The Tribes Leave Sinai

11 Now in (A)the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth of the month, the cloud was lifted from above the [a]tabernacle of the testimony; 12 and the sons of Israel set out on (B)their journeys from the wilderness of Sinai. Then the cloud settled in the (C)wilderness of Paran. 13 (D)So they moved on for the first time in accordance with the [b]command of the Lord through Moses. 14 The [c]flag of the camp of the sons of Judah, by their armies, (E)set 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 (F)Then the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, who were carrying the tabernacle, set out. 18 Next (G)the flag of the camp of Reuben, by 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 (H)Then the Kohathites set out, carrying the holy objects; and (I)the tabernacle was set up before their arrival. 22 (J)Next the flag of the camp of the sons of Ephraim, by their armies, 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 (K)Then the flag of the camp of the sons of Dan, by their armies, which formed the (L)rear 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 [d]This was the order of marching for the sons of Israel by their armies as they set out.

29 Then Moses said to (M)Hobab the son of (N)Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We are setting out to the place of which the Lord said, ‘(O)I will give it to you.’ (P)Come with us and we will do you good, for the Lord (Q)has [e]promised good concerning Israel.” 30 But he said to him, “(R)I will not come, but rather will go to my own land and relatives.” 31 Then he said, “Please do not leave us, since you know [f]where we should camp in the wilderness, and you (S)will be as eyes for us. 32 So it will be, if you go with us, that [g](T)whatever good the Lord [h]does for us, (U)we will [i]do for you.”

33 (V)So they moved on from the mountain of the Lord three days’ journey, with (W)the ark of the covenant of the Lord going on in front of them for the [j]three days, to seek out (X)a resting place for them. 34 (Y)And the 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,

(Z)Rise up, Lord!
And may Your enemies be scattered,
And those (AA)who hate You flee from Your presence.”

36 And when it came to rest, he said,

(AB)Return, Lord,
To the myriad (AC)thousands of Israel.”

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 10:11 Lit dwelling place, and so throughout the ch
  2. Numbers 10:13 Lit mouth
  3. Numbers 10:14 Or division, and so throughout the ch
  4. Numbers 10:28 Lit These were the regulations for the order
  5. Numbers 10:29 Lit spoken
  6. Numbers 10:31 Lit our camping
  7. Numbers 10:32 Lit that good which
  8. Numbers 10:32 Lit does good
  9. Numbers 10:32 Lit do good
  10. Numbers 10:33 Lit three days’ journey

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 out of 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 set forward, bearing the tabernacle.

18 And the standard of the camp of Reuben set 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 set forward, bearing the sanctuary: and the other did set up the tabernacle against they came.

22 And the standard of the camp of the children of Ephraim set 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 set forward, which was the rereward 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 set forward.

29 And Moses said unto Hobab, the son of Raguel the Midianite, Moses' father in law, We are journeying unto the place of which the Lord said, I will give it you: come thou with us, and we will do thee good: for the Lord hath spoken good concerning Israel.

30 And he said unto him, I will not go; but I will depart to mine own land, and to my kindred.

31 And he said, Leave us not, I pray thee; forasmuch as thou knowest how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and thou mayest be to us instead of eyes.

32 And it shall be, if thou go with us, yea, it shall be, that what goodness the Lord shall do unto us, the same will we do unto thee.

33 And they departed from the mount of the Lord three days' journey: and the ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them in the three days' journey, to search out 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 set forward, that Moses said, Rise up, Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee.

36 And when it rested, he said, Return, O Lord, unto the many thousands of Israel.

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11 The Cloud lifted from the Tabernacle on the twentieth day of the second month[a] of the second year of Israel’s leaving Egypt; 12 so the Israelites left the wilderness of Sinai, and followed the Cloud until it stopped in the wilderness of Paran. 13 This was their first journey after having received the Lord’s travel instructions to Moses.

14 At the head of the march was the tribe of Judah grouped behind its flag and led by Nahshon, the son of Amminadab. 15 Next came the tribe of Issachar, led by Nethanel, the son of Zuar, 16 and the tribe of Zebulun, led by Eliab, the son of Helon.

17 The Tabernacle was taken down and the men of the Gershon and Merari divisions of the tribe of Levi were next in the line of march, carrying the Tabernacle upon their shoulders. 18 Then came the flag of the camp of Reuben, with Elizur the son of Shedeur leading his people. 19 Next was the tribe of Simeon headed by Shelumiel, the son of Zurishaddai; 20 and the tribe of Gad led by Eliasaph, the son of Deuel.

21 Next came the Kohathites carrying the items from the inner sanctuary. (The Tabernacle was already erected in its new location by the time they arrived.) 22 Next in line was the tribe of Ephraim behind its flag, led by Elishama, the son of Ammihud; 23 and the tribe of Manasseh led by Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur; 24 and the tribe of Benjamin, led by Abidan the son of Gideoni. 25 Last of all were the tribes headed by the flag of the tribe of Dan under the leadership of Ahiezer, the son of Ammishaddai; 26 the tribe of Asher, led by Pagiel, the son of Ochran; 27 and the tribe of Naphtali, led by Ahira, the son of Enan. 28 That was the order in which the tribes traveled.

29 One day Moses said to his brother-in-law, Hobab (son of Reuel, the Midianite), “At last we are on our way to the Promised Land. Come with us and we will do you good; for the Lord has given wonderful promises to Israel!”

30 But his brother-in-law replied, “No, I must return to my own land and kinfolk.”

31 “Stay with us,” Moses pleaded, “for you know the ways of the wilderness and will be a great help to us.[b] 32 If you come, you will share in all the good things the Lord does for us.”

33 They traveled for three days after leaving Mount Sinai,[c] with the Ark at the front of the column to choose a place for them to stop. 34 It was daytime when they left, with the Cloud moving along ahead of them as they began their march. 35 As the Ark was carried forward, Moses cried out, “Arise, O Lord, and scatter your enemies; let them flee before you.” 36 And when the Ark was set down he said, “Return, O Lord, to the millions of Israel.”

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 10:11 on the twentieth day of the second month (of the Hebrew calendar), this was approximately May 5.
  2. Numbers 10:31 for you know the ways of the wilderness and will be a great help to us, literally, “you know how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and you will serve as eyes for us.”
  3. Numbers 10:33 Mount Sinai, literally, “the mount of Jehovah.”