”

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

30 But Hobab replied, “No, I will not go with you. I want to return to my own land and to my own family.”

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

31 But Moses/I said, “Please do not leave us. You know the places where we can set up our tents in this 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 mayest be to us instead of eyes.

32 Come with us. We will share with you all the good things that Yahweh gives to us.”

And it shall be, if thou wilt go with us, yea, it shall be, that what goodness the LORD shall do to us, the same will we do to thee.

33 [So Hobab agreed to go with them]. The Israelis left Sinai Mountain, [which they called] Yahweh’s Mountain, and they walked for three days. The [men carrying the] sacred chest went in front of the other people for those three days, and they kept looking for a place to set up their tents.

And they departed from the mount of the LORD three days’ journey: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them in the three days’ journey, to seek a resting place for them.

34 The cloud sent by Yahweh was over them every day.

And the cloud of the LORD was upon them by day, when they went out of the camp.

35 Each morning when the men who were carrying the sacred chest started to walk, Moses/I said, “Yahweh, arise! Scatter your enemies! Cause those who hate you to run away from you!”

And it came to pass, when the ark moved forward, that Moses said, Arise, LORD, and let thy enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee.

36 And each time the men [stopped to] set down the sacred chest, Moses/I said, “Yahweh, stay close to the thousands of us Israelis!”

And when it rested, he said, Return, O LORD, to the many thousands of Israel.