The Silver Trumpets

10 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 ^(A)summoning the congregation and breaking camp. ³ Now ^(B)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 ^(C)leaders, the heads of the ^[a]divisions of Israel, shall meet you. ⁵ And when you blow an alarm, the camps that are pitched ^(D)on the east side shall set out. ⁶ Then when you sound an alarm the second time, the camps that are pitched on ^(E)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 ^(F)sounding an alarm. ^8 (G)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 ^(H)attacks you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, so that you will be ^(I)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 ^[b]feasts, and on the first days of your months, ^(J)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 ^(K)the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth of the month, the cloud was lifted from above the ^[c]tabernacle of the testimony; ¹² and the sons of Israel set out on ^(L)their journeys from the wilderness of Sinai. Then the cloud settled in the ^(M)wilderness of Paran. ^13 (N)So they moved on for the first time in accordance with the ^[d]command of the Lord through Moses. ¹⁴ The ^[e]flag of the camp of the sons of Judah, by their armies, ^(O)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 (P)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 ^(Q)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 (R)Then the Kohathites set out, carrying the holy objects; and ^(S)the tabernacle was set up before their arrival. ^22 (T)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 (U)Then the flag of the camp of the sons of Dan, by their armies, which formed the ^(V)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 [f]This was the order of marching for the sons of Israel by their armies as they set out.

²⁹ Then Moses said to ^(W)Hobab the son of ^(X)Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We are setting out to the place of which the Lord said, ‘^(Y)I will give it to you.’ ^(Z)Come with us and we will do you good, for the Lord ^(AA)has ^[g]promised good concerning Israel.” ³⁰ But he said to him, “^(AB)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 ^[h]where we should camp in the wilderness, and you ^(AC)will be as eyes for us. ³² So it will be, if you go with us, that ^[i](AD)whatever good the Lord ^[j]does for us, ^(AE)we will ^[k]do for you.”

^33 (AF)So they moved on from the mountain of the Lord three days’ journey, with ^(AG)the ark of the covenant of the Lord going on in front of them for the ^[l]three days, to seek out ^(AH)a resting place for them. ^34 (AI)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,

³⁶ And when it came to rest, he said,