HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 501
NUM B ER S 10
page 131
The Fiery Cloud
15 On the day the Tabernacle was set up, the
cloud covered it.* But from evening until morning the cloud over the Tabernacle looked like a
pillar of fire. 16 This was the regular pattern—at
night the cloud that covered the Tabernacle had
the appearance of fire. 17 Whenever the cloud
lifted from over the sacred tent, the people of
Israel would break camp and follow it. And
wherever the cloud settled, the people of Israel
would set up camp. 18 In this way, they traveled
and camped at the Lord’s command wherever
he told them to go. Then they remained in their
camp as long as the cloud stayed over the Tabernacle. 19 If the cloud remained over the Tabernacle for a long time, the Israelites stayed and
performed their duty to the Lord. 20 Sometimes
the cloud would stay over the Tabernacle for
only a few days, so the people would stay for
only a few days, as the Lord commanded. Then
at the Lord’s command they would break camp
and move on. 21 Sometimes the cloud stayed
only overnight and lifted the next morning.
But day or night, when the cloud lifted, the
people broke camp and moved on. 22 Whether
the cloud stayed above the Tabernacle for two
days, a month, or a year, the people of Israel
stayed in camp and did not move on. But as
soon as it lifted, they broke camp and moved
on. 23 So they camped or traveled at the Lord’s
command, and they did whatever the Lord told
them through Moses.
The Silver Trumpets
Now the Lord said to Moses, 2 “Make two
trumpets of hammered silver for calling
the community to assemble and for signaling
the breaking of camp. 3 When both trumpets
are blown, everyone must gather before you
at the entrance of the Tabernacle.* 4 But if only
one trumpet is blown, then only the leaders—
the heads of the clans of Israel—must present
themselves to you.
5 “When you sound the signal to move on, the
tribes camped on the east side of the Tabernacle
must break camp and move forward. 6 When
you sound the signal a second time, the tribes
camped on the south will follow. You must
sound short blasts as the signal for moving
on. 7 But when you call the people to an assembly, blow the trumpets with a different signal.
8 Only the priests, Aaron’s descendants, are allowed to blow the trumpets. This is a permanent
law for you, to be observed from generation to
generation.
9 “When you arrive in your own land and go
to war against your enemies who attack you,
sound the alarm with the trumpets. Then the
10
9:15 Hebrew covered the Tabernacle, the Tent of the Testimony.
10:3 Hebrew Tent of Meeting. 10:11a This day in the ancient
Hebrew lunar calendar occurred in late April, May, or early
June. 10:11b Or Tabernacle of the Testimony.
Lord your God will remember you and rescue
you from your enemies. 10 Blow the trumpets in
times of gladness, too, sounding them at your
annual festivals and at the beginning of each
month. And blow the trumpets over your burnt
offerings and peace offerings. The trumpets will
remind your God of his covenant with you. I am
the Lord your God.”
The Israelites Leave Sinai
11 In the second year after Israel’s departure
from Egypt—on the twentieth day of the second
month*—the cloud lifted from the Tabernacle of
the Covenant.* 12 So the Israelites set out from
the wilderness of Sinai and traveled on from
place to place until the cloud stopped in the
wilderness of Paran.
13 When the people set out for the first time,
following the instructions the Lord had given
through Moses, 14 Judah’s troops led the way.
They marched behind their banner, and their
leader was Nahshon son of Amminadab. 15 They
were joined by the troops of the tribe of Issachar,
led by Nethanel son of Zuar, 16 and the troops of
the tribe of Zebulun, led by Eliab son of Helon.
17 Then the Tabernacle was taken down, and
the Gershonite and Merarite divisions of the Levites were next in the line of march, carrying
the Tabernacle with them. 18 Reuben’s troops
went next, marching behind their banner.
Their leader was Elizur son of Shedeur. 19 They
were joined by the troops of the tribe of Simeon,
led by Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai, 20 and the
troops of the tribe of Gad, led by Eliasaph son
of Deuel.
21 Next came the Kohathite division of the Levites, carrying the sacred objects from the Tabernacle. Before they arrived at the next camp,
• Presence of God
N U M B E R S 9:15-23
How do we know that God is with us?
The Israelites had a visible sign of God’s
presence—the pillar of cloud by day
and the pillar of fire by night. While you
probably don’t have a pillar of fire in your
backyard, there are many ways in which
we can see God’s presence in our lives.
Here are a few: (1) the evidence of God’s
work in creation, (2) the promises and
the clear direction for life found in God’s
Word, (3) the evidence of God at work in
the lives of others, and (4) the assurance
in our own hearts that God is present. If
you don’t notice God’s presence in these
things, you would not have noticed his
presence in the pillar of cloud and fire.