The Two Silver Trumpets
1 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Make two trumpets of hammered silver to use to call the community and to set the camps out on their journey. 3 When they blow both of them, the entire community shall gather to you at the door of the Tent of Meeting. 4 If they sound only one blow, then just the leaders–the heads of the thousands of Israel–shall gather to you. 5 When you blow short blasts of the alarm, the camps that lie on the east side shall go forward. 6 When you blow short blasts of the alarm the second time, the camps that lie on the south side shall go forward. They shall blow an alarm to set the camps out for their journey. 7 But when the assembly is to be gathered together, you shall blow a different signal, but you shall not sound an alarm.
8 The sons of Aaron, the priests shall blow the trumpets. This shall be a lasting ordinance for you throughout your generations. 9 When you go to war in your land against an adversary who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets. Then you will be remembered before the Lord your God, and you will be saved from your enemies.
10 Also in the day of rejoicing and in your appointed feasts and at the beginning of each of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings, that they may be to you, a memorial before your God. I am the Lord your God.”
Moving from Sinai to Paran
11 On the twentieth day of the second month in the second year, the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle of the covenant. 12 The Israelites went forward on their journey out of the wilderness of Sinai, and the cloud stayed in the wilderness of Paran. 13 They first went forward according to the commandment of the Lord by Moses.
14 The camp of Judah went out first, according to their military divisions, with their banner in front of them. Nahshon the son of Amminadab was commander of its army. 15 Nethanel the son of Zuar was commander of the military divisions of the tribe of Issachar. 16 Eliab the son of Helon was over the military divisions of the tribe of Zebulun. 17 The tabernacle was taken down, and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, who bore the tabernacle, went forward. 18 The camp of Reuben went out according to their divisions with their standard in front. Elizur the son of Shedeur was commander over its army. 19 Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai was over the military divisions of the tribe of Simeon. 20 Eliasaph the son of Deuel was over the military divisions of the tribe of Gad.
21 The Kohathites set forward, bearing the sanctuary. The others set up the tabernacle before they arrived.
22 The standard of the camp of Ephraim set forward according to their armies. Elishama the son of Ammihud was over his army. 23 Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur was over the army of the tribe of the children of Manasseh. 24 Abidan the son of Gideoni was commander over the military divisions of the tribe of Benjamin.
25 The standard of the camp of Dan, which was the rear guard of all the camps, set forward according to their military divisions. Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai was commander over its army. 26 Pagiel the son of Ochran was commander over the military divisions of the tribe of Asher. 27 Ahira the son of Enan was commander over the military divisions of the tribe of Naphtali. 28 Thus were the travels of the Israelites according to their military, and they went forward.
29 Moses said to Hobab, the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We are journeying to the place of which the Lord said, ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us, and we will treat you well, for the Lord has spoken good things concerning Israel.”
30 He said to him, “I will not go, but I will depart to my own land and to my relatives.”
31 Moses said, “Don’t leave us, please, because you know how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and you can be our eyes. 32 It shall be, if you go with us—yes, it shall be—that whatever good the Lord does to us, we will do the same to you.”
33 They set forward from the Mount of the Lord three days’ journey. The Ark of the Lord’s Covenant went before them three days’ journey, to seek out a resting place for them. 34 The cloud of the Lord was over them by day, when they set forward from the camp. 35 When the Ark went forward, Moses said, “Rise up, O Lord and let your enemies be scattered! Let those who hate you flee before you!” 36 When it rested, he said, “Return, O Lord, to the 10,000 of thousands of Israel.”