Two Silver Trumpets

1The Lord spoke to Moses: 2“Make two trumpets of hammered silver to summon the communitya and have the camps set out. 3When both are sounded in long blasts, the entire community is to gather before you at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 4However, if one is sounded, only the leaders, the heads of Israel’s clans,a are to gather before you.

5“When you sound short blasts, the camps pitched on the easta are to set out. 6When you sound short blasts a second time, the camps pitched on the southa are to set out. Short blasts are to be sounded for them to set out. 7When calling the assembly together, you are to sound long blasts, not short ones. 8The sons of Aaron, the priests, are to sound the trumpets. Your use of these is a permanent statute throughout your generations.

9“When you enter into battle in your land against an adversary who is attacking you, sound short blasts on the trumpets, and you will be remembered before the Lord your God and be saved from your enemies.a 10You are to sound the trumpets over your burnt offerings and your fellowship sacrifices and on your joyous occasions, your appointed festivals, and the beginning of each of your months. They will serve as a reminder for you before your God: I am the Lord your God.”a

From Sinai to Paran

11During the second year, in the second month on the twentieth day of the month, the cloud was lifted up above the tabernacle of the testimony. 12The Israelites traveled on from the Wilderness of Sinai, moving from one place to the nexta until the cloud stopped in the Wilderness of Paran.b 13They set out for the first time according to the Lord’s command through Moses.a

14The military divisions of the camp of Judah’s descendants with their banner set out first, and Nahshon son of Amminadaba was over their divisions. 15Nethanel son of Zuara was over the division of the tribe of Issachar’s descendants, 16and Eliab son of Helon was over the division of the tribe of Zebulun’s descendants. 17The tabernacle was then taken down, and the Gershonites and the Merarites set out, transporting the tabernacle.

18The military divisions of the camp of Reuben with their banner set out, and Elizur son of Shedeur was over their divisions. 19Shelumiel son of Zurishaddaia was over the division of the tribe of Simeon’s descendants, 20and Eliasaph son of DeuelA was over the division of the tribe of Gad’s descendants. 21The Kohathites then set out, transporting the holy objects;a the tabernacle was to be set up before their arrival.

22Next the military divisions of the camp of Ephraim’s descendants with their banner set out, and Elishama son of Ammihuda was over their divisions. 23Gamaliel son of Pedahzur was over the division of the tribe of Manasseh’s descendants, 24and Abidan son of Gideoni was over the division of the tribe of Benjamin’s descendants.

25The military divisions of the camp of Dan’s descendants with their banner set out, serving as rear guard for all the camps, and Ahiezer son of Ammishaddaia was over their divisions. 26Pagiel son of Ochran was over the division of the tribe of Asher’s descendants, 27and Ahira son of Enan was over the division of the tribe of Naphtali’s descendants. 28This was the order of march for the Israelites by their military divisions as they set out.

29Moses said to Hobab, descendant of Reuela the Midianite and Moses’s relative by marriage, “We’re setting out for the place the Lord promised, ‘I will give it to you.’b Come with us, and we will treat you well, for the Lord has promised good things to Israel.”c

30But he replied to him, “I don’t want to go. Instead, I will go to my own land and my relatives.”

31“Please don’t leave us,” Moses said, “since you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you can serve as our eyes. 32If you come with us, whatever good the Lord does for us we will do for you.”a

33They set out from the mountain of the Lord on a three-day journey with the ark of the Lord’s covenant traveling ahead of them for those three days to seek a resting place for them.a 34Meanwhile, the cloud of the Lord was over them by day when they set out from the camp.

35Whenever the ark set out, Moses would say:

Arise, Lord!

Let your enemies be scattered,

and those who hate you flee from your presence.a

36When it came to rest, he would say:

Return, Lord,

to the countless thousands of Israel.a