The use of the silver trumpets, 1-10. The Israelites depart from Sinai to Paran, 11-13. The order of their march, 14-28. Hobab is entreated by Moses not to leave them, 29-32. The blessing of Moses at the moving and resting of the ark, 33-36.
1 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 "Make for yourself two trumpets of silver. Of a whole piece you shall make them so that you may use them for the calling of the assembly and for the journeying of the camps. 3 And when they blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to you at the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation. 4 And if they blow but with one trumpet, then the princes who are heads of the thousands of Israel shall assemble themselves to you. 5 When you blow an alarm, the camps that lie on the east parts shall go forward. 6 When you 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. 7 But when the congregation is to be convened, you shall blow, but you shall not sound an alarm. 8 And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets, and they shall be to you for an ordinance forever throughout your generations. 9 And if you go to war in your land against the enemy who oppresses you, then you shall blow an alarm with the trumpets, and you shall be remembered before the LORD your God and be saved from your enemies. 10 Also in the day of your gladness, in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, you shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt-offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace-offerings so that they may be to you for a memorial before your God. I am the LORD your God."
11 And it came to pass on the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, that the cloud was taken up from off the tabernacle of the testimony. 12 And the children of Israel took their journeys from the wilderness of Sinai. And the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran. 13 And they first took their journey according to the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses. 14 In the first place went the standard of the camp of the children of Judah according to their armies. And over his host was Nahshon the son of Amminadab. 15 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Issachar was Nethaneel the son of Zuar. 16 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon.
17 And the tabernacle was taken down. And the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari moved forward, bearing the tabernacle. 18 And the standard of the camp of Reuben moved forward according to their armies. And over his host was Elizur the son of Shedeur. 19 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Simeon was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. 20 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Gad was Eliasaph the son of Deuel.
21 And the Kohathites moved forward, bearing the sanctuary, and the other set up the tabernacle before they came. 22 And the standard of the camp of the children of Ephraim moved forward according to their armies. And over his host was Elishama the son of Ammihud. 23 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Manasseh was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. 24 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gideoni.
25 And the standard of the camp of the children of Dan moved forward, which was the rear-ward of all the camps throughout their hosts. And over his host was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. 26 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Asher was Pagiel the son of Ocran. 27 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Naphtali was Ahira the son of Enan. 28 Thus were the journeyings of the children of Israel according to their armies when they moved forward.
29 And Moses said to Hobab, the son of Raguel the Midianite, Moses's father-in-law, "We are journeying to the place of which the LORD said, 'I will give it to you.' Come with us, and we will do you good, for the LORD has spoken good concerning Israel." 30 And he said to him, "I will not go, but I will depart to my own land and to my kindred." 31 And he said, "Do not leave us, I pray you, because you know how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and you can be our eyes. 32 And it shall be, if you will go with us, indeed, it shall be, that what goodness the LORD does to us, the same we will do to you."
33 And they departed from the mountain of the LORD three days' journey. And the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them in the three days' journey to seek a resting-place for them. 34 And the cloud of the LORD was upon them by day when they went out of the camp.
35 And it came to pass, when the ark moved forward, that Moses said, "Arise, LORD, and let your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate you flee before you."
36 And when it rested, he said, "Return, O LORD, to the many thousands of Israel."
Matthew Henry Commentary - Numbers, Chapter 10[➚]