The Silver Trumpets
1
The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
2
"Make two silver trumpets. Of hammered work you shall make them, and you shall use them for 1summoning the congregation and for breaking camp.
3
And when 2both are blown, all the congregation shall gather themselves to you at the entrance of the tent of meeting.
4
But if they blow only one, then 3the chiefs, the heads of the tribes of Israel, shall gather themselves to you.
5
When you blow an alarm, 4the camps that are on the east side shall set out.
6
And when you blow an alarm the second time, 5the camps that are on the south side shall set out. An alarm is to be blown whenever they are to set out.
7
But when the assembly is to be gathered together, 6you shall blow a long blast, but you shall not 7sound an alarm.
8
8And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets. The trumpets shall be to you for a perpetual statute throughout your generations.
9
And 9when you go to war in your land against the adversary who 10oppresses you, then you shall 11sound an alarm with the trumpets, that you may be 12remembered before the LORD your God, and you shall be saved from your enemies.
10
13On the day of your gladness also, and at your appointed feasts and 14at the beginnings of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings. They shall be 15a reminder of you before your God: I am the LORD your God."
Israel Leaves Sinai
11
In the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, 16the cloud lifted from over the tabernacle of the testimony,
12
and the people of Israel 17set out by stages from the 18wilderness of Sinai. And the cloud settled down in the 19wilderness of Paran.
13
They set out for the first time 20at the command of the LORD by Moses.
14
The standard of the camp of the people of Judah set out 21first by their companies, and over their company was 22Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
15
And over the company of the tribe of the people of Issachar was Nethanel the son of Zuar.
16
And over the company of the tribe of the people of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon.
17
And when 23the tabernacle was taken down, the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, 24who carried the tabernacle, set out.
18
And 25the standard of the camp of Reuben set out by their companies, and over their company was 26Elizur the son of Shedeur.
19
And over the company of the tribe of the people of Simeon was 27Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.
21
Then the Kohathites set out, 30carrying the holy things, and 31the tabernacle was set up before their arrival.
22
And 32the standard of the camp of the people of Ephraim set out by their companies, and over their company was 33Elishama the son of Ammihud.
23
And over the company of the tribe of the people of Manasseh was 34Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.
24
And over the company of the tribe of the people of Benjamin was 35Abidan the son of Gideoni.
25
Then 36the standard of the camp of the people of Dan, acting as the 37rear guard of all the camps, set out by their companies, and over their company was 38Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.
26
And over the company of the tribe of the people of Asher was 39Pagiel the son of Ochran.
27
And over the company of the tribe of the people of Naphtali was 40Ahira the son of Enan.
28
41This was the order of march of the people of Israel by their companies, when they set out.
29
And Moses said to Hobab the son of 42Reuel the Midianite, Moses' father-in-law, "We are setting out for the place of which the LORD said, 43'I will give it to you.' Come with us, and we will do good to you, for 44the LORD has promised good to Israel."
30
But he said to him, "I will not go. I will depart to my own land and to my kindred."
31
And he said, "Please do not leave us, for you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you will serve 45as eyes for us.
32
And if you do go with us, 46whatever good the LORD will do to us, the same will we do to you."
33
So they set out from 47the mount of the LORD three days' journey. And the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them three days' journey, to seek out 48a resting place for them.
34
49And the cloud of the LORD was over them by day, whenever they set out from the camp.
35
And whenever the ark set out, Moses said, 50"Arise, O LORD, and let your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate you flee before you."
36
And when it rested, he said, "Return, O LORD, to the ten thousand thousands of Israel."
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
(English Standard Version - The Holy Bible Online)