Numbers 10

AND the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

Make thee two trumpets For Aarons two Sons: though afterwards the number of the trumpets was much increased, as the number of the Priests also was. See 2 Chron. 5. 12. These trumpets were ordained, both for signification of the great duty of Ministers, to wit, to preach the word; and for use, as here follows. of silver A metal pure and pretious, and giving a clear sound.: of an whole piece See Exod. 25. 31. Numb. 8. 4. shalt thou make them, that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly: and for the journeying of the camps.

And when they (i. e.) The Priests by comparing this with ver. 8. shall blow with them (i. e.) With both of them, by comparing this with the next verse., all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

And if they blow but with one trumpet, then the princes which are heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves unto thee.

When ye blow an alarm To wit once, as appears from ver. 6., then the camps that lie on the east-part, shall go forward.

When ye blow an alarm the second time, then the camps that lie on the south-side, shall take their journey: they shall blow an alarm for their journeys As a sign for them to march forward, and consequently for the rest to follow them, which is easily understood out of these words..

But when the congregation is to be gathered together, ye shall blow: but ye shall not sound an alarm.

And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets To oblige them to the greater regard and observance, as if God himself had called them.: and they shall be to you for an ordinance for ever throughout your generations.

And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets Which was practised accordingly. See Numb. 31. 6. 2 Chron. 13. 12., and ye shall be remembred before the LORD your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies If you use this ordinance of God with trust and dependance upon God for help, which condition is necessarily to be understood from divers other Scriptures, where it is expressed..

Also in the days of your gladness (i. e.) Days appointed for rejoycing and thanksgiving to God, either for former mercies, or for succeeding deliverances, as Esth. 9. 18. &c. Compare Hos. 2. 11., and in your solemn days Your stated and constant festivals., and in the beginnings of your months Of which see Psal. 81. 3., ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt-offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace-offerings, that they may be to you for a memorial before your God That God may remember you for good to accept and bless you, as that phrase oft signifies.: I am the LORD your God.

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.

And the children of Israel took their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai, and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran From which they travelled to other places, and then returned into it again, Numb. 12. 16.:

And they first took their journey, according to the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.

In the first place went the standard of the camp of the children of Iudah, according to their armies: and over his host was Nahshon the son of Amminadab.

And over the host of the tribe of the children of Issachar, was Nethaneel the son of Zuar.

And over the host of the tribe of the children of Zebulun, was Eliab the son of Helon.

And the tabernacle was taken down, and the sons of Gershon, and the sons of Merari set forward, bearing the tabernacle.

And the standard of the camp of Reuben set forward according to their armies: and over his host was Elizur the son of Shedeur.

And over the host of the tribe of the children of Simeon, was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.

And over the host of the tribe of the children of Gad, was Eliasaph the son of Deuel.

And the Kohathite set forward, bearing the sanctuary, and the other (i. e.) The Gershonites, and Merarites, as is evident both from their work and office, which was to take down and set up the Tabernacle, Numb. 3. 25. - 26. and 4. 22.—33. and from ver. 17. who therefore marched after the first camp, a good distance from and before the Kohathites, that they might prepare the Tabernacle for the reception of its utensils, which the Kohathites brought some time after them. did set up the tabernacle against they came.

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.

And over the host of the tribe of the children of Manasseh, was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.

And over the host of the tribe of the children of Benjamin, was Abidan the son of Gideoni.

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.

And over the host of the tribe of the children of Asher, was Pagiel the son of Ocran.

And over the host of the tribe of the children of Naphtali, was Ahira the son of Enan.

Thus were the journeyings (i. e.) In this manner and order they marched. of the children of Israel, according to their armies when they set forward.

And Moses said unto Hobab, the son of Raguel Called also Revel, Exod. 2. 18. who seems to be the same who is called Iethro, Exod. 3. 1. it being usual in Scripture for one person to have two or three names. And therefore this Hobab not Iethro, but his son, which may seem more probable, because Iethro was old and unfit for travel and desirous, as may well be thought, to die in his own Countrey, whether he returned, Exod. 18. 27. but Hobab was young and fitter for these journeys, and therefore intreated by Moses to stay and bear them company. the Midianite, Moses father in law Which words are ambiguous, but seem to belong to Raguel, or Revel, not to Hobab, though others are of another mind., 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 has spoken good concerning Israel.

And he said unto him, I will not go So he might truly and sincerely say, though after this speech he was overcome by the intreaties and perswasions of Moses. Or, he did go and settle his affairs and afterwards return: for we find his posterity settled among the Israelites. See Iudg. 1. 16. and 4. 11, 18. &c., but I will depart to mine own land, and to my kindred.

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 in stead of eyes To direct and guide us: for though the cloud determined them to a general place, yet many particulars might be uncertain and unknown to Moses, wherein Hobab, having long lived in those parts, might be able to advise him, as concerning the conveniences of water for their Cattle, concerning the safety or danger of the several parts by reason of Serpents or Wild-beasts or Enemies in the parts adjoyning to them, that so they might guard themselves better against them. Or, this is to be understood of his directing them not so much in their way, as about great and difficult matters, wherein the counsel he had from God did not exclude the advise of men, as we see in Hobabs father Iethro. Exod. 18. And it is probable, this was the wise son of a wise Father..

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.

And they departed from the mount of the LORD three days journey With continued journeys, only it seems most probable, that the cloud made little pauses that they might have time for sleep and necessary refreshments, which their natures required. And thus all writers, when they relate the continued journeys of persons for many days together, are to be understood with this exception.: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them Not so much in place, say some, for so it went in the midst, or at least after the first camp, as may seem from ver. 21. as in office and authority, as a general who is said to go before or lead his Army, though he do not go in the very first place. But others more probably think, that the Ark, which indeed is not mentioned ver. 21. albeit in their stations it was in the middle, where also the cloud was, yet in their marches it went before them, as also the cloud did, and so the cloud was constantly over the Ark whether it stood or went, and therefore the Ark is said to go before and direct them, not as if the Ark could be seen of all the camps, which being carried only upon mens shoulders was impossible, but because the cloud, which always attended upon the Ark, and did together with the Ark constitute in a manner one sign of Gods presence, did lead and direct them. in the three days journey: to search out a resting place Where they might safely and commodiously rest. But this is a metaphorical expression, for discovering to them, for otherwise the Ark could not search, and God, who knew all places and things, needed not to search. for them.

And the cloud of the LORD was upon them by day And by night too, as was expressed before. So we must learn to compare places of Scripture, and to supply the defects of one out of another, as we do in all authors., when they went out of the camp.

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.

And when it rested, he said, Return Or, give rest, i. e. a safe and quiet place, free from enemies and dangers., O LORD, unto the many thousands of Israel.