Read the Bible

The Silver Trumpets

¹ The LORD spoke further to Moses, saying,² "Make yourself two trumpets of silver, you shall make them of hammered work; and you shall use them for ^(C1)summoning the congregation and breaking camp.³ "Now ^(C1)when both are blown, all the congregation shall meet you at the entrance of the tent of meeting.⁴ "But if only one is blown, then the ^(C1)leaders, the heads of the ^(F1)divisions of Israel, shall meet you.⁵ "And when you blow an alarm, the camps that are pitched ^(C1)on the east side shall set out.⁶ "Then when you sound an alarm the second time, the camps that are pitched on ^(C1)the south side shall set out; an alarm is to be sounded for them to break camp.⁷ "When convening the assembly, however, you shall blow the trumpets without ^(C1)sounding an alarm.⁸ "^(C1)The sons of Aaron, moreover, the priests, shall blow the trumpets; and this shall be a permanent statute for you throughout your generations.⁹ "And when you go to war in your land against the enemy who ^(C1)attacks you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, so that you will be ^(C2)thought of by the LORD your God, and be saved from your enemies.¹⁰ "Also on the day of your joy and at your appointed ^(F1)feasts, and on the first days of your months, ^(C1)you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; and they shall be as a reminder of you before your God. I am the LORD your God."

The Tribes Leave Sinai

¹¹ Now in ^(C1)the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth of the month, the cloud was lifted from above the ^(F1)tabernacle of the testimony;¹² and the sons of Israel set out on ^(C1)their journeys from the wilderness of Sinai. Then the cloud settled in the ^(C2)wilderness of Paran.^13 (C1)So they moved on for the first time in accordance with the ^(F1)command of the LORD through Moses.¹⁴ The ^(F1)flag of the camp of the sons of Judah, by their armies, ^(C1)set out first, with Nahshon the son of Amminadab, over its army,¹⁵ and Nethanel the son of Zuar, over the tribal army of the sons of Issachar;¹⁶ and Eliab the son of Helon over the tribal army of the sons of Zebulun.

^17 (C1)Then the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, who were carrying the tabernacle, set out.¹⁸ Next ^(C1)the flag of the camp of Reuben, by their armies, set out with Elizur the son of Shedeur, over its army,¹⁹ and Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai over the tribal army of the sons of Simeon,²⁰ and Eliasaph the son of Deuel was over the tribal army of the sons of Gad.

^21 (C1)Then the Kohathites set out, carrying the holy objects; and ^(C2)the tabernacle was set up before their arrival.^22 (C1)Next the flag of the camp of the sons of Ephraim, by their armies, set out, with Elishama the son of Ammihud over its army,²³ and Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur over the tribal army of the sons of Manasseh;²⁴ and Abidan the son of Gideoni over the tribal army of the sons of Benjamin.

^25 (C1)Then the flag of the camp of the sons of Dan, by their armies, which formed the ^(C2)rear guard for all the camps, set out, with Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai over its army,²⁶ and Pagiel the son of Ochran over the tribal army of the sons of Asher;²⁷ and Ahira the son of Enan over the tribal army of the sons of Naphtali.^28 (F1)This was the order of marching for the sons of Israel by their armies as they set out.

²⁹ Then Moses said to ^(C1)Hobab the son of ^(C2)Reuel the Midianite, Moses' father-in-law, "We are setting out to the place of which the LORD said, '^(C3)I will give it to you.' ^(C4)Come with us and we will do you good, for the LORD ^(C5)has ^(F1)promised good concerning Israel."³⁰ But he said to him, "^(C1)I will not come, but rather will go to my own land and relatives."³¹ Then he said, "Please do not leave us, since you know ^(F1)where we should camp in the wilderness, and you ^(C1)will be as eyes for us.³² "So it will be, if you go with us, that ^(F1)(C1)whatever good the LORD ^(F2)does for us, ^(C2)we will ^(F3)do for you."

^33 (C1)So they moved on from the mountain of the LORD three days' journey, with ^(C2)the ark of the covenant of the LORD going on in front of them for the ^(F1)three days, to seek out ^(C3)a resting place for them.^34 (C1)And the cloud of the LORD was over them by day when they set out from the camp.

³⁵ Then it came about when the ark set out that Moses said,

"^(C1)Rise up, LORD!
And may Your enemies be scattered,
And those ^(C2)who hate You flee from Your presence."