The Fourth Book of Moses, called Numbers
Numbers 10
Chapter X · Vol. I, pp. 431–432
1 The use of the silver trumpets. 11 The Israelites remove from Sinai to Paran. 14, 18, 22, 25 The order of their march. 29 Hobab is entreated by Moses not to leave them. 33 The blessing of Moses at the removing and resting of the ark.
1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2 Make thee a two trumpets of silver; of ab whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps.
a More trumpets were afterward made, 2 Ch. 12.13. Joel 2.15,16. Ps. 81.3; 89.15. Is. 27.13; 58.1. Ho. 8.1. Ro. 10.15,18.
3 And when they shall blow with them, c all the assembly1 shall assemble themselves to thee at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
c Pr. 8.4; 9.4,5. Is. 55.1-4. Re. 22.17. Mat. 11.28. Ge. 49.10.
1 All the assembly assembling themselves to Moses at the door clearly evinces that 'assembly' means, not all the people, but their representative heads or princes. The statement in ver. 4 puts this interpretation beyond all doubt.—C.
4 And if they blow but with one trumpet, then the princes, which are d heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves unto thee.2
5 When ye blow an alarm,3 then e the camps that lie on the east parts shall go forward.4
3 The word trumpet, in ver. 4, is supplied by the translators; and as the word translated alarm in ver. 5 means a broken quavering sound, so the word supplied in the former verse should rather be one uniform sound, as distinguished from the broken character of the alarm.—Note, The gospel trumpet has a special sound for every rank and for every purpose, whether assembly, journey, warfare, or triumph, ver. 4,5,9,10; but he that blows it must give no 'uncertain sound,' 1 Co. 14.8, and must so declare the 'whole counsel of God,' as to be 'pure from the blood of all men,' Ac. 20.26.—C.
e ch. 2.3-9; ver. 14-16.
4 The tribes of Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.—P.
6 When ye blow an alarm the second time, then the f camps that lie on the south side shall take their journey:5 they shall blow an alarm for their journeys.6
f ch. 2.10-16; ver. 18-21.
5 The tribes of Reuben, Simeon, and Gad.—P.
6 It is singular that no mention is here made of the tabernacle, the Levites, or the remaining two camps. Probably this last clause of ver. 6 was meant to embrace the whole.—P.
7 Butg when the congregation is to be gathered together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm.
g ver. 3. Ps. 40.9, 10; 81.3; 89.15. Pr. 8.4; 1.21, 22; 9.4,5. Ro. 10.15,18.
8 And h the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets: and they shall be to you for an ordinance for ever throughout your generations.
9 And if ye i go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be k remembered before the LORD your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies.
10 Also l in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets m over your burnt-offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace-offerings; that they may be to you for n a memorial before your God: I am the LORD your God:
11 And it came to pass on the o twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, that the cloud was taken up from off the tabernacle of the testimony.7
o ch. 1.1; 9.1.
7 It appears from Ex. 19.1 that the Israelites had been encamped at Sinai about eleven months and twenty days.—C.
12 And the children of Israel p took their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran.8
p ch. 33.16; 2.9,16,24, 31. Ex. 19.1. De. 33.2; 1.19. They had continued almost a year at Sinai.
8 The wilderness of Paran was of great extent. It was bounded on the north by Palestine, on the east by the valley of Arabah, on the south by the mountains of Sinai, and on the west by the Mediterranean. It might appear from this verse that the wilderness of Paran lay close to the mountain of the Lord, as it is said 'they took their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai, and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran;' but the full narrative, which is given in ver. 33, and 11.3, 34, 35, shows that from Sinai they made a four days' march to Hazeroth, and then the next march brought them into the wilderness of Paran, 12.16. Paran therefore was five days' march from Sinai.—P.
13 And they first took their journey, q according to the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.
14 Inr the first place went the standard of the camp of the children9 of Judah, according to their armies; and over his host was Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
r Ge. 49.8-10. ch. 2.3-9; 1.7,26-31; 26.19-27; ver. 5.
9 From ch. ii it appears that this camp was the most numerous and strongest. They are therefore the advance-guard of the army.—Note, This is in strict accordance with military tactics, and Christians should so far, but no farther, imitate the world, that in their spiritual warfare the strong go before to protect the weak, 1 Ti. 1.18. Ro. 15.1.—C.
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 s taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari set forward, t bearing the tabernacle.
s ch. 1.51. He. 12.27, 28; 7.18; 9.10,11. 2 Co. 5.1,4. 2 Pe. 1.14.
t ch. 7.5-9; 3.25,26,36, 37; 4.22-32.
18 And u the standard of the camp of Reuben set forward according to their armies; and over his host was Elizur the son of Shedeur.
u ch. 2.10-16; 1.20-25; 26.5-18. ver. 6.
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, x bearing the sanctuary; and y the other did set up the tabernacle against they came.
x ch. 2.17; 3.27-32; 4.4-16; 7.9. 1 Ch. 15.2. The most holy furniture.
y That is, the Gershonites and the Merarites. See ver. 17.
22 And the z 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.
z ch. 2.18-24; 1.32-37; 26.28-41. Ps. 80.1,2.
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 a standard of the camp of the children of Dan set forward, which was the rere-ward1 of all the camps throughout their hosts; and over his host was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.
A.M. 2514. B.C. 1490.
a ch. 2.25-31; 1.38-43; 26.42-50. Ge. 49.16,17. De. 25.18. Jos. 6.9.
1 From ch. ii. it will appear that, next to the camp of Judah, which marched in front, this was the most numerous and the strongest, and was accordingly placed in the rere-ward.—Note, Satan's attempts are always against the heel of Christ, Ge. 3.15, therefore should the Christian's watchfulness and preparation for defence have regard not merely to his present actions, but to all their natural consequences.—C.
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 Thusb were the journeyings of the children of Israel, according to their armies, when they set forward.
b Heb. these, ver. 35,36; ch. ii.; 24.5. Ps. 80.1,2; 68.2,8,9. Ca. 6.10. Col. 2.5. 1 Co. 14.33,40.
29 And Moses said unto c Hobab, the son of Raguel2 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.
2 He is called Jethro, Ex. 18.1; but this is no contradiction to the name of Raguel, as he may either have had two names, used indiscriminately, or have received or taken a new name at this period. C.—The same Hebrew word is written Reuel in the English version of Ex. 2.18. It would seem that when Reuel (or Jethro) went back to his own country, as stated in Ex. 18.27, his son Hobab remained with Moses, and abode in the camp during the whole period of the sojourn at Sinai. Now when the Israelites approached the borders of Midian proper, Hobab determined to leave them and go to his own country; it would seem, however, that on the earnest persuasion of Moses he remained with the Israelites and acted as their guide.—P.
30 And he said unto him, I will not go; but I will depart to mine own land, and to my kindred.d
d Ju. 1.16; 4.11,17. 1 Sa. 15.6. Je. 35.2.
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 e 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 f mount of the LORD three days' journey: and the g ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them in the three days' journey, to h search out a resting-place for them.
34 And the i cloud of the LORD was upon them by day,3 when they went out of the camp.
i Ex. 13.21,22. ch. 9.16-22. Ps. 105.39; 99.7.
3 It is evident that, in this case, the cloud was not located, as when resting on the tabernacle, but diffused over the whole line of march. A beautiful emblem of that universal providence. that protects a nation, while its particular regards are concentrated in the visible church.—C.
35 And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, k Rise up, LORD, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee.4
k Ps. 68.1,2; 2.9; 21.8-12; 83.13-17; 89.23; 92.7,9; 110.1,5,6.
4 That a good man should have enemies would appear incredible, did not observation and history confirm the fact. But that God should have enemies that hate him, can never be imagined or admitted until we know that 'the carnal mind is enmity against God,' Ro. 8.7.—C.
Notes
Reflections.—In these trumpets I discern the pure and precious gospel of Christ, and hear its joyful sound proclaiming the sufficiency and suitableness of Jesus and his righteousness, calling sinful men to him and his ordinances, and encouraging them in their journey heavenward, and in their spiritual warfare with sin, Satan, the world, and death. Let me also observe, that even Sinai-visits, the most noted opportunities of intimacy with God, come quickly to an end; and that, in this world, we but remove from one wilderness to another. While, in the Hebrews' orderly march I discern the ransomed of the Lord, directed by the Lion of the tribe of Judah, and having his Father's presence among them, marching in goodly order to their heavenly Canaan, let me exert myself to gain others, particularly my relations, to God and glory. There is in him enough for us all. And happy are they, if grace make them forget their father's house, and their own people, to go to the Lord! While, therefore, we have his ordinances with us, let us strive together in prayer for his presence therein; that it may be our effectual defence against enemies, and a source of every necessary comfort.