Numbers 10

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Numbers 10 outlines the divine command for Moses to create two silver trumpets, detailing their specific uses for assembling the congregation, signaling camp movements, and for use in warfare and religious festivals. The chapter then recounts the Israelites' first organized departure from Mount Sinai, guided by the lifting cloud and the Ark of the Covenant, with each tribe marching in its appointed order. Moses also invites his father-in-law, Hobab, to join them, valuing his knowledge of the wilderness. The chapter concludes with Moses' prayers during the Ark's movements, invoking divine presence and protection.

The Command to Make Silver Trumpets 1–10

And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,

Make thee two trumpets of silver; of beaten work shalt thou make them: and thou shalt use them for the calling of the congregation, and for the journeying of the camps.

And when they shall blow them, all the congregation shall gather themselves unto thee at the door of the tent of meeting.

And if they blow but one, then the princes, the heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves unto thee.

And when ye blow an alarm, the camps that lie on the east side shall take their journey.

And when ye blow an alarm the second time, the camps that lie on the south side shall take their journey: they shall blow an alarm for their journeys.

But when the assembly is to be gathered together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm.

And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets; and they shall be to you for a statute for ever throughout your generations.

And when ye go to war in your land against the adversary that oppresseth you, then ye shall sound an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before Jehovah your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies.

Also in the day of your gladness, and in your set feasts, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow the trumpets over your burnt-offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace-offerings; and they shall be to you for a memorial before your God: I am Jehovah your God.

The Departure from Sinai 11–28

And it came to pass in the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, that the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle of the testimony.

And the children of Israel set forward according to their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud abode in the wilderness of Paran.

And they first took their journey according to the commandment of Jehovah by Moses.

And in the first place the standard of the camp of the children of Judah set forward according to their hosts: and over his host was Nahshon the son of Amminadab.

And over the host of the tribe of the children of Issachar was Nethanel the son of Zuar.

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

And the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, who bare the tabernacle, set forward.

And the standard of the camp of Reuben set forward according to their hosts: and over his host was Elizur the son of Shedeur.

And over the host of the tribe of the children of Simeon was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.

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

And the Kohathites set forward, bearing the sanctuary: andthe others did set up the tabernacle against their coming.

And the standard of the camp of the children of Ephraim set forward according to their hosts: and over his host was Elishama the son of Ammihud.

And over the host of the tribe of the children of Manasseh was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.

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

And the standard of the camp of the children of Dan, which was the rearward of all the camps, set forward according to their hosts: and over his host was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.

And over the host of the tribe of the children of Asher was Pagiel the son of Ochran.

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

Thus were the journeyings of the children of Israel according to their hosts; and they set forward.

Moses Entreats Hobab to Serve as Guide 29–32

And Moses said unto Hobab, the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, We are journeying unto the place of which Jehovah said, I will give it you: come thou with us, and we will do thee good; for Jehovah hath spoken good concerning Israel.

And he said unto him, I will not go; but I will depart to mine own land, and to my kindred.

And he said, Leave us not, I pray thee; forasmuch as thou knowest how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and thou shalt be to us instead of eyes.

And it shall be, if thou go with us, yea, it shall be, that what good soever Jehovah shall do unto us, the same will we do unto thee.

The Ark Leads the Journey 33–36

And they set forward from the mount of Jehovah three days’ journey; and the ark of the covenant of Jehovah went before them three days’ journey, to seek out a resting-place for them.

And the cloud of Jehovah was over them by day, when they set forward from the camp.

And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, Rise up, O Jehovah, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee.

And when it rested, he said, Return, O Jehovah, unto the ten thousands of the thousands of Israel.

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for Numbers 10

Verse 2

two trumpets of silver — Chatsotserah, a trumpet, found first here. 'Of a whole piece' is miqshah, beaten work, the word used of the golden cherubim and lampstand (Ex 25:18, 31; Num 8:4). They serve 'the calling of the assembly' (miqra) and 'the journeying of the camps', and the priests later sound them in the temple (2 Chr 5:12).

Verse 5

an alarm — Teruah is a different signal from the plain blast: 'ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm' to gather the congregation (v.7). The first alarm sends the east camps forward, Judah's among them (Num 2:3); 'the second time' the south side (v.6). The same word is the 'shout of joy' of Ezra 3:13.

Verse 8

the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow — The trumpets belong to the priesthood, 'an ordinance for ever throughout your generations' (chuqqah). David's priests 'did blow with the trumpets before the ark of God' (1 Chr 15:24), and Judah's priests had 'sounding trumpets to cry alarm' against Jeroboam (2 Chr 13:12).

Verse 9

ye shall be remembered before the LORD — The alarm in war is a way of being 'remembered' (zakar), as 'God remembered Noah' (Gen 8:1). At Abijah's battle, Judah 'cried unto the LORD, and the priests sounded with the trumpets', and 'God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah' (2 Chr 13:14–15).

Verse 10

in the day of your gladness — The trumpets also mark the feast days and 'the beginnings of your months', blown over the burnt offerings and peace offerings 'for a memorial' (zikkaron) before God. Hezekiah's reform shows it: 'when the burnt offering began, the song of the LORD began also with the trumpets' (2 Chr 29:27). Compare Ps 81:3.

Verse 11

the cloud was taken up — The date, the twentieth day of the second month of the second year, comes after Israel's arrival at Sinai in the third month of the first year (Ex 19:1). 'The tabernacle of the testimony' is where the cloud had rested since the tent was reared (Num 9:15); its lifting is the sign to move (Num 9:17).

Verse 12

the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran — 'Rested' is shakan, to settle or dwell, the root of mishkan, 'tabernacle' (v.11). Paran is the wilderness from which the spies are later sent (Num 13:3), and where the people 'pitched' after Hazeroth (Num 12:16).

Verse 14

Nahshon the son of Amminadab — Judah's degel, standard, goes first, with Nahshon as captain, as laid down in Num 2:3. Nahshon is in the line of David and of Christ: 'Amminadab begat Nahshon' (Ruth 4:20); 'Aminadab begat Naasson' (Matt 1:4). Judah leads the camps out of Sinai, the east side of Num 2.

Verse 17

the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari — They carry the dismantled tent, the Gershonites with 'two wagons and four oxen' (Num 7:7) and the Merarites with four wagons and eight (Num 7:8). They are placed ahead of the Kohathites, who bear the holy things (v.21), so the tabernacle can be set up in advance of their arrival.

Verse 21

the Kohathites… bearing the sanctuary — The Kohathites carry the miqdash, the holy things: the ark, table, lampstand and altars (Num 3:31). Wagons were given to the other Levites but 'unto the sons of Kohath he gave none', for they were to 'bear upon their shoulders' (Num 7:9); they might 'not touch any holy thing, lest they die' (Num 4:15).

Verse 25

the rereward of all the camps — Asaph, to gather, names the rear guard. Dan 'shall go hindmost' (Num 2:31), with Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai as captain. The same word names the LORD's own place in Isaiah, 'the God of Israel will be your rereward' (Isa 52:12), and 'the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward' (Isa 58:8).

Verse 29

Hobab, the son of Raguel the Midianite — Raguel is the Reuel of Ex 2:18, and Moses' father-in-law there is called Jethro (Ex 3:1); Judg 4:11 calls Hobab 'the father in law of Moses'. Moses' invitation rests on the promise, 'come thou with us, and we will do thee good: for the LORD hath spoken good concerning Israel.'

Verse 31

instead of eyes — Moses asks Hobab to stay, since 'thou knowest how we are to encamp in the wilderness'. 'Leave us not' is azab, to forsake. Hobab answers 'I will not go' (v.30), yet 'the children of the Kenite, Moses' father in law, went up… with the children of Judah into the wilderness of Judah' (Judg 1:16). The cloud guides by day (v.34).

Verse 33

to search out a resting place — Tur is the verb of the spies' 'search' of Canaan (Num 13:2); here the ark does the searching, and Deut 1:33 names the LORD as the one 'who went in the way before you, to search you out a place to pitch your tents'. 'Resting place' is menuchah, as in Ps 132:8, 'Arise, O LORD, into thy rest; thou, and the ark of thy strength.'

Verse 35

Rise up, LORD — Moses' words at each departure are taken up in Ps 68:1, 'Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him.' Qum is to rise; puts is to scatter, the enemies' end. The ark leads the way in v.33, and the prayer is said when it 'set forward'.

Verse 36

Return, O LORD — The prayer when the ark 'rested' (nuach, the root of menuchah, v.33). 'Return' is shub, the word of Ps 90:13, 'Return, O LORD, how long?' 'Many thousands' is rebabah with eleph, myriads of thousands: the prayer asks him to return to the whole host of Israel.

Numbers 10

The Command to Make Silver Trumpets 1–10

The Departure from Sinai 11–28

Moses Entreats Hobab to Serve as Guide 29–32

The Ark Leads the Journey 33–36

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