The Two Silver Trumpets
Numbers 10YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, “Make two trumpets of hammered silver make to call the congregation and for having the camps begin journeying. When they blow them, the whole congregation is to gather themselves to you at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. If they blow just one, then the leaders and the heads of the thousands of Israel are to gather themselves to you. When y’all blow an alarm, the camps that lie on the east side are to go forward. When y’all blow an alarm the second time, the camps that lie on the south side are go forward. They are to blow an alarm for their journeys. When gathering the assembly together, y’all are to blow the trumpets without sounding an alarm.
“The sons of Aaron, the priests, are to blow the trumpets. This will be for y’all for a permanent statute throughout y’all’s generations. When y’all go to war in y’all’s land against an adversary who attacks y’all, then y’all are to sound an alarm with the trumpets. Then y’all will be remembered before YHWH y’all’s God, and y’all will be saved from y’all’s enemies.
“Y’all are also to blow the trumpets over y’all’s burnt offerings and peace offerings in the day of y’all’s gladness, y’all’s appointed feasts, and in the beginnings of y’all’s months. They are to be to y’all for a memorial before y’all’s God. I am YHWH y’all’s God.”
The Israelites Leave Sinai for Paran
In the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle of the covenant. The children of Israel went forward on their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud stayed in the wilderness of Paran. They first went forward according to the commandment of YHWH by Moses.
First, the standard of the camp of the children of Judah went forward according to their armies. Nahshon the son of Amminadab was over his army. Nethanel the son of Zuar was over the army of the tribe of the children of Issachar. Eliab the son of Helon was over the army of the tribe of the children of Zebulun. The tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, who bore the tabernacle, went forward. The standard of the camp of Reuben went forward according to their armies. Elizur the son of Shedeur was over his army. Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai was over the army of the tribe of the children of Simeon. Eliasaph the son of Deuel was over the army of the tribe of the children of Gad.
The Kohathites set forward, bearing the sanctuary. The others set up the tabernacle before they arrived.
The standard of the camp of the children of Ephraim set forward according to their armies. Elishama the son of Ammihud was over his army. Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur was over the army of the tribe of the children of Manasseh. Abidan the son of Gideoni was over the army of the tribe of the children of Benjamin.
The standard of the camp of the children of Dan, which was the rear guard of all the camps, set forward according to their armies. Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai was over his army. Pagiel the son of Ochran was over the army of the tribe of the children of Asher. Ahira the son of Enan was over the army of the tribe of the children of Naphtali. Thus were the travels of the children of Israel according to their armies; and they went forward.
Moses said to Hobab, the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We are journeying to the place about which YHWH said, ‘I will give it to y’all.’ Come with us, and we will treat you well, for YHWH has spoken good concerning Israel.”
He said to him, “I will not go; but I will depart to my own land, and to my relatives.”
Moses said, “Don’t leave us, please; because you know how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and you can be our eyes. If you come with us—yes, it is certain—whatever good YHWH does for us we will do the same for you.”
They set forward from the Mount of YHWH three days’ journey. The ark of YHWH’s covenant went before them three days’ journey, to seek out a resting place for them. The cloud of YHWH was over them by day, when they set forward from the camp. When the ark went forward, Moses said, “Rise up, YHWH, and let your enemies be scattered! Let those who hate you flee before you!” When it rested, he said, “Return, YHWH, to the ten thousands of the thousands of Israel.”