Numbers 10:1-36

The Old Testament Book of Numbers

In the Desert

Numbers

Marion Adams

Chapter 10

The two *trumpets – Numbers 10:1-10

v1 The *LORD said to Moses, v2 ‘Make two *trumpets. Make them from silver and use a hammer to make them into the correct shape. Use the *trumpets to call the people together. Also, use the *trumpets to tell the people that they must move the camp. v3 When the priests blow into both the *trumpets, everyone must come. They must meet you at the entrance to *God’s Tent. v4 If the priests blow into just one *trumpet, only the leaders of Israel’s *tribes need to meet you.

v5-7 When it is time to move, make sounds with the *trumpet. The first sound is a signal for the *tribes on the east side to set out. The second sound is a signal for the *tribes on the south side to set out. But when you want everyone to meet together, make a different sound as a signal. v8 Only the priests can use the *trumpets. This rule will never change.

v9 Use the *trumpets to warn when an enemy is attacking your country. Make a sound on the *trumpets as a signal to fight the enemy. I am the *LORD your God and I will help you. I will save you from your enemies.

v10 You must make sounds with the *trumpets on happy occasions, too. You must blow into the *trumpets when you offer *sacrifices at your monthly *festivals and your other *festivals. This will help you to remember me. I am the *LORD your God.’

Verses 1-10 The *trumpets were long, thin tubes. They were wider at one end. We know this because there are pictures of this type of *trumpet on ancient coins. Josephus, a *Jewish writer, described this type of *trumpet also.

The priests used the *trumpets for four reasons:

1. To call the *Israelites or their leaders to meet together.

2. To give the signal to set out.

3. To ask God for help in a battle.

4. To call the *Israelites together at their *festivals.

The priests made different sounds to give different signals. Probably, they made long sounds to call the people to meet together. And probably, short sounds were a signal to set out and to ask God for help. The priests also used the *trumpets at their *festivals. They used them when there was a war. Also, they used them when there was peace.

In verse 10, God said, ‘This will help you to remember me’. This reminded the *Israelites that they must ask God to help them. Also, it reminded them that he had helped them before. He had rescued them from the *Egyptians. He would rescue them from their enemies again. But they had to ask him!

When we need God to help us, we must pray to him. God wants to help us, but he wants us to talk to him first. God is our friend. We talk to our friends. We tell them how we are feeling. We ask for their help. We must talk to God like this, too.

The *Israelites begin their journey – Numbers 10:11-28

v11 It was the 20^th day of the second month of that same year. The cloud rose away from *God’s Tent. v12 Then the *Israelites began their journey out of the Sinai *desert. They travelled until the cloud stopped in the Paran *desert. v13 They set out, this first time, as the *LORD ordered them by means of Moses.

v14 Judah’s *tribe and the *tribes that camped next to it marched out first. They carried their flag. The leader of Judah’s *tribe was Nahshon, Amminadab’s son. He was in command of this group of *tribes. v15 Nethanel, Zuar’s son, was the leader of Issachar’s *tribe. v16 Eliab, Helon’s son, was the leader of Zebulun’s *tribe.

v17 Men took down *God’s Tent. The *clans of Gershon and Merari carried it. They marched behind Judah’s group of *tribes.

v18 Reuben’s *tribe and the *tribes that camped next to it marched out second. They carried their flag. The leader of Reuben’s *tribe was Elizur, Shedeur’s son. He was in command of this group of *tribes. v19 Shelumiel, Zurishaddai’s son, was the leader of Simeon’s *tribe. v20 Eliasaph, Deuel’s son, was the leader of Gad’s *tribe.

v21 Then, Kohath’s *clan set out. They carried the *sacred objects. Before Kohath’s *clan arrived at the next camp, Levi’s *tribe put up *God’s Tent there.

v22 Ephraim’s *tribe and the *tribes that camped next to it marched out next. They carried their flag. The leader of Ephraim’s *tribe was Elishama, Ammihud’s son. He was in command of this group of *tribes. v23 Gamaliel, Pedahzur’s son, was the leader of Manasseh’s *tribe. v24 Abidan, Gideoni’s son, was the leader of Benjamin’s *tribe.

v25 Dan’s *tribe and the *tribes that camped next to it set out last. They could protect the *Israelites if an enemy attacked them from behind. They carried their flag. The leader of Dan’s *tribe was Ahiezer, Ammishaddai’s son. He was in command of this group of *tribes. v26 Pagiel, Ochran’s son, was the leader of Asher’s *tribe. v27 Ahira, Enan’s son, was the leader of Naphtali’s *tribe. v28 The *Israelites marched out in this order every time that they moved their camp.

Verses 11-28 The *Israelites had been in the Sinai *desert for nearly one year. They set out in the order that God had described in chapter 2. Levi’s *tribe carried the *Ark in front of the *Israelites’ army (verse 33). This showed that God was their leader. But the *clans in Levi’s *tribe did not march together. Gershon’s *clan and Merari’s *clan marched before Kohath’s *clan. This was so that they could put up *God’s Tent to be ready for the *sacred objects.

Moses speaks to Hobab – Numbers 10:29-36

v29 Moses spoke to Hobab. Hobab was the brother of Moses’ wife. His father was Jethro who came from Midian.

Moses said, ‘We are setting out now. We are going to the place that the *LORD has promised to us. Come with us! The *LORD has promised good things to us. You will have these good things, too.’

v30 Hobab answered, ‘No, I will not go. I am returning to my own country and my own people.’

v31 Moses said, ‘Please do not leave us. You can guide us. You know where to camp in the *desert. v32 If you come with us, we will share with you the good gifts from the *LORD.’

v33 So the *Israelites left Sinai, the holy mountain. They travelled for three days. Levi’s *tribe carried the *Ark ahead of them. This was so that the *LORD could show them where to camp.

v34 The *LORD’s cloud stayed over them every day. It was over them whenever they set out from their camp. v35 Each day when the *Israelites set out behind the *Ark, Moses prayed. He said:

‘Get up, *LORD! Scatter your enemies! Make them run away!’

v36 When the *Israelites stopped to camp round the *Ark, Moses prayed again. He said:

‘*LORD, stay close to *Israel’s thousands of families.’

Verses 29-36 Moses invited his relative Hobab to come to the country called Canaan with them. Hobab was not an *Israelite. He came from the *tribes of Midian. The *tribes of Midian lived in the *desert that was next to Canaan. Hobab knew the *desert well. So he was able to give them practical advice. For example, he could tell them where to find water.

This teaches us something very important. God guides us by means of the *Holy Spirit. But also, he helps us by means of people. We must let God speak to us by means of people.

Although the passage does not record Hobab’s answer, he agreed to come. We know this because his *descendants lived with the *Israelites (Judges 1:16 and Judges 4:11).

Whenever the cloud started to move, Moses prayed. He asked God to protect the *Israelites. Whenever the cloud stopped, Moses prayed again. He asked God to live among them in the camp. Moses prayed every time that the *Israelites set off. And he prayed every time that they stopped. Moses knew that God, not Moses, commanded *Israel’s army. The *Israelites needed God to protect them from their enemies. They needed God more than anyone or anything else.

We need God more than anyone or anything else, too. When we trust him completely, he will look after us, too. *Christians are in a battle against the devil. The devil tries to make us do bad things. He makes troubles for us. But when we ask God for his help, he will protect us. He has defeated the devil already. He did this at the time of Jesus’ death, and when Jesus became alive again. So we must remember to pray for God’s help always.

This passage ends the first part of the Book of Numbers. The *Israelites had begun their journey to the *Promised Land.

Chapter s 11-20: The *Israelites travel through the *desert LORD ~ a special name for God that his people use. In Hebrew, it is Yahweh. This name means something like ‘I am’ or ‘always alive’.

Lord ~ one who rules. God is the Lord who rules everyone.

Hebrew ~ the language of the *Jews.
Jewish ~ the word that describes a *Jew or anything that belongs to the *Jews.
Israel ~ the Israelites and their nation.
desert ~ a dry region, or a region where there is just a little water. A few wild plants are able to grow in some deserts. So people who are travelling can live in these deserts in their tents. And they can lead animals through the desert. The Israelites lived in a desert for nearly 40 years.

Israel ~ the Israelites and their nation.
sacred ~ special for God. ‘Sacred’ means that something is separate from other things, for God’s purposes only.
Ark ~ a wooden box that contained things that were special to the Israelites. God said that he would meet his people at the Ark. It was a *symbol that God was there in a special way.

Israel ~ the Israelites and their nation.
holy ~ what God is like. God’s character: perfect, completely good with nothing bad in it. Separate from sin.

sin ~ the nature of all people since Adam chose not to obey God. People’s lives are not acceptable to God because of sin. ‘Sins’ are states, attitudes and acts that are not acceptable to God. A person sins whenever that person is guilty of a sin.

'Promised Land ~ the country that God promised to give to Abraham and his *descendants.