Numbers 10

The silver trumpets

1 The Lord said to Moses, 2 ‘Make two trumpets from one piece of silver. Use a hammer to make the silver the right shape. Make a noise with the trumpets to tell the people that they must meet together. Also use them to tell the people that they must move the camp. 3 When the people hear the sound from both trumpets, they must all come to you. They must meet you at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. 4 But you may want only the leaders of Israel's tribes to come to you. If you want that, a priest should make the sound from only one trumpet.

5 When the trumpets make a loud short noise, the tribes on the east side of the camp must start to travel. 6 When they make a second short noise, the tribes on the south side of the camp must start to travel. Short sounds from the trumpets will tell the people that they must start to travel. 7 But when you want everyone to meet together, the trumpets must make a different sound.

8 Only Aaron's sons, the priests, may use the trumpets to make a noise. This is a rule for you and for all your descendants. 9 Use the trumpets to tell everyone when an enemy is attacking you in your own land. Warn the people so that they are ready to fight the enemy. Then the Lord your God will hear you and he will save you from your enemies.

10 You must also make a noise with the trumpets on days when you are happy. This may happen at your regular festivals or on the first day of a month. You must make a noise with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over your friendship offerings. I will hear you and I will help you. Remember that I am the Lord your God.’

The Israelites leave the Sinai Desert

11 In the second year, in the second month, on the 20th day of the month, the cloud went up. It went away from God's Tent of Meeting. 12 So the Israelites started to travel on their journey away from the Sinai Desert. Then the cloud stopped in the Paran Desert.

13 This was how the Israelites started to travel for the first time, in the way that the Lord had commanded Moses to lead them.

14 The flag of the camp of Judah's tribe started to travel first, with all their armies. Nahshon the son of Amminadab was the leader of all their armies. 15 Nethanel, the son of Zuar, was the leader of the army of the tribe of Issachar. 16 Eliab, the son of Helon, was the leader of the army of the tribe of Zebulun. 17 Then the Levites packed the tabernacle. Then Gershon's clan and Merari's clan, who were carrying tabernacle, started to travel.

18 Next the flag of the camp of Reuben started to travel, with all their armies. Elizur, the son of Shedeur, was the leader of all their armies. 19 Shelumiel, the son of Zurishaddai, was the leader of the army of the tribe of Simeon. 20 Eliasaph, the son of Deuel, was the leader of the army of the tribe of Gad. 21 Then Kohath's clan started to travel. They were carrying the holy things. Before they arrived at the new camp, the other Levites would put up the tabernacle.

22 Next the flag of the camp of the tribe of Ephraim started to travel, with all their armies. Elishama the son of Ammihud was the leader of all their armies. 23 And Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur was the leader of the army of the tribe of Manasseh. 24 Abidan the son of Gideoni was the leader of the army of the tribe of Benjamin.

25 Then the flag of the camp of the tribe of Dan started to travel last, with all their armies. They could keep the Israelites safe if an enemy attacked them from behind them. Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai was the leader of all their armies. 26 Pagiel the son of Ocran was the leader of the army of the tribe of Asher. 27 And Ahira the son of Enan was the leader of the army of the tribe of Naphtali. 28 The Israelites marched out like that every time that they started to travel.

29 Moses spoke to Reuel's son, Hobab. He was the brother of Moses' wife. He was a Midianite. Moses said to Hobab, ‘We are leaving here now to go to another place. The Lord has said to us, “I will give that place to you.” The Lord has promised to help Israel's people with good things. So come with us and we will take care of you.’

30 But Hobab said to him, ‘I will not come. Instead, I will return to my own country and to my family there.’

31 Moses said, ‘Please do not leave us. You know good places for us to put up our tents in the desert. So you can be our guide. 32 And if you come with us, we will share with you the good things that the Lord gives to us.’

33 So the Israelites left the Lord's mountain. They travelled for three days. During that time, the Levites carried the Lord's Covenant Box in front of them. This was so that the Lord could show them where to make their camp. 34 And the Lord's cloud was over them during the day, whenever they started to travel from the camp.

35 Each time that the Covenant Box started to travel Moses said, ‘Be ready, Lord! Cause your enemies to run away in every direction!’ 36 When they stopped travelling, Moses said, ‘Return, Lord, to be near to the thousands of Israel's people.’