Numbers 10:11-36

The Tribes Leave Sinai

11 Now in ¹the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth of the month, the cloud was lifted from over the tabernacle of the testimony;

12 and the sons of Israel set out on ²their journeys from the wilderness of Sinai. Then the cloud settled down in the ³wilderness of Paran.

13 ⁴So they moved out for the first time according to the commandment of the LORD through Moses.

14 The standard of the camp of the sons of Judah, according to their armies, ⁵set out first, with Nahshon the son of Amminadab, over its army,

15 and Nethanel the son of Zuar, over the tribal army of the sons of Issachar;

16 and Eliab the son of Helon over the tribal army of the sons of Zebulun.

17 ⁶Then the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, who were carrying the tabernacle, set out.

18 Next ⁷the standard of the camp of Reuben, according to their armies, set out with Elizur the son of Shedeur, over its army,

19 and Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai over the tribal army of the sons of Simeon,

20 and Eliasaph the son of Deuel was over the tribal army of the sons of Gad.

21 ⁸Then the Kohathites set out, carrying the holy objects; and ⁹the tabernacle was set up before their arrival.

22 ¹⁰Next the standard of the camp of the sons of Ephraim, according to their armies, was set out, with Elishama the son of Ammihud over its army,

23 and Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur over the tribal army of the sons of Manasseh;

24 and Abidan the son of Gideoni over the tribal army of the sons of Benjamin.

25 ¹¹Then the standard of the camp of the sons of Dan, according to their armies, which formed the ¹²rear guard for all the camps, set out, with Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai over its army,

26 and Pagiel the son of Ochran over the tribal army of the sons of Asher;

27 and Ahira the son of Enan over the tribal army of the sons of Naphtali.

28 This was the order of march of the sons of Israel by their armies as they set out.

29 Then Moses said to ¹³Hobab the son of ¹⁴Reuel the Midianite, Moses' father-in-law, "We are setting out to the place of which the LORD said, '¹⁵I will give it to you'; ¹⁶come with us and we will do you good, for the LORD ¹⁷has promised good concerning Israel."

30 But he said to him, "¹⁸I will not come, but rather * will go to my own land and relatives."

31 Then he said, "Please do not leave us, inasmuch * * as you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you ¹⁹will be as eyes for us.

32 "So it will be, if you go with us, that ²⁰whatever good the LORD does for us, ²¹we will do for you."

33 ²²Thus they set out from the mount of the LORD three days' journey, with ²³the ark of the covenant of the LORD journeying in front of them for the three days, to seek out ²⁴a resting place for them.

34 ²⁵The cloud of the LORD was over them by day when they set out from the camp.

35 Then it came about when the ark set out that Moses said, "²⁶Rise up, O LORD! And let Your enemies be scattered, And let those ²⁷who hate You flee before * You."

36 When it came to rest, he said, "²⁸Return, O LORD, To the myriad ²⁹thousands of Israel."

Numbers 10:11-36 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.

Cross References

• 1. Exodus 40:17
• 2. Exodus 40:36
• 3. Genesis 21:21; Numbers 12:16
• 4. Deuteronomy 1:6
• 5. Numbers 2:3-9
• 6. Numbers 4:21-32
• 7. Numbers 2:10-16
• 8. Numbers 4:4-20
• 9. Numbers 10:17
• 10. Numbers 2:18-24
• 11. Numbers 2:25-31
• 12. Joshua 6:9, 13
• 13. Judges 4:11
• 14. Exodus 2:18; Exodus 3:1; Exodus 18:12
• 15. Genesis 12:7; Exodus 6:4-8
• 16. Psalms 95:1-7; Psalms 100:1-5
• 17. Deuteronomy 4:40; Deuteronomy 30:5
• 18. Judges 1:16; Matthew 21:28, 29
• 19. Job 29:15
• 20. Psalms 22:27-31; Psalms 67:5-7
• 21. Leviticus 19:34; Deuteronomy 10:18
• 22. Numbers 10:12
• 23. Deuteronomy 1:33
• 24. Isaiah 11:10
• 25. Numbers 9:15-23
• 26. Psalms 68:1, 2; Isaiah 17:12-14
• 27. Deuteronomy 7:10; Deuteronomy 32:41
• 28. Isaiah 63:17
• 29. Deuteronomy 1:10

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "dwelling place," and so throughout the ch
• [b]. Lit "mouth"
• [c]. Lit "These are the settings out of the sons"
• [d]. Lit "spoken"
• [e]. Lit "that good which"
• [f]. Lit "does good"
• [g]. Lit "do good"
• [h]. Lit "three days' journey"
• [i]. Or "from Your presence"