1Jehová habló a Moisés y le dijo: 2"Hazte dos trompetas de plata:[1] forjadas a martillo las harás. Te servirán para convocar la congregación y para hacer mover los campamentos. 3Cuando las toquen, toda la congregación se reunirá ante ti en la puerta del Tabernáculo de reunión. 4Pero cuando toquen solo una, entonces se congregarán ante ti los príncipes, los jefes de millares de Israel. 5Cuando toquéis alarma, entonces moverán los campamentos de los que están acampados al oriente. 6Y cuando toquéis con aclamaciones la segunda vez, entonces moverán los campamentos de los que están acampados al sur; con aclamaciones tocarán para sus partidas. 7Pero para reunir la congregación tocaréis, pero no con sonidos de aclamación. 8Los hijos de Aarón, los sacerdotes, tocarán las trompetas: las tendréis como estatuto perpetuo por vuestras generaciones. 9"Cuando salgáis a la guerra en vuestra tierra contra el enemigo que os ataque,[2] tocaréis alarma con las trompetas. Así seréis recordados por Jehová, vuestro Dios, y seréis salvos de vuestros enemigos. 10En vuestros días de alegría, como en vuestras solemnidades y principios de mes, tocaréis las trompetas sobre vuestros holocaustos[3] y sobre los sacrificios de paz, y os servirán de memorial delante de vuestro Dios. Yo, Jehová, vuestro Dios". 11El segundo mes del año segundo, el día veinte del mes,[4] la nube se alzó del tabernáculo del Testimonio, 12y los hijos de Israel partieron del desierto de Sinaí según el orden de marcha. La nube se detuvo en el desierto de Parán.[5] 13Partieron la primera vez según el mandato que Jehová les había dado por medio de Moisés.[6] 14La bandera del campamento de los hijos de Judá abrió la marcha según el orden de sus ejércitos. Naasón hijo de Aminadab estaba sobre su cuerpo de ejército. 15Sobre el cuerpo de ejército de la tribu de los hijos de Isacar estaba Natanael hijo de Zuar. 16Y sobre el cuerpo de ejército de la tribu de los hijos de Zabulón estaba Eliab hijo de Helón. 17Después que estaba ya desarmado el Tabernáculo, se movieron los hijos de Gersón y los hijos de Merari, que lo llevaban. 18Luego comenzó a marchar la bandera del campamento de Rubén, según el orden de sus ejércitos. Elisur hijo de Sedeur estaba sobre su cuerpo de ejército. 19Sobre el cuerpo de ejército de la tribu de los hijos de Simeón estaba Selumiel hijo de Zurisadai. 20Y sobre el cuerpo de ejército de la tribu de los hijos de Gad estaba Eliasaf hijo de Deuel.[7] 21Luego comenzaron a marchar los coatitas llevando el santuario; entretanto ellos llegaban, los otros acondicionaron el Tabernáculo. 22Después comenzó a marchar la bandera del campamento de los hijos de Efraín, según el orden de sus ejércitos. Elisama hijo de Amiud estaba sobre su cuerpo de ejército. 23Sobre el cuerpo de ejército de la tribu de los hijos de Manasés estaba Gamaliel hijo de Pedasur. 24Y sobre el cuerpo de ejército de la tribu de los hijos de Benjamín estaba Abidán hijo de Gedeoni. 25Luego comenzó a marchar la bandera del campamento de los hijos de Dan, según el orden de sus ejércitos, a la retaguardia de todos los campamentos. Ahiezer hijo de Amisadai estaba sobre su cuerpo de ejército. 26Sobre el cuerpo de ejército de la tribu de los hijos de Aser estaba Pagiel hijo de Ocrán. 27Y sobre el cuerpo de ejército de la tribu de los hijos de Neftalí estaba Ahira hijo de Enán. 28Este era el orden de marcha de los hijos de Israel, repartidos por ejércitos, cuando partían. 29"Entonces dijo Moisés a su suegro[8] Hobab hijo de Raguel, el madianita: --Nosotros partimos para el lugar del cual Jehová ha dicho: "Yo os lo daré". Ven con nosotros y te trataremos bien, porque Jehová ha prometido el bien a Israel." 30Él le respondió: --Yo no iré, sino que me marcharé a mi tierra y a mi parentela. 31Moisés insistió: --Te ruego que no nos dejes, pues tú conoces los lugares donde hemos de acampar en el desierto y serás como nuestros ojos. 32Y si vienes con nosotros, cuando tengamos el bien que Jehová nos ha de conceder, lo compartiremos contigo. 33Así partieron del monte de Jehová para una jornada de tres días. El Arca del pacto de Jehová fue delante de ellos los tres días de camino, buscándoles un lugar de descanso. 34Desde que salieron del campamento, la nube de Jehová iba sobre ellos de día. 35Cuando el Arca se movía, Moisés decía:[9] "¡Levántate, Jehová! ¡Que sean dispersados tus enemigos y huyan de tu presencialos que te aborrecen!" 36Y cuando ella se detenía, decía: "¡Descansa, Jehová, entre los millares de millaresde Israel!"[10]
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 2 THE USE OF THE SILVER TRUMPETS. (Num. 10:1-36)
Make thee two trumpets of silver--These trumpets were of a long form, in opposition to that of the Egyptian trumpets, with which the people were convened to the worship of Osiris and which were curved like rams' horns. Those which Moses made, as described by JOSEPHUS and represented on the arch of Titus, were straight, a cubit or more in length, the tubes of the thickness of a flute. Both extremities bore a close resemblance to those in use among us. They were of solid silver--so as, from the purity of the metal, to give a shrill, distinct sound; and there were two of them, probably because there were only two sons of Aaron; but at a later period the number was greatly increased (
Josh 6:8;
2Chr 5:12). And although the camp comprehended 2,500,000 of people, two trumpets would be quite sufficient, for sound is conveyed easily through the pure atmosphere and reverberated strongly among the valleys of the Sinaitic hills.
3 when they shall blow with them--There seem to have been signals made by a difference in the loudness and variety in the notes, suited for different occasions, and which the Israelites learned to distinguish. A simple uniform sound by both trumpets summoned a general assembly of the people; the blast of a single trumpet convoked the princes to consult on public affairs; notes of some other kind were made to sound an alarm, whether for journeying or for war. One alarm was the recognized signal for the eastern division of the camp (the tribes of Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun) to march; two alarms gave the signal for the southern to move; and, though it is not in our present Hebrew text, the Septuagint has, that on three alarms being sounded, those on the west; while on four blasts, those on the north decamped. Thus the greatest order and discipline were established in the Israelitish camp--no military march could be better regulated.
8 the sons of Aaron the priests shall blow with the trumpets, &c.--Neither the Levites nor any in the common ranks of the people could be employed in this office of signal giving. In order to attract greater attention and more faithful observance, it was reserved to the priests alone, as the Lord's ministers; and as anciently in Persia and other Eastern countries the alarm trumpets were sounded from the tent of the sovereign, so were they blown from the tabernacle, the visible residence of Israel's King.
9 If ye go to war--In the land of Canaan, either when attacked by foreign invaders or when they went to take possession according to the divine promise, "ye [that is, the priests] shall blow an alarm." This advice was accordingly acted upon (
Num 31:6;
2Chr 13:12); and in the circumstances it was an act of devout confidence in God. A solemn and religious act on the eve of a battle has often animated the hearts of those who felt they were engaged in a good and just cause; and so the blowing of the trumpet, being an ordinance of God, produced that effect on the minds of the Israelites. But more is meant by the words--namely, that God would, as it were, be aroused by the trumpet to bless with His presence and aid.
10 Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days--Festive and thanksgiving occasions were to be ushered in with the trumpets, as all feasts afterwards were (
Ps 81:3;
2Chr 29:27) to intimate the joyous and delighted feelings with which they engaged in the service of God.
11 It came to pass on the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, &c.--The Israelites had lain encamped in Wady-Er-Rahah and the neighboring valleys of the Sinaitic range for the space of eleven months and twenty-nine days. (Compare
Exod 19:1). Besides the religious purposes of the highest importance to which their long sojourn at Sinai was subservient, the Israelites, after the hardships and oppression of the Egyptian servitude, required an interval of repose and refreshment. They were neither physically nor morally in a condition to enter the lists with the warlike people they had to encounter before obtaining possession of Canaan. But the wondrous transactions at Sinai--the arm of Jehovah so visibly displayed in their favor--the covenant entered into, and the special blessings guaranteed, beginning a course of moral and religious education which moulded the character of this people--made them acquainted with their high destiny and inspired them with those noble principles of divine truth and righteousness which alone make a great nation.
12 wilderness of Paran--It stretched from the base of the Sinaitic group, or from Et-Tyh, over that extensive plateau to the southwestern borders of Palestine.
13 the children of Israel took their journey . . . by the hand of Moses--It is probable that Moses, on the breaking up of the encampment, stationed himself on some eminence to see the ranks defile in order through the embouchure of the mountains. The marching order is described (Num. 2:1-34); but, as the vast horde is represented here in actual migration, let us notice the extraordinary care that was taken for ensuring the safe conveyance of the holy things. In the rear of Judah, which, with the tribes of Issachar and Zebulun, led the van, followed the Gershonites and Merarites with the heavy and coarser materials of the tabernacle. Next in order were set in motion the flank divisions of Reuben and Ephraim. Then came the Kohathites, who occupied the center of the moving mass, bearing the sacred utensils on their shoulder. They were so far behind the other portions of the Levitical body that these would have time at the new encampment to rear the framework of the tabernacle before the Kohathites arrived. Last of all, Dan, with the associated tribes, brought up the rear of the immense caravan. Each tribe was marshalled under its prince or chief and in all their movements rallied around its own standard.
29 Hobab, the son of Raguel the Midianite--called also Reuel (the same as Jethro [
Exod 2:18, Margin]). Hobab, the son of this Midianite chief and brother-in-law to Moses, seems to have sojourned among the Israelites during the whole period of their encampment at Sinai and now on their removal proposed returning to his own abode. Moses urged him to remain, both for his own benefit from a religious point of view, and for the useful services his nomad habits could enable him to render.
31 Leave us not, I pray thee . . . and thou mayest be to us instead of eyes--The earnest importunity of Moses to secure the attendance of this man, when he enjoyed the benefit of the directing cloud, has surprised many. But it should be recollected that the guidance of the cloud, though it showed the general route to be taken through the trackless desert, would not be so special and minute as to point out the places where pasture, shade, and water were to be obtained and which were often hid in obscure spots by the shifting sands. Besides, several detachments were sent off from the main body; the services of Hobab, not as a single Arab, but as a prince of a powerful clan, would have been exceedingly useful.
32 if thou go with us . . . what goodness the Lord will show unto us, the same will we do unto thee--A strong inducement is here held out; but it seems not to have changed the young man's purpose, for he departed and settled in his own district. (See on
Judg 1:16 and
1Sam 15:6).
33 they departed . . . three days' journey--the first day's progress being very small, about eighteen or twenty miles.
ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them--It was carried in the center, and hence some eminent commentators think the passage should be rendered, "the ark went in their presence," the cloud above upon it being conspicuous in their eyes. But it is probable that the cloudy pillar, which, while stationary, rested upon the ark, preceded them in the march--as, when in motion at one time (
Exod 14:19) it is expressly said to have shifted its place.
35 when the ark set forward that Moses said, Rise up, Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered--Moses, as the organ of the people, uttered an appropriate prayer both at the commencement and the end of each journey. Thus all the journeys were sanctified by devotion; and so should our prayer be, "If thy presence go not with us, carry us not hence" [
Exod 33:15].