Read Numbers 10
The Silver Trumpets
10 The Lord said to Moses: 2 “Make two trumpets of hammered silver, and use them for calling the community together and for having the camps set out. 3 When both are sounded, the whole community is to assemble before you at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 4 If only one is sounded, the leaders—the heads of the clans of Israel—are to assemble before you.5 When a trumpet blast is sounded, the tribes camping on the east are to set out. 6 At the sounding of a second blast, the camps on the south are to set out. The blast will be the signal for setting out. 7 To gather the assembly, blow the trumpets, but not with the signal for setting out.
8 “The sons of Aaron, the priests, are to blow the trumpets. This is to be a lasting ordinance for you and the generations to come. 9 When you go into battle in your own land against an enemy who is oppressing you, sound a blast on the trumpets. Then you will be remembered by the Lord your God and rescued from your enemies. 10 Also at your times of rejoicing—your appointed festivals and New Moon feasts—you are to sound the trumpetsover your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, and they will be a memorial for you before your God. I am the Lord your God.”
The Israelites Leave Sinai
11 On the twentieth day of the second month of the second year, the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle of the covenant law. 12 Then the Israelites set out from the Desert of Sinai and traveled from place to place until the cloud came to rest in the Desert of Paran. 13 They set out, this first time, at the Lord’s command through Moses.
14 The divisions of the camp of Judah went first, under their standard.Nahshon son of Amminadab was in command. 15 Nethanel son of Zuar was over the division of the tribe of Issachar, 16 and Eliab son of Helon was over the division of the tribe of Zebulun. 17 Then the tabernacle was taken down, and the Gershonites and Merarites, who carried it, set out.
18 The divisions of the camp of Reuben went next, under their standard.Elizur son of Shedeur was in command. 19 Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai was over the division of the tribe of Simeon, 20 and Eliasaph son of Deuel was over the division of the tribe of Gad. 21 Then the Kohathites set out, carrying the holy things. The tabernacle was to be set up before they arrived.
22 The divisions of the camp of Ephraim went next, under their standard. Elishama son of Ammihud was in command. 23 Gamaliel son of Pedahzur was over the division of the tribe of Manasseh, 24 and Abidan son of Gideoni was over the division of the tribe of Benjamin.
25 Finally, as the rear guard for all the units, the divisions of the camp of Dan set out under their standard. Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai was in command.26 Pagiel son of Okran was over the division of the tribe of Asher, 27 and Ahira son of Enan was over the division of the tribe of Naphtali. 28 This was the order of march for the Israelite divisions as they set out.
29 Now Moses said to Hobab son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We are setting out for the place about which the Lord said, ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us and we will treat you well, for the Lord has promised good things to Israel.”
30 He answered, “No, I will not go; I am going back to my own land and my own people.”
31 But Moses said, “Please do not leave us. You know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you can be our eyes. 32 If you come with us, we will share with you whatever good things the Lord gives us.”
33 So they set out from the mountain of the Lord and traveled for three days. The ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them during those three days to find them a place to rest. 34 The cloud of the Lord was over them by day when they set out from the camp.
35 Whenever the ark set out, Moses said,
“Rise up, Lord!
May your enemies be scattered;
may your foes flee before you.”
36 Whenever it came to rest, he said,
“Return, Lord,
to the countless thousands of Israel.”
Go Deeper
After the Israelites left Egypt during the exodus, they arrived at Mt. Sinai. From the time they first arrived in Exodus 19 to the beginning of this chapter, about 12 months had passed. The Israelites were all gathered together. Some estimates go as high as 2.5 million people (plus their animals), all waiting for their next move. Now, it was time to head towards the land that God had told them about. They were headed to Canaan–the promised land! At the sound of blowing trumpets, the nation was to gather and proceed together. No longer was this the rag-tag group that left Egypt in a hurry a year before, but instead a well organized nation moving towards their next home.
There are several interesting observations from this chapter. One is the symbolic nature of the ark of the covenant being carried in front of the mass of Israelites as they walked (v. 33). As the cloud hovered over the ark, the rest of the Israelites followed along. Too often we think so highly of ourselves and want to be self-sufficient, making our own plans and decisions and choosing our destination. The Israelites, however, paint a picture for us in this chapter of how to follow wherever God is leading. In this case, they followed His presence into the Desert of Paran. As long as they were following God’s direction, they were under God’s protection.
Another observation from the text is the leadership of Moses as he guides the Israelites. First, we see a flashback to him inviting his brother-in-law to be part of the journey, serving as some kind of a guide for the terrain (v. 29-32). While they were obviously following Yahweh’s direction, Moses bringing Hobab along to assist in the finding of food, water, and other resources shows a picture of what partnership with God looks like. When submitted to the Spirit of God, He uses people to accomplish His means here on earth. In this instance, it meant using His people to guide Israel to the promised land.
We also see Moses interceding in prayer for those following him. We can’t overlook the spiritual leadership and burden Moses felt for the people following him. He would pray for them as they started moving, and also when they stopped (v. 35-36). Let this serve as a reminder today of the importance of stopping to pray and seeking the Lord’s face in all that we do.
Questions
- What most stuck out to you as you read through this passage for the first time? Why?
- What work could God be inviting you to be part of today?
- Who can you intercede in prayer for today? Set aside some intentional time to pray for whoever God places on your heart.
A Quote
Charles Spurgeon, the famous British preacher and revivalist, once said this about the prayer of Moses towards the end of this chapter:
“Will you and I go home and pray this prayer by ourselves, fervently laying hold upon the horns of God’s altar? I charge you, my brethren in Christ, do not neglect this private duty. Go, each of you, to your chambers; shut to your doors; cry to him who hears in secret, and let this be the burden of your cry – ‘Rise up, Lord; and let thine enemies be scattered.’”
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6 thoughts on “Numbers 10”
Knowing God’s will and doing it. The people of Israel had been delivered from Egypt. God has taken them on a journey. There has been a law announced, a tabernacle constructed, priest and Levites consecrated, counting and organizing of the tribes completed. Now Israel is ready for action. But as we know they do not believe and fail so much that they in the wilderness for another 38 years. They had to bury the “older generation” before they could get into Canaan. BUT GOD guides them and gives them tools to get there. Moses prayed for the people because he was putting God first for them. It was God not Moses that was in charge. Who is in charge of your life?
God thank You that You can be in charge of my life. Thank You for my enemies being scattered. Thank You God for being the constant in my life. Thank You that I obey when You blow the silver trumpet. That I follow where You led. God thank You for wisdom, knowledge and understanding of Your ways today in these minutes of this day in Jesus name amen
I was intrigued how God provided a way for communicating with his people by the sound of a trumpet. It was a call to assemble then to set out. I imagine as the clear tone reverberated through the air people knew and responded to the blast. In another sense, we too are waiting a significant trumpet sounding when Christ returns, “ 1 Thessalonians 4:16 says, “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God.”
13 “They set out, this first time, at the Lord’s command through Moses.”
After a year of waiting around and receiving a bunch of rules, I’m sure that there were many Israelites who were excited to finally be on their way!
Lesson: God’s timing, not mine!
As long as we are following God’s direction, we are under God’s protection.
So true and such a great reminder to trust God’s plans rather than our own. This is an encouragement and reminder to me to chase after God and to seek him in all things and to pray to him often. It’s a personal relationship and the more we spend time talking with God the more we want to.
I loved how it said that when you fall in God’s direction, you’re under his protection and we see that with the prayers and what not that the God will protect him against foreign enemies. I just really encouraging to hear and it’s the ultimate insurance plan on going through this life with all these uncertainty always.
Let the trumpet sound, Lord. I’m listening!