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Texts -- Numbers 10:1-20 (NET)

Context
The Blowing of Trumpets
10:1 The Lord spoke to Moses : 10:2 “Make two trumpets of silver ; you are to make them from a single hammered piece . You will use them for assembling the community and for directing the traveling of the camps . 10:3 When they blow them both, all the community must come to you to the entrance of the tent of meeting . 10:4 “But if they blow with one trumpet, then the leaders , the heads of the thousands of Israel , must come to you. 10:5 When you blow an alarm , then the camps that are located on the east side must begin to travel . 10:6 And when you blow an alarm the second time, then the camps that are located on the south side must begin to travel . An alarm must be sounded for their journeys . 10:7 But when you assemble the community , you must blow , but you must not sound an alarm . 10:8 The sons of Aaron , the priests , must blow the trumpets ; and they will be to you for an eternal ordinance throughout your generations . 10:9 If you go to war in your land against an adversary who opposes you, then you must sound an alarm with the trumpets , and you will be remembered before the Lord your God , and you will be saved from your enemies . 10:10 “Also in the time when you rejoice , such as on your appointed festivals or at the beginnings of your months , you must blow with your trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings , so that they may become a memorial for you before your God : I am the Lord your God .”
The Journey From Sinai to Kadesh
10:11 On the twentieth day of the second month , in the second year , the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle of the testimony . 10:12 So the Israelites set out on their journeys from the wilderness of Sinai ; and the cloud settled in the wilderness of Paran .
Judah Begins the Journey
10:13 This was the first time they set out on their journey according to the commandment of the Lord , by the authority of Moses . 10:14 The standard of the camp of the Judahites set out first according to their companies , and over his company was Nahshon son of Amminadab . 10:15 Over the company of the tribe of Issacharites was Nathanel son of Zuar , 10:16 and over the company of the tribe of the Zebulunites was Elion son of Helon . 10:17 Then the tabernacle was dismantled , and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari set out , carrying the tabernacle .
Journey Arrangements for the Tribes
10:18 The standard of the camp of Reuben set out according to their companies ; over his company was Elizur son of Shedeur . 10:19 Over the company of the tribe of the Simeonites was Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai , 10:20 and over the company of the tribe of the Gadites was Eliasaph son of Deuel .

Pericope

NET

Bible Dictionary

  • Priest

    [ebd] The Heb. kohen, Gr. hierus, Lat. sacerdos, always denote one who offers sacrifices. At first every man was his own priest, and presented his own sacrifices before God. Afterwards that office devolved on the head of the famil...
    [smith] The English word is derived from the Greek presbyter , signifying an "elder" (Heb. cohen). Origin. --The idea of a priesthood connects itself in all its forms, pure or corrupted, with the consciousness, more or less distinct ...
    [nave] PRIEST. Before Moses Melchizedek, Gen. 14:18; Heb. 5:6, 10, 11; 6:20; 7:1-21. Jethro, Ex. 2:16. Priests in Israel before the giving of the law, Ex. 19:22, 24. Called angel, Eccl. 5:6. Mosaic Ex. 28:1-4; 29:9, 44; Num....

  • Exodus

    [ebd] the great deliverance wrought for the children of Isreal when they were brought out of the land of Egypt with "a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm" (Ex 12:51; Deut. 26:8; Ps 114; 136), about B.C. 1490, and four hundre...

  • ALARM

    [ebd] a particular quivering sound of the silver trumpets to give warning to the Hebrews on their journey through the wilderness (Num. 10:5, 6), a call to arms, or a war-note (Jer. 4:19; 49:2; Zeph. 1:16).
    [isbe] ALARM - a-larm' (teru`ah): This expression is found six times in the Old Testament. The Hebrew word so rendered is derived from a verb meaning "to shout" or "blow a horn," as a signal for breaking up camp, starting on a jour...

  • NUMBERS, BOOK OF

    [isbe] NUMBERS, BOOK OF - num'-berz: I. TITLE AND CONTENTS 1. Title 2. Contents II. LITERARY STRUCTURE 1. Alleged Grounds of Distribution 2. Objections to Same (1) Hypothesis Unproved (2) Written Record Not Impossible (3) No Book E...

  • Israel

    [nave] ISRAEL 1. A name given to Jacob, Gen. 32:24-32; 2 Kin. 17:34; Hos. 12:3, 4. 2. A name of the Christ in prophecy, Isa. 49:3. 3. A name given to the descendants of Jacob, a nation. Called also Israelites, and Hebrews, Gen. 4...

  • CONGREGATION

    [ebd] (Heb. kahal), the Hebrew people collectively as a holy community (Num. 15:15). Every circumcised Hebrew from twenty years old and upward was a member of the congregation. Strangers resident in the land, if circumcised, were,...
    [isbe] CONGREGATION - kon-gre-ga'-shun (qahal, `edhah). 1. Terms Employed: These two words rendered by "congregation" or "assembly" are used apparently without any difference of sense. They appear to include an assembly of the whol...
    [smith] This describes the Hebrew people in its collective capacity under its peculiar aspect as a holy community, held together by religious rather than political bonds. Sometimes it is used in a broad sense as inclusive of foreign ...

  • Music, Instrumental

    [ebd] Among instruments of music used by the Hebrews a principal place is given to stringed instruments. These were, (1.) The kinnor, the "harp." (2.) The nebel, "a skin bottle," rendered "psaltery." (3.) The sabbeka, or "sackbut,...

  • Trumpet

    [nave] TRUMPET Made of ram's horn, Josh. 6:4-6, 8, 13; of silver, Num. 10:2. Uses of, prescribed by Moses, Num. 10:1-10. Used in war, Job 39:24, 25; Jer. 4:19; 6:1, 17; 42:14; 51:27; Ezek. 7:14; Amos 2:2; 3:6; Zeph. 1:16; 1 Cor. ...

  • Camon

    [ebd] full of stalks, a place (Judg. 10:5) where Jair was buried. It has usually been supposed to have been a city of Gilead, on the east of Jordan. It is probably, however, the modern Tell-el-Kaimun, on the southern slopes of Car...

  • BLOW

    [isbe] BLOW - blo (nashaph): Used with reference to the wind (Ex 15:10; Ps 78:26; 147:18; pneo, "to breathe," Lk 12:55; Jn 3:8; Rev 7:1); taqa`, with reference to trumpet sound (Nu 10:3-10; 31:6 the King James Version; Jdg 7:18,20;...

  • ARMY

    [ebd] The Israelites marched out of Egypt in military order (Ex. 13:18, "harnessed;" marg., "five in a rank"). Each tribe formed a battalion, with its own banner and leader (Num. 2:2; 10:14). In war the army was divided into thous...
    [isbe] ARMY - ar'-mi (chayil, "army," tsabha', "host," ma`arakhah, "army in battle array" gedhudh, "troop"): 1. The First Campaign of History 2. In the Wilderness 3. The Times after the Conquest 4. In the Early Monarchy 5. From the...
    [smith] I. JEWISH ARMY.--Every man above 20 years of age was a soldier, (Numbers 1:3) each tribe formed a regiment, with its own banner and its own leader (Numbers 2:2; 10:14) their positions in the camp or on the march were accurate...

  • Elizur

    [isbe] ELIZUR - e-li'-zur ('elitsur; Septuagint Eleiour, Elisour, "My God is a rock"; compare Zuriel "my rock is God" (Nu 3:35)): A chief or prince of the tribe of Reuben (Nu 1:5; 2:10; 7:30,35; 10:18).
    [smith] prince of the tribe and over the host of Reuben. (Numbers 1:5; 2:10; 7:30,35; 10:18)
    [nave] ELIZUR, a chief of Reuben, Num. 1:5; 2:10; 7:30, 35; 10:18.

  • MERARI

    [isbe] MERARI - me-ra'-ri (merari, "bitter"; Mararei): (1) The 3rd son of Levi, his brothers, Gershon and Kohath, being always mentioned together with him (Gen 46:11; Ex 6:16 ff). He was among those 70 who went down to Egypt with J...

  • Issachar

    [isbe] ISSACHAR - is'-a-kar (yissa(se)khar; Septuagint, Swete Issachar; Tischendorf, Issachar, so also in the New Testament, Tregelles, and Westcott and Hort, The New Testament in Greek): (1) The 9th son of Jacob, the 5th borne to ...
    [nave] ISSACHAR 1. Son of Jacob, Gen. 30:18; Ex. 1:3; 1 Chr. 2:1. Jacob's prophetic benedictions upon, Gen. 49:14, 15. In the time of David, 1 Chr. 7:2, 5. See Tribe of below. Tribe of Military forces of, taken at Sinai, Num. ...

  • Helon

    [isbe] HELON - hel'-on (chelon, "valorous"; the Septuagint's Codex Vaticanus, Chailon): The father of Eliab, the prince of the tribe of Zebulun (Nu 1:9; 2:7; 7:24,29; 10:16).
    [smith] (strong), father of Eliab, of the tribe of Zebulun. (Numbers 1:9; 2:7; 7:24,29; 10:16) (B.C. 1491.)
    [nave] HELON, father of Eliab, Num. 1:9; 2:7; 7:24, 29; 10:16.

  • Shelumiel

    [isbe] SHELUMIEL - she-lu'-mi-el (shelumi'el; both the punctuation and interpretation are in doubt. Massoretic Text punctuates the first element as a passive participle; the use of the participle in compounds is common in Assyrian ...
    [smith] (friend of God), the son of Zurishaddai, and prince of the tribe of Simeon at the time of the exodus. (Numbers 1:6; 2:12; 7:36,41; 10:19) (B.C. 1431.)
    [nave] SHELUMIEL, son of Zurishaddai, and leader of Simeon in time of Moses, Num. 1:6; 2:12; 7:36, 41; 10:19.

  • Zurishaddai

    [isbe] ZURISHADDAI - zu-ri-shad'-a-i, zu-ri-shad'-i (tsurishadday, "my rock is Shadday"): Father of Shelumiel the head of the tribe of Simeon (Nu 1:6; 2:12; 7:36,41; 10:19). See GOD, NAMES OF, II, 8; ZURIEL.
    [smith] (my rock is the Almighty), father of Shelumiel, the chief of the tribe of Simeon at the time of the exodus. (Numbers 1:6; 2:12; 7:36,41; 10:19)
    [nave] ZURISHADDAI, father of Shelumiel, Num. 1:6; 2:12; 7:36, 41; 10:19.

  • Zuar

    [isbe] ZUAR - zu'-ar, zoo'-ar (tsu`-ar "little one"; Sogar): Father of Nethanel (Nu 1:8; 2:5; 7:18,23; 10:15), who was head of the tribe of Issachar.
    [smith] (littleness), father of Nethaneel the chief of the tribe of Issachar at the time of the exodus. (Numbers 1:8; 2:5; 7:18,23; 10:15) (B.C. 2491.)
    [nave] ZUAR, father of Nethaneel, Num. 1:8; 2:5; 7:18, 23; 10:15.

  • Armies

    [nave] ARMIES Who of the Israelites were subject to service in, Num. 1:2, 3; 26:2; 2 Chr. 25:5; who were exempt from service in, Num. 1:47-50; 2:33; Deut. 20:5-9; Judg. 7:3. Enumeration of Israel's military forces, Num. 1:2, 3; 26...

  • Eliasaph

    [isbe] ELIASAPH - e-li'-a-saf ('elyacaph, "God has added"): (1) Son of Deuel; prince of the tribe of Gad in the Exodus (Nu 1:14; 2:14; 7:42,47; 10:20). (2) Son of Lael; prince of the Gershonites (Nu 3:24).
    [smith] Head of the tribe of Dan at the time of the census in the wilderness of Sinai. (Numbers 1:14; 2:14; 7:42,47; 10:20) (B.C. 1490.) A levite, and "chief of the Gershonites" at the same time. (Numbers 3:24)
    [nave] ELIASAPH 1. A chief of the tribe of Dan, Num. 1:14; 2:14; 7:42, 47; 10:20. 2. Son of Lael, Num. 3:24.
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Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • 6:9-12 "The same explanation for Enoch's rescue from death (he walked with God') is made the basis for Noah's rescue from death in the Flood: he walked with God' (6:9). Thus in the story of Noah and the Flood, the author is a...
  • Moses revealed God's purpose for giving the Mosaic Covenant in this chapter.19:1-6 The Israelites arrived at the base of the mountain where God gave them the law about three months after they had left Egypt, in May-June (v. 1...
  • The renewal of the covenant made the erection of the tabernacle possible. Here begins what scholars refer to as the Code of the Priests (Exod. 35--Lev. 16). Having broken the covenant once, God proceeded to give His people mo...
  • Leviticus continues revelation concerning the second of three elements necessary for any nation to exist, namely, a people (Gen. 12:10--Exod. 19), their law (Exod. 20--Num. 10:10), and their land (Num. 10:11--Josh. 24).Leviti...
  • When the book opens the Israelites were in the second month of the second year after they departed from Egypt (1:1). In chapters 7-10 we read things that happened in the nation before that. These things happened when Moses fi...
  • To formulate a statement that summarizes the teaching of this book it will be helpful to identify some of the major revelations in Numbers. These constitute the unique values of the book.The first major value of Numbers is th...
  • I. Experiences of the older generation in the wilderness chs. 1-25A. Preparations for entering the Promised Land from the south chs. 1-101. The first census and the organization of the people chs. 1-42. Commands and rituals t...
  • The location of this blessing in this context indicates that one of the priest's central tasks was to be a source of blessing for God's people.61This blessing, like the preceding Nazirite legislation, deals with the purificat...
  • The presentation this chapter records took place at the time the Israelites dedicated the tabernacle (vv. 1-2; cf. Lev. 8:10)."The purpose of this section of narrative is to show that as the people had been generous in giving...
  • God ordered that priests should announce His movement of the people by blowing two silver trumpets because the Israelites would not watch the cloud continuously. The blasts from the trumpets would reach the farthest tents in ...
  • The Israelites had been at Mt. Sinai for almost one year (Exod. 19:1; Num. 10:11). All that Moses recorded as occurring between Exodus 19:1 and Numbers 10:11 took place during those twelve months.Even though this region conta...
  • The end of chapter 10 is the high point of the Book of Numbers spiritually. The beginning of chapter 11 records the beginning of the spiritual decline of Israel that resulted in God's judging the nation. He postponed the fulf...
  • "As the laws increase and the constraints grow, the people seem less willing or less capable of following them. At this point in the narrative we see that the whole order of the priesthood is thrown open to direct confrontati...
  • Another step in preparing to enter Canaan involved setting forth in an organized fashion all the sacrifices that God required the priests to offer for the whole nation during a year. These offerings maintained fellowship with...
  • These instructions deal with how Israel was to come into possession of the Promised Land (cf. Num. 33:50-56). They are in the context of civil legislation because Israel did not have a standing army. Soldiers volunteered to g...
  • After receiving the reminder of his death and as one of his final official acts as Israel's leader, Moses pronounced a prophetic blessing on the tribes of Israel (cf. Gen. 49)."In the ancient Near East, a dying father's final...
  • Probably the practice of standing on land one possessed led to the custom of using the sandal as a symbol of possession in land transactions (v. 7; cf. Gen. 13:17; Deut. 1:36; 11:24; Josh. 1:3; 14:9).80Most scholars believe t...
  • The Book of Samuel covers the period of Israel's history bracketed by Samuel's conception and the end of David's reign. David turned the kingdom over to Solomon in 971 B.C.3David reigned for 40 and one-half years (2 Sam. 2:11...
  • David was wondering if he had done something wrong that had provoked Saul's hatred (v. 1). Walking with God is sometimes confusing. We need to learn, as David did, that when we try to follow God faithfully some people will op...
  • Verses 1 and 2 of chapter 23 provide an outline for what follows in chapters 23-27 but in reverse order. After David appointed Solomon as his coregent in 973 B.C., he began the preparations the writer described here.David ada...
  • 81:1-2 Asaph summoned the Israelites to sing joyfully to God their strength with musical accompaniment.81:3-5 He called on them to participate in a festival. The Israelites blew trumpets and offered sacrifices at the beginnin...
  • 7:1 "Those who know law"--the article "the"before "law"is absent in the Greek text--were Paul's Roman readers. They lived in the capital of the empire where officials debated, enacted, and enforced laws. They of all people we...
  • Paul continued dealing with the subject of going to idol temples to participate in pagan feasts in this section. In it he gave a warning to the believer who considered himself strong, the one who knew there were really no god...
  • Paul brought his revelation of the resurrection to a climax in this paragraph by clarifying what all this means for the believer in Christ. Here he also dealt with the exceptional case of living believers' transformation at t...
  • 8:2 John saw someone, perhaps God, give seven trumpets to a group of seven angels standing before the heavenly throne (cf. 1:4; 3:1; 8:6; 15:1). Exactly who these angels were is not clear. Some interpreters have identified th...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

  • I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me.' Num. 10:14.DETAIL the circumstances.The leader speaks the truth in his despondency. He is pressed with the feeling of his incapacity for his work. ...
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