The Wilderness Years

On the day the tabernacle was put up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, that is, the tent of the testimony; and in the evening, over the tabernacle was what appeared to be fire, which remained until morning.

So the cloud always covered it, and it looked like fire at night.

Whenever the cloud was taken up from above the tent, the people of Isra'el continued their travels; and they camped wherever the cloud stopped.

At the order of ADONAI, the people of Isra'el traveled; at the order of ADONAI, they camped; and as long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they stayed in camp.

Even when the cloud remained on the tabernacle for a long time, the people of Isra'el did what ADONAI had charged them to do and did not travel.

Sometimes the cloud was a few days over the tabernacle; according to ADONAI's order, they remained in camp; and according to ADONAI's order, they traveled.

Sometimes the cloud was there only from evening until morning; so that when the cloud was taken up in the morning, they traveled. Or even if it continued up both day and night, when the cloud was up, they traveled.

Whether it was two days, a month or a year that the cloud remained over the tabernacle, staying on it, the people of Isra'el remained in camp and did not travel; but as soon as it was taken up, they traveled.

At ADONAI's order, they camped; and at ADONAI's order, they traveled -they did what ADONAI had charged them to do through Moshe.

ADONAI said to Moshe,

"Make two trumpets; make them of hammered silver. Use them for summoning the community and for sounding the call to break camp and move on.

When they are sounded, the entire community is to assemble before you at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

If only one is sounded, then just the leaders, the heads of the clans of Isra'el, are to assemble before you.

"When you sound an alarm, the camps to the east will commence traveling.

When you sound a second alarm, the camps to the south will set out; they will sound alarms to announce when to travel.

However, when the community is to be assembled, you are to sound; but don't sound an alarm.

It will be the sons of Aharon, the cohanim, who are to sound the trumpets; this will be a permanent regulation for you through all your generations.

"When you go to war in your land against an adversary who is oppressing you, you are to sound an alarm with the trumpets; then you will be remembered before ADONAI your God, and you will be saved from your enemies.

"Also on your days of rejoicing, at your designated times and on Rosh-Hodesh, you are to sound the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; these will be your reminder before your God. I am ADONAI your God."

On the twentieth day of the second month of the second year, the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle of the testimony;

and the people of Isra'el moved out in stages from the Sinai Desert. The cloud stopped in the Pa'ran Desert.

So they set out on their first journey, in keeping with ADONAI's order through Moshe.

In the lead was the banner of the camp of the descendants of Y'hudah, whose companies moved forward; over his company was Nachshon the son of 'Amminadav.

Over the company of the tribe of the descendants of Yissakhar was N'tan'el the son of Tzu'ar.

Over the company of the descendants of Z'vulun was Eli'av the son of Helon.