Bamidbar - Chapter 10

1. The Lord spoke to Moses saying:

2. Make yourself two silver trumpets; you shall make them [from a] beaten [form]; they shall be used by you to summon the congregation and to announce the departure of the camps.

3. When they blow on them, the entire congregation shall assemble to you, at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.

4. If they blow one of them, the princes, the leaders of Israel's thousands, shall convene to you.

5. When you blow a teruah [a series of short blasts, the camps which are encamped to the east shall travel.

6. When you blow a second teruah, the camps encamped to the south shall travel; they shall blow a teruah for traveling.

7. But when assembling the congregation, you shall blow a tekiah [long blast] but not a teruah.

8. The descendants of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets; this shall be an eternal statute for your generations.

9. If you go to war in your land against an adversary that oppresses you, you shall blow a teruah with the trumpets and be remembered before the Lord your God, and thus be saved from your enemies.

10. On the days of your rejoicing, on your festivals and on your new-moon celebrations, you shall blow on the trumpets for your ascent-offerings and your peace sacrifices, and it shall be a remembrance before your God; I am the Lord your God.

11. On the twentieth of the second month in the second year, the cloud rose up from over the Tabernacle of the Testimony.

12. The children of Israel traveled on their journeys from the Sinai desert, and the cloud settled in the desert of Paran.

13. This was the first journey at God's bidding through Moses.

14. The banner of the camp of Judah's children traveled first according to their legions. Heading the legion was Nahshon the son of Amminadab.

15. Heading the legion of the tribe of the children of Issachar was Nethanel the son of Zuar.

16. Heading the legion of the tribe of the children of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon.

17. The Tabernacle was dismantled, and the sons of Gershon set out, [together] with the sons of Merari who carried the Tabernacle.

18. Then the banner of the camp of Reuben set out according to their legions. Heading its legion was Elitzur the son of Shdeur.

19. Heading the legion of the tribe of the children of Simeon was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.

20. Heading the legion of the tribe of the children of Gad was Eliasaph the son of Reuel.

21. The Kohathithes, who carried the holy [equipment] set out, and they had erected the Tabernacle before they had arrived.

22. Then the banner of the camp of Ephraim set out, according to its legions. Heading it legion was Elishama the son of Amihud.

23. Heading the legion of the tribe of the children of Menasseh was Gamliel the son of Pedahzur.

24. Heading the legion of the tribe of the children of Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gidoni.

25. Then the banner of the camp of Dan set out, the collector for all the other camps, according to its legions. Heading its legion was Achiezer the son of Amishaddai.

26. Heading the legion of the tribe of the children of Asher was Pagiel the son of Ocran.

27. Heading the legion of the tribe of the children of Naphtali was Ahira the son of Enon.

28. These are the travels of the children of Israel according to their legions, and then they traveled.

29. Then Moses said to Hobab the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses's father-in-law, We are traveling to the place about which the Lord said, I will give it to you. Come with us and we will be good to you, for the Lord has spoken of good fortune for Israel.

30. He said to him, I won't go, for I will go to my land and my birthplace.

31. He said, Please don't leave us, for because you are familiar with our encampments in the desert and you will be our guide.

32. And if you go with us, then we will bestow on you the good which God grants us.

33. They traveled a distance of three days from the mountain of the Lord, and the Ark of the Lord's covenant traveled three days ahead of them to seek for them a place to settle.

34. The cloud of the Lord was above them by day, when they traveled from the camp.

35. So it was, whenever the ark set out, Moses would say, Arise, O Lord, may Your enemies be scattered and may those who hate You flee from You.

36. And when it came to rest he would say, Repose O Lord, among the myriads of thousands of Israel.