Numbers 10:6-16

6 [when] you blow a second blast, the camps that are camping on the south will set out; they will blow a blast for their journeys.
7 But when summoning the assembly, you will blow, but you will not signal with a loud noise.
8 The sons of Aaron, the priests, will blow on the trumpets; this will be an eternal decree for your generations.
9 If you go [to] war in your land against the enemy who attacks you, you will signal with a loud noise on the trumpets. You will be remembered {before} Yahweh your God, and you will be rescued from your enemies.
10 "And on the day of your joy and in your appointed times, at the beginning of your months, you will blow on the trumpets in addition to your burnt offerings and in addition to the sacrifices of your fellowship offerings. And they will be as a memorial for you {before} your God; I [am] Yahweh your God."

The Israelites Depart from Sinai

11 And it happened, in the second year, in the second month, on [the] twentieth of the month the cloud was lifted from upon the tabernacle of the testimony.
12 And the {Israelites} set out for their journey from the desert of Sinai, and the cloud dwelled in the desert of Paran.
13 They set out {for the first time} on the command of Yahweh in the hand of Moses.
14 The standard of the camp of the descendants of Judah set out for the first time according to their divisions, with Nahshon son of Amminadab over its division.
15 And Nathanel son of Zuar [was] over the division of the descendants of Issachar;
16 Eliab son of Helon [was] over the division of the tribe of the descendants of Zebulun.

Numbers 10:6-16 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 10

This chapter gives an account of the directions given for making two silver trumpets, and of the use of them, the ends and purposes for which they were to be made, Nu 10:1-10; and of the time of taking up of the cloud from the tabernacle, and of the removal of the camp of Israel from the wilderness of Sinai, and of the order of their march, Nu 10:11-28; when Moses most earnestly passed Hobab, his brother in law, to continue with him, Nu 10:29-32; and the chapter is closed with the prayer of Moses at the setting forward of the ark, and the resting of it, Nu 10:33-36.

Footnotes 10

  • [a]. Literally "in the presence of"
  • [b]. Literally "in the presence of"
  • [c]. Some modern translations (e.g., the NRSV) have "tabernacle of the covenant"
  • [d]. Literally "sons/children of Israel"
  • [e]. Hebrew "journeys"
  • [f]. Literally "in the beginning"
  • [g]. Or "through Moses"
  • [h]. Or "sons"
  • [i]. Or "sons"
  • [j]. Or "sons"
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.