The Wilderness Years

On the day that the tabernacle, the Tent of the Testimony, was set up, the cloud covered it and appeared like fire above the tabernacle from evening until morning.

It remained that way continually; the cloud would cover the tabernacle by day, and at night it would appear like fire.

Whenever the cloud was lifted from above the Tent, the Israelites would set out, and wherever the cloud settled, there the Israelites would camp.

At the LORD’s command the Israelites set out, and at the LORD’s command they camped. As long as the cloud remained over the tabernacle, they remained encamped.

Even when the cloud lingered over the tabernacle for many days, the Israelites kept the LORD’s charge and did not set out.

Sometimes the cloud remained over the tabernacle for only a few days, and they would camp at the LORD’s command and set out at the LORD’s command.

Sometimes the cloud remained only from evening until morning, and when it lifted in the morning, they would set out. Whether it was by day or by night, when the cloud was taken up, they would set out.

Whether the cloud lingered for two days, a month, or longer, the Israelites camped and did not set out as long as the cloud remained over the tabernacle; but when it was lifted, they would set out.

They camped at the LORD’s command, and they set out at the LORD’s command; they carried out the LORD’s charge according to His command through Moses.

Then the LORD said to Moses,

“Make two trumpets of hammered silver to be used for calling the congregation and for having the camps set out.

When both are sounded, the whole congregation is to assemble before you at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.

But if only one is sounded, then the leaders, the heads of the clans of Israel, are to gather before you.

When you sound short blasts, the camps that lie on the east side are to set out.

When you sound the short blasts a second time, the camps that lie on the south side are to set out. The blasts are to signal them to set out.

To convene the assembly, you are to sound long blasts, not short ones.

The sons of Aaron, the priests, are to sound the trumpets. This shall be a permanent statute for you and the generations to come.

When you enter into battle in your land against an adversary who attacks you, sound short blasts on the trumpets, and you will be remembered before the LORD your God and saved from your enemies.

And on your joyous occasions, your appointed feasts, and the beginning of each month, you are to blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to serve as a reminder for you before your God. I am the LORD your God.”

On the twentieth day of the second month of the second year, the cloud was lifted from above the tabernacle of the Testimony,

and the Israelites set out from the Wilderness of Sinai, traveling from place to place until the cloud settled in the Wilderness of Paran.

They set out this first time according to the LORD’s command through Moses.

First, the divisions of the camp of Judah set out under their standard, with Nahshon son of Amminadab in command.

Nethanel son of Zuar was over the division of the tribe of Issachar,

and Eliab son of Helon was over the division of the tribe of Zebulun.