The Silver Horns

10 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Make two silver horns of beaten silver. Use them for calling the people together and for having the people move on. ³ When both horns sound, all the people will gather in front of you at the door of the meeting tent. ⁴ If only one horn sounds, then the leaders, the heads of the families of Israel, will gather in front of you. ⁵ When you blow the horn to tell of danger, the people whose tents are on the east side will leave. ⁶ 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 But when the people are to be gathered together, you will blow the horn without the sound of danger. ⁸ Aaron’s sons, the religious leaders, will blow the horns. This will be a Law for all your people forever. ⁹ 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 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 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 The people of Israel moved on from the Desert of Sinai. Then the cloud came down and rested in the desert of Paran. ¹³ So they moved for the first time as the Lord had told them through Moses. ¹⁴ The flag of the people of Judah left first, by their armies. Amminadab’s son Nahshon was the head of their army. ¹⁵ Zuar’s son Nethanel was the head of the men of Issachar. ¹⁶ And Helon’s son Eliab was the head of the men of Zebulun.

¹⁷ When the meeting tent was taken down, the sons of Gershon and Merari left carrying it. ¹⁸ Next the flag of the people of Reuben left, by their armies. Shedeur’s son Elizur was the head over this army. ¹⁹ Zurishaddai’s son Shelumiel was the head of the men of Simeon. ²⁰ Deuel’s son Eliasaph was the head of the men of Gad. ²¹ Then the Kohathites left, carrying the holy objects. The meeting tent was set up before they came to the next place. ²² Next the flag of the people of Ephraim left, by their armies. Ammihud’s son Elishama was the head over this army. ²³ Pedahzur’s son Gamaliel was the head of the men of Manasseh. ²⁴ Gideoni’s son Abidan was the head of the men of Benjamin.

²⁵ 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 Ochran’s son Pagiel was the head of the men of Asher. ²⁷ And Enan’s son Ahira was the head of the men of Naphtali. ²⁸ This was how the people of Israel moved on by their armies.

²⁹ 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 But Hobab said to him, “I will not come. I will go to my own land and family.” ³¹ 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 If you go with us, we will do for you whatever good the Lord does for us.”

³³ 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 The cloud of the Lord was over them during the day, when they moved on.

³⁵ 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 And when it rested, he said, “Return, O Lord, to the many thousands of Israel.”