1 Yahweh spoke to Moses and said:
2 “Make two trumpets of hammered silver that you shall use for calling the people together, and for sounding the order to move on.
3 When ever both trumpets are sounded, the whole community is to gather around you, at the entrance to the Tent of Meet ing.
4 But if only one trumpet is sounded, then only the leaders, the chiefs of clans are to gather around you.
5 When the trumpet sounds shrilly, the camps to the east shall move on.
6 At the second shrill blast, the camps pitched to the south shall move on. The trumpet blast shall be shrill when they are to leave;
7 but to gather the peo ple, the trumpet shall be sounded plainly.
8 The sons of Aaron, the priests, are to sound the trumpets; this is a law for you and your descendants for all time to come.
9 When you are in your own land and are to go to war against an enemy who oppresses you, you shall sound the trumpet shrilly so Yahweh your God will remember you, and you will be delivered from your enemies. ［Sir 50,16］
10 On joyful occasions, on your festival and new-moon feast, you will sound the trumpet at the time of your burnt offering and your communion sacrifices, and they will call you to the remembrance of your God. I am Yahweh your God.”
Israel’s armies in ordered array
11 On the twentieth day of the second month in the second year after the people left Egypt, the Cloud lifted over the Holy Tent of the Cove nant
12 and the Israelites moved on, in marching order, from the desert of Sinai. The Cloud came to rest in the desert of Paran.
13 This was the first stage of the Israelites’ journey at the command of Yahweh given through Moses:
14 in the front was the banner of the camp of the tribe of Judah, in battle formation. In command of Judah’s force was Nahshon son of Amminadab;
15 in command of the tribe of Issachar, in battle formation, was Nethanel son of Zuar;
16 in command of the tribe of Zebulun, in battle formation, was Eliab son of Helon.
17 Then, the Holy Tent was taken down and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari started out, carrying the Holy Tent.
18 Then came the banner of the camp of the tribe of Reuben, in battle formation. In command of Reuben’s force was Elizur son of Shedeur;
19 in command of the tribe of Simeon, in battle formation, was Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai;
20 in command of the tribe of Gad, in battle formation, was Eliasaph, son of Reuel.
21 Then came the sons of Kohath, who carried the sanctuary (the Holy Tent was set up before their arrival.)
22 Then came the banner of the camp of the sons of Ephraim, in battle formation. In command of Ephraim’s force was Elishama son of Ammihud;
23 in command of the tribe of Manasseh, in battle formation, was Gamaliel son of Pedahzur;
24 in command of the tribe of Benjamin was Abidan son of Gideoni.
25 Last of all, serving as rearguard of all the camps, came the sons of Dan, in battle formation. In command of the force of Dan was Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai;
26 in command of the tribe of the sons of Asher, in battle formation, was Pagiel son of Ochran;
27 in command of the sons of Naphtali, in battle formation, was Ahira son of Enan.
28 Such was the order of march for the Israelites, in battle formation. So they set out.
memories of the desert (1st part)
29 Moses said to Hobab, son of Moses’ father-in-law, Reuel the Midianite, “We are setting out for the land which Yahweh has prom ised to give us. Come with us, and we will treat you well, for Yahweh has promised happiness to Israel.” He answered,
30 “I will not come with you. I would rather go to my own land and my own family.” Moses replied,
31 “Do not leave us, for you know where we can camp in the desert, and so you will be our eyes.
32 If you come with us, you will share in the blessing with which Yahweh blesses us.”
33 They moved on from the Moun tain of Yahweh, a three days’ journey, and for three days the Ark of the Covenant of Yahweh went before them,
34 seeking out a resting place for them.
Yahweh’s cloud was over them by day when they left the camp.
35 When ever the Ark left, Moses would say, “Arise, Yah weh, and let your enemies be scattered and let those who hate you flee before you.”
36 And when it came to rest, he would say, “Come back, Yahweh, to the multitude—the armies of Israel.”
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Comments Numbers, Chapter 10
• 10.29 This is the beginning of a series of ancient traditions which form the best of chapters 11–14. In this section we use the normal print for these ancient stories and italics for the parts coming from the priest-editors of the book of Numbers.