1 T he Lord said to Moses,

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

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

“Make two silver trumpets for yourself; you shall make them of hammered work; you shall use them for calling the congregation and for directing the movement of the camps.

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

When they blow both of them, all the congregation shall gather before you at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.

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

But if they blow only one, then the leaders, the heads of the divisions of Israel, shall gather to you.

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

When you sound the advance, the camps that lie on the east side shall then begin their journey.

6 W hen 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.

When you sound the advance the second time, then the camps that lie on the south side shall begin their journey; they shall sound the call for them to begin their journeys.

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

And when the assembly is to be gathered together, you shall blow, but not sound the advance.

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

The sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets; and these shall be to you as an ordinance forever throughout your generations.

9 W hen 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.

“When you go to war in your land against the enemy who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, and you will be remembered before the Lord your God, and you will be saved from your enemies.

10 O n 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

Also in the day of your gladness, in your appointed feasts, and at the beginning of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; and they shall be a memorial for you before your God: I am the Lord your God.” Departure from Sinai

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

Now it came to pass on the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, that the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle of the Testimony.

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

And the children of Israel set out from the Wilderness of Sinai on their journeys; then the cloud settled down in the Wilderness of Paran.

13 S o they moved for the first time as the Lord had told them through Moses.

So they started out for the first time according to the command of the Lord by the hand of Moses.

14 T he flag of the people of Judah left first, by their armies. Amminadab’s son Nahshon was the head of their army.

The standard of the camp of the children of Judah set out first according to their armies; over their army was Nahshon the son of Amminadab.

15 Z uar’s son Nethanel was the head of the men of Issachar.

Over the army of the tribe of the children of Issachar was Nethanel the son of Zuar.

16 A nd Helon’s son Eliab was the head of the men of Zebulun.

And over the army of the tribe of the children of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon.

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

Then the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari set out, carrying the tabernacle.

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

And the standard of the camp of Reuben set out according to their armies; over their army was Elizur the son of Shedeur.

19 Z urishaddai’s son Shelumiel was the head of the men of Simeon.

Over the army of the tribe of the children of Simeon was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.

20 D euel’s son Eliasaph was the head of the men of Gad.

And over the army of the tribe of the children of Gad was Eliasaph the son of Deuel.

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

Then the Kohathites set out, carrying the holy things. (The tabernacle would be prepared for their arrival.)

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

And the standard of the camp of the children of Ephraim set out according to their armies; over their army was Elishama the son of Ammihud.

23 P edahzur’s son Gamaliel was the head of the men of Manasseh.

Over the army of the tribe of the children of Manasseh was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.

24 G ideoni’s son Abidan was the head of the men of Benjamin.

And over the army of the tribe of the children of Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gideoni.

25 T hen 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.

Then the standard of the camp of the children of Dan (the rear guard of all the camps) set out according to their armies; over their army was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.

26 O chran’s son Pagiel was the head of the men of Asher.

Over the army of the tribe of the children of Asher was Pagiel the son of Ocran.

27 A nd Enan’s son Ahira was the head of the men of Naphtali.

And over the army of the tribe of the children of Naphtali was Ahira the son of Enan.

28 T his was how the people of Israel moved on by their armies.

Thus was the order of march of the children of Israel, according to their armies, when they began their journey.

29 T hen 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.”

Now Moses said to Hobab the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We are setting out for 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 promised good things to Israel.”

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

And he said to him, “I will not go, but I will depart to my own land and to my relatives.”

31 M oses 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.

So Moses said, “Please do not leave, inasmuch as you know how we are to camp in the wilderness, and you can be our eyes.

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

And it shall be, if you go with us—indeed it shall be—that whatever good the Lord will do to us, the same we will do to you.”

33 S o 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.

So they departed from the mountain of the Lord on a journey of three days; and the ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them for the three days’ journey, to search out a resting place for them.

34 T he cloud of the Lord was over them during the day, when they moved on.

And the cloud of the Lord was above them by day when they went out from the camp.

35 W hen 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.”

So it was, whenever the ark set out, that Moses said: “Rise up, O Lord! Let Your enemies be scattered, And let those who hate You flee before You.”

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

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