1 T he Lord spoke further to Moses, saying,

The Lord said to Moses,

2 “ Make yourself two trumpets of silver, of hammered work you shall make them; and you shall use them for summoning the congregation and for having the camps set out.

“Make two silver horns of beaten silver. Use them for calling the people together and for having the people move on.

3 W hen both are blown, all the congregation shall gather themselves to you at the doorway of the tent of meeting.

When both horns sound, all the people will gather in front of you at the door of the meeting tent.

4 Y et if only one is blown, then the leaders, the heads of the divisions of Israel, shall assemble before you.

If only one horn sounds, then the leaders, the heads of the families of Israel, will gather in front of you.

5 B ut when you blow an alarm, the camps that are pitched on the east side shall set out.

When you blow the horn to tell of danger, the people whose tents are on the east side will leave.

6 W hen you blow an alarm the second time, the camps that are pitched on the south side shall set out; an alarm is to be blown for them to set out.

When you blow the horn to tell of danger a second time, the people whose tents are on the south side will leave. A horn telling of danger will be blown when they are to move on.

7 W hen convening the assembly, however, you shall blow without sounding an alarm.

But when the people are to be gathered together, you will blow the horn without the sound of danger.

8 T he priestly sons of Aaron, moreover, shall blow the trumpets; and this shall be for you a perpetual statute throughout your generations.

Aaron’s sons, the religious leaders, will blow the horns. This will be a Law for all your people forever.

9 W hen you go to war in your land against the adversary who attacks you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, that you may be remembered before the Lord your God, and be saved from your enemies.

When you go to war in your land against those who fight you, then sound the horns to tell of war. That way you will be remembered before the Lord your God, and be saved from those who hate you.

10 A lso in the day of your gladness and in your appointed feasts, and on the first days of your months, 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

On the days you are glad and at the time of your special suppers and on the first days of your months, blow the horns. Blow the horns over your burnt gifts and over your peace gifts. Then you will be remembered before your God. I am the Lord your God.” The Children of Israel Leave Sinai

11 N ow in the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth of the month, the cloud was lifted from over the tabernacle of the testimony;

On the twentieth day of the second month in the second year, the cloud was lifted from over the meeting tent of the Law.

12 a nd the sons of Israel set out on their journeys from the wilderness of Sinai. Then the cloud settled down in the wilderness of Paran.

The people of Israel moved on from the Desert of Sinai. Then the cloud came down and rested in the desert of Paran.

13 S o they moved out for the first time according to the commandment of the Lord through Moses.

So they moved for the first time as the Lord had told them through Moses.

14 T he standard of the camp of the sons of Judah, according to their armies, set out first, with Nahshon the son of Amminadab, over its army,

The flag of the people of Judah left first, by their armies. Amminadab’s son Nahshon was the head of their army.

15 a nd Nethanel the son of Zuar, over the tribal army of the sons of Issachar;

Zuar’s son Nethanel was the head of the men of Issachar.

16 a nd Eliab the son of Helon over the tribal army of the sons of Zebulun.

And Helon’s son Eliab was the head of the men of Zebulun.

17 T hen the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, who were carrying the tabernacle, set out.

When the meeting tent was taken down, the sons of Gershon and Merari left carrying it.

18 N ext the standard of the camp of Reuben, according to their armies, set out with Elizur the son of Shedeur, over its army,

Next the flag of the people of Reuben left, by their armies. Shedeur’s son Elizur was the head over this army.

19 a nd Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai over the tribal army of the sons of Simeon,

Zurishaddai’s son Shelumiel was the head of the men of Simeon.

20 a nd Eliasaph the son of Deuel was over the tribal army of the sons of Gad.

Deuel’s son Eliasaph was the head of the men of Gad.

21 T hen the Kohathites set out, carrying the holy objects; and the tabernacle was set up before their arrival.

Then the Kohathites left, carrying the holy objects. The meeting tent was set up before they came to the next place.

22 N ext the standard of the camp of the sons of Ephraim, according to their armies, was set out, with Elishama the son of Ammihud over its army,

Next the flag of the people of Ephraim left, by their armies. Ammihud’s son Elishama was the head over this army.

23 a nd Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur over the tribal army of the sons of Manasseh;

Pedahzur’s son Gamaliel was the head of the men of Manasseh.

24 a nd Abidan the son of Gideoni over the tribal army of the sons of Benjamin.

Gideoni’s son Abidan was the head of the men of Benjamin.

25 T hen the standard of the camp of the sons of Dan, according to their armies, which formed the rear guard for all the camps, set out, with Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai over its army,

Then the flag of the people of Dan left, by their armies. They followed behind all the people of Israel, to watch for danger. Ammishaddai’s son Ahiezer was the head over this army.

26 a nd Pagiel the son of Ochran over the tribal army of the sons of Asher;

Ochran’s son Pagiel was the head of the men of Asher.

27 a nd Ahira the son of Enan over the tribal army of the sons of Naphtali.

And Enan’s son Ahira was the head of the men of Naphtali.

28 T his was the order of march of the sons of Israel by their armies as they set out.

This was how the people of Israel moved on by their armies.

29 T hen Moses said to Hobab the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We are setting out to the place of which the Lord said, ‘ I will give it to you’; come with us and we will do you good, for the Lord has promised good concerning Israel.”

Then Moses said to Hobab the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We are going to the place the Lord said He will give to us. Come with us and we will do you good. For the Lord has promised good to Israel.”

30 B ut he said to him, “ I will not come, but rather will go to my own land and relatives.”

But Hobab said to him, “I will not come. I will go to my own land and family.”

31 T hen he said, “Please do not leave us, inasmuch as you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you will be as eyes for us.

Moses said, “I beg you, do not leave us. For you know where we should stay in the desert. You will be like eyes for us.

32 S o it will be, if you go with us, that whatever good the Lord does for us, we will do for you.”

If you go with us, we will do for you whatever good the Lord does for us.”

33 T hus they set out from the mount of the Lord three days’ journey, with the ark of the covenant of the Lord journeying in front of them for the three days, to seek out a resting place for them.

So they traveled for three days from the mountain of the Lord with the special box with the Law of the Lord in front of them looking for a place for them to rest.

34 T he cloud of the Lord was over them by day when they set out from the camp.

The cloud of the Lord was over them during the day, when they moved on.

35 T hen it came about when the ark set out that Moses said, “ Rise up, O Lord! And let Your enemies be scattered, And let those who hate You flee before You.”

When the special box of the Lord moved on, Moses said, “Rise up, O Lord! Let those who hate You be divided. Let those who hate You run away before You.”

36 W hen it came to rest, he said, “ Return, O Lord, To the myriad thousands of Israel.”

And when it rested, he said, “Return, O Lord, to the many thousands of Israel.”