Números 10

BLIVRE · Chapter 10/36

1E o SENHOR falou a Moisés, dizendo:

2Faze para ti duas trombetas de prata; de obra de martelo as farás, as quais te servirão para convocar a congregação, e para fazer mover o acampamento.

3E quando as tocarem, toda a congregação se juntará a ti à porta do tabernáculo do testemunho.

4Mas quando tocarem somente uma, então se congregarão a ti os príncipes, os chefes dos milhares de Israel.

5E quando tocardes alarme, então moverão o acampamento dos que estão alojados ao oriente.

6E quando tocardes alarme a segunda vez, então moverão o acampamento dos que estão alojados ao sul: alarme tocarão à suas partidas.

7Porém quando houverdes de juntar a congregação, tocareis, mas não com som de alarme.

8E os filhos de Arão, os sacerdotes, tocarão as trombetas; e as tereis por estatuto perpétuo por vossas gerações.

9E quando vierdes à guerra em vossa terra contra o inimigo que vos oprimir, tocareis alarme com as trombetas: e sereis em memória diante do SENHOR vosso Deus, e sereis salvos de vossos inimigos.

10E no dia de vossa alegria, e em vossas solenidades, e nos princípios de vossos meses, tocareis as trombetas sobre vossos holocaustos, e sobre os sacrifícios de vossas pazes, e vos serão por memória diante de vosso Deus: Eu sou o SENHOR vosso Deus.

11E foi no ano segundo, no mês segundo, aos vinte do mês, que a nuvem se levantou do tabernáculo do testemunho.

12E moveram os filhos de Israel por suas partidas do deserto de Sinai; e parou a nuvem no deserto de Parã.

13E moveram a primeira vez ao dito do SENHOR por meio de Moisés.

14E a bandeira do acampamento dos filhos de Judá começou a marchar primeiro, por seus esquadrões: e Naassom, filho de Aminadabe, era sobre seu exército.

15E sobre o exército da tribo dos filhos de Issacar, Natanael filho de Zuar.

16E sobre o exército da tribo dos filhos de Zebulom, Eliabe filho de Helom.

17E depois que estava já desarmado o tabernáculo, moveram os filhos de Gérson e os filhos de Merari, que o levavam.

18Logo começou a marchar a bandeira do acampamento de Rúben por seus esquadrões: e Elizur, filho de Sedeur, era sobre seu exército.

19E sobre o exército da tribo dos filhos de Simeão, Selumiel filho de Zurisadai.

20E sobre o exército da tribo dos filhos de Gade, Eliasafe filho de Deuel.

21Logo começaram a marchar os coatitas levando o santuário; e enquanto que eles traziam, os outros levantavam o tabernáculo.

22Depois começou a marchar a bandeira do acampamento dos filhos de Efraim por seus esquadrões: e Elisama, filho de Amiúde, era sobre seu exército.

23E sobre o exército da tribo dos filhos de Manassés, Gamaliel filho de Pedazur.

24E sobre o exército da tribo dos filhos de Benjamim, Abidã filho de Gideoni.

25Logo começou a marchar a bandeira do campo dos filhos de Dã por seus esquadrões, recolhendo todos os acampamentos: e Aiezer, filho de Amisadai, era sobre seu exército.

26E sobre o exército da tribo dos filhos de Aser, Pagiel filho de Ocrã.

27E sobre o exército da tribo dos filhos de Naftali, Aira filho de Enã.

28Estas são as partidas dos filhos de Israel por seus exércitos, quando se moviam.

29Então disse Moisés a Hobabe, filho de Reuel midianita, seu sogro: Nós nos partimos para o lugar do qual o SENHOR disse: Eu a vós o darei. Vem conosco, e te faremos bem: porque o SENHOR falou bem a respeito de Israel.

30E ele lhe respondeu: Eu não irei, mas sim que me marcharei à minha terra e à minha parentela.

31E ele lhe disse: Rogo-te que não nos deixes; porque tu conheces nossos alojamentos no deserto, e nos serás em lugar de olhos.

32E será, que se vieres conosco, quando tivermos o bem que o SENHOR nos há de fazer, nós te faremos bem.

33Assim partiram do monte do SENHOR, caminho de três dias; e a arca da aliança do SENHOR foi diante deles caminho de três dias, buscando-lhes lugar de descanso.

34E a nuvem do SENHOR ia sobre eles de dia, desde que partiram do acampamento.

35E foi, que em movendo a arca, Moisés dizia: Levanta-te, o SENHOR, e sejam dissipados teus inimigos, e fujam de tua presença os que te aborrecem.

36E quando ela assentava, dizia: Volta, SENHOR, aos milhares de milhares de Israel.

📖 Chapter study

Summary

God institutes the use of two silver trumpets to summon the people and signal departures. Israel finally leaves Mount Sinai, marching in tribal order, with Moses inviting his brother-in-law Hobab to accompany them as a guide.

Explanation

The silver trumpets functioned as an essential sound-communication system for coordinating more than 600,000 people on the move — one blast to gather the leaders, two blasts to gather everyone, alarm blasts for war. This chapter marks a crucial turning point in the narrative: after nearly a year camped at Sinai receiving the Law and organizing the nation, Israel finally resumes the journey toward the promised land. The invitation to Hobab, a local expert on the wilderness, shows that trusting God did not rule out using practical wisdom and available human knowledge. Moses' prayer at each departure and stop of the ark ('Rise up, LORD... Return, O LORD') became one of the most repeated prayers in Jewish liturgy.

Fun facts

  • Moses' prayer as the ark set out and came to rest (vv. 35-36) is still recited in synagogues today when the Torah scroll is taken out and returned to the ark during worship.
  • Hobab, identified as the son of Reuel (another name for Jethro, Moses' father-in-law), represents a rare mention of close cooperation between Israel and a Midianite at this stage of the journey, before the conflict that would later occur with the Midianites in chapter 25.

Verse-by-verse explanation

  1. Números 10:1The Lord speaks once more to Moses, now to explain how to use the two silver trumpets mentioned in the next verse.
  2. Números 10:2God commands two silver trumpets to be made to give practical signals to the whole people: to call everyone together, to summon only the leaders, or to signal that part of the camp should move out. It was essentially the mass-communication system of the time, used both in everyday camp life and later in battles and feasts.
  3. Números 10:3When both trumpets sounded together, that was the signal for the whole congregation to gather at the entrance of the tent.
  4. Números 10:4But if only one trumpet sounded, the call was more limited: only the leaders of the tribes were to come.
  5. Números 10:5A louder alarm blast told the tribes camped on the east side that it was time to set out.
  6. Números 10:6A second alarm blast told the tribes on the south side to set out as well — each side of the camp had its own signal.
  7. Números 10:7To simply gather the people, without signaling departure, the trumpets were sounded in a different way, without the alarm blast used for marching.
  8. Números 10:8Only the priests, the sons of Aaron, were authorized to sound these trumpets, and this rule was to remain permanent, generation after generation.
  9. Números 10:9The trumpets also served as a signal for war: sounding the alarm against an oppressing enemy meant the people could trust that God would remember them and bring victory.
  10. Números 10:10Besides war and travel, the trumpets also sounded on feast days, new moons, and celebrations, marking the offerings made at those times as a reminder before God.
  11. Números 10:11The text marks the exact date of departure: the twentieth day of the second month of the second year, when the cloud finally lifted from over the tabernacle.
  12. Números 10:12So the journey actually begins: the people set out from the wilderness of Sinai, following the cloud until it stops in the wilderness of Paran.
  13. Números 10:13This was the caravan’s first organized departure, carried out exactly according to the Lord’s command given through Moses.
  14. Números 10:14The standard of Judah is the first to move, with Nahshon in command of its army, repeating the marching order already set out in chapter 2.
  15. Números 10:15Alongside Judah’s army, the army of Issachar marches under the command of Nethaneel.
  16. Números 10:16Completing the first group, the army of Zebulun marches under the command of Eliab.
  17. Números 10:17Only after the first group had already set out was the tabernacle taken down, with the Gershonites and the Merarites following, carrying their assigned parts.
  18. Números 10:18Next the standard of Reuben sets out, with Elizur in command of its army.
  19. Números 10:19Alongside Reuben, the army of Simeon marches under the command of Shelumiel.
  20. Números 10:20Completing the second group, the army of Gad marches under the command of Eliasaph.
  21. Números 10:21Only then did the Kohathites set out, carrying the sacred objects; the idea was for the tabernacle to already be set back up at the new site before they arrived with the ark and its furnishings.
  22. Números 10:22Next the standard of Ephraim sets out, with Elishama in command of its army.
  23. Números 10:23Alongside Ephraim, the army of Manasseh marches under the command of Gamaliel.
  24. Números 10:24Completing the third group, the army of Benjamin marches under the command of Abidan.
  25. Números 10:25Last of all, the standard of Dan sets out, serving as the rear guard of the whole caravan, with Ahiezer in command of its army.
  26. Números 10:26Alongside Dan, the army of Asher marches under the command of Pagiel.
  27. Números 10:27Closing out the whole column, the army of Naphtali marches under the command of Ahira.
  28. Números 10:28This was, in practice, the marching order of the people of Israel whenever the caravan moved.
  29. Números 10:29Hobab was a relative of Moses’s father-in-law and knew that wilderness well. Moses asks him to travel on with the people, because his local knowledge would serve them “instead of eyes,” useful as a guide even though God’s cloud was already showing the way.
  30. Números 10:30Hobab replies that he will not go with the people: he prefers to return to his own land and his own family.
  31. Números 10:31Moses presses him, asking him not to leave, since his knowledge of the wilderness would be valuable in guiding the people, serving as a kind of local guide.
  32. Números 10:32Moses promises: if Hobab agrees to come along, he will share in whatever good the Lord grants Israel on the journey.
  33. Números 10:33The caravan sets out from the mountain of God on a three-day journey, with the ark of the covenant going ahead of the people, seeking a place to rest.
  34. Números 10:34During the day, the cloud of the Lord stayed over the people as they marched, making it clear that God Himself was guiding the journey.
  35. Números 10:35Every time the ark went out ahead for the people to set out, Moses would say this line asking that Israel’s enemies be scattered. And when the ark stopped, he said the opposite line, asking God to return to the midst of the people. They worked like fixed prayers tied to the movement of the ark.
  36. Números 10:36When the ark stopped moving, Moses said the companion line to the one in the previous verse: asking the Lord to return to the multitudes of Israel.

Chapters

Our apps

Our apps →

Bible in Stories

The Bible told as a story, with audio and videos.

📱 Get the app

World in Stories

True stories of humanity that sound made up.

Feito! Pequenas Vitórias

A light daily routine for people who lose track of the day.