The silver trumpets; the departure from Sinai
The Lord said to Moses: Make two trumpets of hammered silver, and use them for calling the community together and for having the camps set out. When both are sounded, the whole community is to assemble before you at the entrance to the tent of meeting. If only one is sounded, the leaders — the heads of the clans of Israel — are to assemble before you. When a trumpet blast is sounded, the tribes camping on the east are to set out. At the sounding of a second blast, the camps on the south are to set out. The blast will be the signal for setting out. To gather the assembly, blow the trumpets, but not with the signal for setting out. The sons of Aaron, the priests, are to blow the trumpets. This is to be a lasting ordinance for you and the generations to come. When you go into battle in your own land against an enemy who is oppressing you, sound a blast on the trumpets. Then the Lord your God will remember you and rescue you from your enemies. Also at your times of rejoicing — your appointed festivals and New Moon feasts — you are to sound the trumpets over your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, and they will be a memorial for you before your God. I am the Lord your God. On the twentieth day of the second month of the second year, the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle of the covenant law. Then the Israelites set out from the Desert of Sinai and travelled from place to place until the cloud came to rest in the Desert of Paran. They set out, this first time, at the Lord's command through Moses. The divisions of the camp of Judah went first, under their standard. Nahshon son of Amminadab was in command. Nethanel son of Zuar was over the division of the tribe of Issachar, and Eliab son of Helon was over the division of the tribe of Zebulun. Then the tabernacle was taken down, and the Gershonites and Merarites, who carried it, set out. The divisions of the camp of Reuben went next, under their standard. Elizur son of Shedeur was in command. Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai was over the division of the tribe of Simeon, and Eliasaph son of Deuel was over the division of the tribe of Gad. Then the Kohathites set out, carrying the holy things. The tabernacle was to be set up before they arrived. The divisions of the camp of Ephraim went next, under their standard. Elishama son of Ammihud was in command. Gamaliel son of Pedahzur was over the division of the tribe of Manasseh, and Abidan son of Gideoni was over the division of the tribe of Benjamin. Finally, as the rear guard for all the units, the divisions of the camp of Dan set out under their standard. Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai was in command. Pagiel son of Okran was over the division of the tribe of Asher, and Ahira son of Enan was over the division of the tribe of Naphtali. This was the order of march for the Israelite divisions as they set out. Now Moses said to Hobab son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses' father-in-law, We are setting out for the place about which the Lord said, I will give it to you. Come with us and we will treat you well, for the Lord has promised good things to Israel. He answered, No, I will not go; I am going back to my own land and my own people. But Moses said, Please do not leave us. You know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you can be our eyes. If you come with us, we will share with you whatever good things the Lord gives us. So they set out from the mountain of the Lord and travelled for three days. The ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them during those three days to find them a place to rest. The cloud of the Lord was over them by day when they set out from the camp. Whenever the ark set out, Moses said, Rise up, Lord. May your enemies be scattered; may your foes flee before you. Whenever it came to rest, he said, Return, Lord, to the countless thousands of Israel.
The Lord said to Moses:
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Make two trumpets of hammered silver, and use them for calling the community together and for having the camps set out.
Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps.
When both are sounded, the whole community is to assemble before you at the entrance to the tent of meeting.
And when they shall blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
If only one is sounded, the leaders — the heads of the clans of Israel — are to assemble before you.
And if they blow but with one trumpet, then the princes, which are heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves unto thee.
When a trumpet blast is sounded, the tribes camping on the east are to set out.
When ye blow an alarm, then the camps that lie on the east parts shall go forward.
At the sounding of a second blast, the camps on the south are to set out. The blast will be the signal for setting out.
When ye blow an alarm the second time, then the camps that lie on the south side shall take their journey: they shall blow an alarm for their journeys.
To gather the assembly, blow the trumpets, but not with the signal for setting out.
But when the congregation is to be gathered together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm.
The sons of Aaron, the priests, are to blow the trumpets. This is to be a lasting ordinance for you and the generations to come.
And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and they shall be to you for an ordinance for ever throughout your generations.
When you go into battle in your own land against an enemy who is oppressing you, sound a blast on the trumpets. Then the Lord your God will remember you and rescue you from your enemies.
And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the LORD your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies.
Also at your times of rejoicing — your appointed festivals and New Moon feasts — you are to sound the trumpets over your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, and they will be a memorial for you before your God. I am the Lord your God.
Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the LORD your God.
On the twentieth day of the second month of the second year, the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle of the covenant law.
And it came to pass on the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, that the cloud was taken up from off the tabernacle of the testimony.
Then the Israelites set out from the Desert of Sinai and travelled from place to place until the cloud came to rest in the Desert of Paran.
And the children of Israel took their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran.
They set out, this first time, at the Lord's command through Moses.
And they first took their journey according to the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.
The divisions of the camp of Judah went first, under their standard. Nahshon son of Amminadab was in command.
In the first place went the standard of the camp of the children of Judah according to their armies: and over his host was Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
Nethanel son of Zuar was over the division of the tribe of Issachar,
And over the host of the tribe of the children of Issachar was Nethaneel the son of Zuar.
and Eliab son of Helon was over the division of the tribe of Zebulun.
And over the host of the tribe of the children of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon.
Then the tabernacle was taken down, and the Gershonites and Merarites, who carried it, set out.
And the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari set forward, bearing the tabernacle.
The divisions of the camp of Reuben went next, under their standard. Elizur son of Shedeur was in command.
And the standard of the camp of Reuben set forward according to their armies: and over his host was Elizur the son of Shedeur.
Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai was over the division of the tribe of Simeon,
And over the host of the tribe of the children of Simeon was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.
and Eliasaph son of Deuel was over the division of the tribe of Gad.
And over the host of the tribe of the children of Gad was Eliasaph the son of Deuel.
Then the Kohathites set out, carrying the holy things. The tabernacle was to be set up before they arrived.
And the Kohathites set forward, bearing the sanctuary: and the other did set up the tabernacle against they came.
The divisions of the camp of Ephraim went next, under their standard. Elishama son of Ammihud was in command.
And the standard of the camp of the children of Ephraim set forward according to their armies: and over his host was Elishama the son of Ammihud.
Gamaliel son of Pedahzur was over the division of the tribe of Manasseh,
And over the host of the tribe of the children of Manasseh was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.
and Abidan son of Gideoni was over the division of the tribe of Benjamin.
And over the host of the tribe of the children of Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gideoni.
Finally, as the rear guard for all the units, the divisions of the camp of Dan set out under their standard. Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai was in command.
And the standard of the camp of the children of Dan set forward, which was the rereward of all the camps throughout their hosts: and over his host was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.
Pagiel son of Okran was over the division of the tribe of Asher,
And over the host of the tribe of the children of Asher was Pagiel the son of Ocran.
and Ahira son of Enan was over the division of the tribe of Naphtali.
And over the host of the tribe of the children of Naphtali was Ahira the son of Enan.
This was the order of march for the Israelite divisions as they set out.
Thus were the journeyings of the children of Israel according to their armies, when they set forward.
Now Moses said to Hobab son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses' father-in-law, We are setting out for the place about which the Lord said, I will give it to you. Come with us and we will treat you well, for the Lord has promised good things to Israel.
And Moses said unto Hobab, the son of Raguel the Midianite, Moses’ father in law, We are journeying unto the place of which the LORD said, I will give it you: come thou with us, and we will do thee good: for the LORD hath spoken good concerning Israel.
He answered, No, I will not go; I am going back to my own land and my own people.
And he said unto him, I will not go; but I will depart to mine own land, and to my kindred.
But Moses said, Please do not leave us. You know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you can be our eyes.
And he said, Leave us not, I pray thee; forasmuch as thou knowest how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and thou mayest be to us instead of eyes.
If you come with us, we will share with you whatever good things the Lord gives us.
And it shall be, if thou go with us, yea, it shall be, that what goodness the LORD shall do unto us, the same will we do unto thee.
So they set out from the mountain of the Lord and travelled for three days. The ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them during those three days to find them a place to rest.
And they departed from the mount of the LORD three days’ journey: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them in the three days’ journey, to search out a resting place for them.
The cloud of the Lord was over them by day when they set out from the camp.
And the cloud of the LORD was upon them by day, when they went out of the camp.
Whenever the ark set out, Moses said, Rise up, Lord. May your enemies be scattered; may your foes flee before you.
And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, Rise up, LORD, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee.
Whenever it came to rest, he said, Return, Lord, to the countless thousands of Israel.
And when it rested, he said, Return, O LORD, unto the many thousands of Israel.