Numbers 10

1Yahweh said to Moses,

2“Make two trumpets of silver; make them of hammered work. You are to use them to summon the congregation and to have the camps set out.

3When both are blown, the whole congregation is to gather before you at the entrance of the tent of meeting.

4If only one is blown, the leaders, the heads of the thousands of Israel, are to gather before you.

5When you sound an alarm, the camps on the east side are to set out.

6When you sound an alarm a second time, the camps on the south side are to set out. An alarm is to be sounded whenever they are to set out.

7When you gather the assembly, blow the trumpets, but do not sound an alarm.

8The sons of Aaron, the priests, are to blow the trumpets. This is to be a permanent statute for you throughout your generations.

9When you go to war in your land against an enemy who is attacking you, sound an alarm on the trumpets. Then you will be remembered before Yahweh your God, and you will be saved from your enemies.

10Also on your days of rejoicing, at your appointed festivals, and at the beginning of your months, blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over your sacrifices of fellowship offerings. They will serve as a reminder for you before your God. I am Yahweh your God.”

11In the second year, on the twentieth day of the second month, the cloud lifted from over the tabernacle of the testimony.

12Then the Israelites set out from the wilderness of Sinai in stages, and the cloud came to rest in the wilderness of Paran.

13They set out for the first time at Yahweh’s command through Moses.

14The banner of the camp of Judah set out first by their divisions, with Nahshon son of Amminadab in command of its division.

15Nethanel son of Zuar was in command of the division of the tribe of Issachar,

16and Eliab son of Helon was in command of the division of the tribe of Zebulun.

17Then the tabernacle was taken down, and the Gershonites and the Merarites, who carried the tabernacle, set out.

18Next the banner of the camp of Reuben set out by their divisions, with Elizur son of Shedeur in command of its division.

19Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai was in command of the division of the tribe of Simeon,

20and Eliasaph son of Deuel was in command of the division of the tribe of Gad.

21Then the Kohathites set out, carrying the holy things, and the tabernacle was set up before they arrived.

22Next the banner of the camp of Ephraim set out by their divisions, with Elishama son of Ammihud in command of its division.

23Gamaliel son of Pedahzur was in command of the division of the tribe of Manasseh,

24and Abidan son of Gideoni was in command of the division of the tribe of Benjamin.

25Finally the banner of the camp of Dan, the rear guard of all the camps, set out by their divisions, with Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai in command of its division.

26Pagiel son of Ocran was in command of the division of the tribe of Asher,

27and Ahira son of Enan was in command of the division of the tribe of Naphtali.

28This was the order in which the Israelites set out by their divisions when they moved.

29Moses said to Hobab son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We are setting out for the place about which Yahweh said, ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us, and we will treat you well, for Yahweh has promised good things to Israel.”

30But he said to him, “I will not go. I will go back to my own land and my own people.”

31Moses said, “Please do not leave us. You know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you can be our eyes.

32If you come with us, whatever good Yahweh does for us, we will do for you.”

33So they set out from the mountain of Yahweh and traveled for three days. The ark of the covenant of Yahweh went ahead of them during those three days to find a place for them to rest.

34The cloud of Yahweh was over them by day when they set out from the camp.

35Whenever the ark set out, Moses said, “Rise up, Yahweh! May your enemies be scattered, and may those who hate you flee before you.”

36And whenever it came to rest, he said, “Return, Yahweh, to the countless thousands of Israel.”