The Two Silver Trumpets

1And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 2“Make for yourself two trumpets of ductile silver, with which you may be able to call together the multitude when the camp is to be moved. 3And when you sound the trumpets, all the multitude shall gather to you at the door of the tabernacle of the covenant. 4If you sound it only once, the leaders and the heads of the multitude of Israel shall come to you. 5But if the sound of the trumpets is prolonged, but with interruptions, those who are toward the east side shall move the camp first. 6Then, at the second sounding of the trumpet with the same cadence, those who live toward the south shall take up their tents. And the remainder shall act in like manner, when the trumpets shall reverberate for a departure. 7But when the people are to be gathered together, the sound of the trumpets shall be simple, and the sounds shall not be separated. 8Now it is the sons of Aaron the priest who shall sound the trumpets. And this shall be an everlasting ordinance, in your generations. 9If you go forth to war from your land, against the enemies who set out against you, you shall sound the trumpets repeatedly, and there shall be a remembrance of you before the Lord your God, so that you may be rescued from the hands of your enemies. 10If at any time you will have a banquet, and on feast days, and on the first days of the months, you shall sound the trumpets over the holocausts and the peace-offering victims, so that they may be for you as a remembrance by your God. I am the Lord your God.”

From Sinai to Paran

11In the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, the cloud was lifted up from the tabernacle of the covenant. 12And the sons of Israel set out by their companies from the desert of Sinai, and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran. 13And the first to move their camp, according to the command of the Lord by the hand of Moses, 14were the sons of Judah by their companies, whose leader was Nahshon the son of Amminadab. 15In the tribe of the sons of Issachar, the leader was Nathanael the son of Zuar. 16In the tribe of Zebulon, the leader was Eliab the son of Helon.

17And the tabernacle was taken down, because the sons of Gershon and Merari, who carry it, were departing. 18And the sons of Ruben also set out, by their companies and ranks, whose leader was Elizur the son of Shedeur. 19And in the tribe of Simeon, the leader was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. 20And in the tribe of Gad, the leader was Eliasaph the son of Reuel.

21Then the Kohathites also set out, carrying the Sanctuary. The tabernacle was carried, all the while, until they arrived at the place for setting it up. 22The sons of Ephraim also moved their camp by their companies, and the leader of their army was Elishama the son of Ammihud. 23And in the tribe of the sons of Manasseh, the leader was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. 24And in the tribe of Benjamin, the leader was Abidan the son of Gideoni.

25The last of all the camp to set out were the sons of Dan by their companies, and the leader of their army was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. 26And in the tribe of the sons of Asher, the leader was Pagiel the son of Ochran. 27And in the tribe of the sons of Naphtali, the leader was Ahira the son of Enan. 28These were the camps and departures of the sons of Israel by their companies, when they went forth.

29And Moses said to Hobab the son of Raguel the Midianite, his kinsman: “We are setting out to the place which the Lord will give to us. Come with us, so that we may do good to you. For the Lord has promised good things to Israel.” 30And he answered him, “I will not go with you, but I will return to my own land, in which I was born.” 31And he said: “Do not choose to leave us. For you know in which places in the desert we ought to make camp, and so you shall be our guide. 32And if you come with us, whatever will be best among the riches which the Lord will deliver to us, we will give to you.”

33Therefore, they set out from the Mountain of the Lord on a journey of three days. And the ark of the covenant of the Lord preceded them, for three days, in order to provide a place for the camp. 34Likewise, the cloud of the Lord was over them, throughout the day, while they proceeded.

35And when the ark was lifted up, Moses said, “Rise up, O Lord, and let your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate you flee from your face.”

36And when it was set down, he said: “Return, O Lord, to the multitude of the army of Israel.”