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1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

2 Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps.

3 And when they shall blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

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

5 When ye blow an alarm, then the camps that lie on the east parts shall go forward.

6 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.

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

8 And 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 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 remembered before the Lord your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies.

10 Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, 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: I am the Lord your God.

11 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.

12 And the children of Israel took their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran.

13 And they first took their journey according to the commandment of the Lord by the hand of Moses.

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

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

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

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, bearing the sanctuary: and the other did set up the tabernacle against they came.

22 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.

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 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.

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 Thus were the journeyings of the children of Israel according to their armies, when they set forward.

29 And Moses said unto Hobab, the son of Raguel 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.

30 And he said unto him, I will not go; but I will depart to mine own land, and to my kindred.

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 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 mount of the Lord three days' journey: and the ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them in the three days' journey, to search out a resting place for them.

34 And the cloud of the Lord was upon them by day, when they went out of the camp.

35 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.

36 And when it rested, he said, Return, O Lord, unto the many thousands of Israel.

h.עשה לך MAKE THEE etc. — make לך, “for thyself” (on thy own behalf) suggests that they shall blow them in your presence, as before a king, as it is said, (with reference to Moses) (Deuteronomy 33:5) ויהי בישרון מלך “and he was king in Jeshurun”.

h.עשה לך MAKE THEE — from that which is thine own and not from the common funds (Sifrei Bamidbar 72).

h.עשה לך MAKE FOR THYSELF” also suggests: you make them and use them, but no one else.

h.למקרא העדה [THAT THOU MAYEST USE THEM] FOR THE CALLING OF THE ASSEMBLY — i. e. when you wish to speak to the Sanhedrin and the rest of the people and you summon them to assemble unto you, you shall summon them by the trumpets.

h.ולמסע את המחנות AND FOR THE JOURNEYING OF THE CAMPS — at the time of departing on the journeys you shall blow them as a signal. Consequently you must say that they used to travel by a three-fold call: by the command of the Holy One, blessed be He, by the word of Moses (cf. Rashi on v. 18 at the end), and by the sound of the trumpets (Boraitha d’ Mlechet ha-Mishkan s. 13).

h.מקשה OF BEATEN WORK — from a block of silver you shall make them by hammer blows (Sifrei Bamidbar 72).

h.ותקעו בהן WHEN THEY BLOW WITH THEM — with both of them; and this (protracted sound, a “Tekiah” on both trumpets) is the signal for summoning the congregation, as it is said here, “then all the congregation shall assemble unto thee at the entrance of the tent of meeting”.

h.ואם כאחת יתקעו AND IF THEY BLOW BUT WITH ONE TRUMPET (i.e. a “Tekiah” on one trumpet) — it is a sign to summon the princes, as it is said here, “then the princes shall gather themselves unto thee”. Their meeting place, too, was at the entrance of the tent of meeting. This is derived from a ג“ש in the Sifrei (Sifrei Bamidbar 73:1 from the use in both cases of the same expression ותקעו and יתקעו: not from ונועדו — ונועדו as erroneously stated.)

h.ותקעתם תרועה WHEN YE BLOW AN ALARM — The signal for the camps to set out on the journey was a Tekiah, a Teruah (a tremulous sound) and again a Tekiah. Thus is it derived in the Siphre from the apparently redundant verses (Sifrei Bamidbar 73:2; cf. Rosh Hashanah 34a).

h.ובהקהיל את הקהל וגו׳ AND WHEN THE CONGREGATION IS TO BE GATHERED TOGETHER etc. — Because it is stated, (v. 2) “and they shall be unto thee for calling together the assembly and for the journeying of the camps”, you must reason as follows: How is it in the case of “the calling of the assembly”? A Tekiah was made by two priests and on both of them (on two trumpets), since it states, (v. 3) “when they blow with them (cf. Rashi on that verse). So, too, is the setting out of the camps to be by means of both trumpets. One might, however, also reason as follows: How is it in the case of the “journeyings of the camps”? The priest sounds a Tekiah, a Teruah, and another Tekiah (cf. Rashi on v. 5)! So, too, in the case of “calling the assembly together”, he blows a Tekiah, a Teruah and a Tekiah, so that it follows that there is no difference between the signal for “calling the assembly” and that for the “journeyings of the camps”. Scripture, however, states here: “And when the congregation is to be gathered together, etc.” to intimate that no Teruah is sounded at the calling of the assembly (ולא תריעו), and the same rule applies to calling the princes. — Thus we have a different signal for the three occasions: “the calling of the assembly” is done by both trumpets, and that of the princes by one — but neither in this nor that signal is there a Teruah, whilst “the journeying of the camps” is done by both trumpets with a Teruah, a Tekiah preceding and following it (Sifrei Bamidbar 74).

h.ובני אהרן… יתקעו AND THE SONS OF AARON … SHALL BLOW [WITH THE TRUMPETS] at the occasions of these (above-mentioned) assemblings and journeyings.

h.על עלתיכם [YE SHALL BLOW WITH THE TRUMPETS] OVER YOUR BURNT OFFERINGS — Scripture is speaking of a communal burnt offering (cf. Sifrei Bamidbar 77; Arakhin 11b).

h.אני ה׳ אלהיכם I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD — From here we derive the regulation that on the New Year Festival Biblical verses referring to God’s Kingdom (מלכיות) must be recited together with such as have reference to the blowing of the Shofar (שופרות), and to Divine remembrance (זכרונות), because it states here “ותקעתם” — which is an allusion to לזכרון” ;שופרות“ — which is an allusion to זכרונות; and אני ה׳ אלהיכם — which is an allusion to מלכיות etc. (Sifrei Bamidbar 77; cf. Rashi on Leviticus 23:24 and Note thereon).

h.בחדש השני [IN THE SECOND YEAR] IN THE SECOND MONTH [THE CLOUD DEPARTED] — Consequently you must say that they spent at Choreb twelve months less ten days, since on the New Moon of Sivan (the third month) they encamped there (Exodus 19:1) and did not journey until the twentieth of Eyar of the following year.

h.למסעיהם means, in accordance with the regulations set forth for the journeys of their divisions — which should be the first to set out and which the last.

h.במדבר פראן IN THE WILDERNESS OF PARAN — The place “Kibroth-hattavah” (Numbers 12:34) was in the wilderness of Paran and there they encamped after this journey (cf. Numbers 33:16—17 with our verse and with Numbers 11:34—35).

h.והורד המשכן THEN THE TABERNACLE WAS TAKEN DOWN — As soon as the division of Judah was on the point of journeying, Aaron and his sons went in (into the Tabernacle), took down the Partition Vail and covered the Ark with it, as it is said, (Numbers 4:5) “and when the camp setteth forward (i. e. is on the point of setting forward) Aaron shall come, and his sons, [and they shall take down the Partition Vail, etc.]”; the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari then dismantled the Tabernacle, and loaded it on the waggons, and started off (so Berliner’s edition which adds ונוסעים). The Ark and the other holy vessels, the burden of the sons of Kohath (cf. Numbers 3:31), remained as they were, covered over, the latter hanging on poles, until the division of the sons of Reuben set out, and only after that did (v. 21) “the Kohathites set forward”.

h.נשאי המקדש means, the bearers of the holy articles (not of the structure of the Sanctuary itself for this was the burden of the sons of Gershon and Merari; cf. v. 17).

h.והקימו את המשכן AND THEY SET UP THE TABERNACLE [BEFORE THEY CAME] — this means: The sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari who were in front of them (the Kohathites) travelling together with the two divisions, those of Judah and Reuben, set up the Tabernacle as soon as the cloud rested, and the sign for encamping became visible above the division of the camp of Judah (cf. Rashi on 9:17). Now when they encamped and whilst the sons of Kohath were coming after them with the two last divisions (Ephraim and Dan), the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari erected the Sanctuary. When the sons of Kohath arrived, they already found it in its proper place and they put into it the Ark, the table, the candelabrum and the altars. The following therefore is what the verse implies: והקימו, and they — i.e. those who had to erect the Tabernacle — erected it, עד before באם their arrival — the arrival of the sons of Kohath.

h.מאסף לכל המחנת [THEN THE BANNER OF THE CAMP OF THE CHILDREN OF DAN SET FORWARD] WHICH WAS THE GATHERER OF ALL THE CAMPS — The Talmud Yerushalmi Eruvin 5:1 has the following statement: Because the tribe of Dan consisted of numerous troops (i. e. was more numerous than each of the other tribes, except Judah which marched on the front, cf. Chapter II), it marched in the rear so that if anyone of the other tribes lost anything, he (Dan) restored it to him. (מאסף לכל המחנת therefore means “the one who gathered in everything belonging to all the camps”.) — There is one authority that holds that they traveled in formation like a box (i.e. in a military square) and derives this from the text, (Numbers 2:17) “just as they encamp so shall they journey”, and there is another authority that maintains that they traveled in a straight line like a beam, and derives this from the statement that Dan was “the gatherer of all the camps”.

h.אלה מסעי means: This is the order, of their journeyings (i.e. these words do not mean, “these are the stations”, as the introductory words of chapter Numbers 33:1, where the names of the stations are enumerated; here Scripture merely intends to state that this was the order which they had to keep when journeying).

h.ויסעו AND THEY JOURNEYED means, on the very same day mentioned at the beginning of the chapter did they set off.

h.חבב is identical with Jethro, as it is said, (Judges 4:11) of the sons of Hobab, the father-in-law of Moses”. (Thus חתן משה in our verse is to be connected with חבב and not with רעואל המדיני immediately preceding). — But why then does it state (Exodus 2:18) “and they (the daughters of Jethro) came to Reuel, their father”, since he was their grandfather and not their father? It teaches us that children are in the habit of calling their grandfather by the term “father”. — He (Jethro) was called by several names: Jethro, because he added (it was through him there was added) a section to the Torah (viz., Exodus 18:21 ff.); Hobab (חֹבָב) because he loved (חֹבֵב) the Torah, etc.

h.נוסעים אנחנו אל המקום WE ARE JOURNEYING UNTO THE PLACE — Immediately — within three days — we shall enter the Land of Canaan. They said this, because on this first journey after leaving Sinai they really set out with a view to entering the Land of Israel, only that they sinned at the incident of “those who complained” which prevented their further progress (Numbers 11:1). — But why did Moses include himself with them in the statement “ we are journeying” to enter the land? Because the decree that he should not enter it had not yet been made regarding him, and he was yet under the belief that he would enter (cf. Sifrei Bamidbar 78:3).

h.אל ארצי ואל מולדתי [AND HE SAID TO HIM, I WILL NOT GO; BUT I WILL DEPART] TO MINE OWN LAND, AND TO MY KINDRED — (the Hebrew may be translated: but for my own land and for my own kindred I must go) — “I must go” whether for the sake of (אל) my property (ארצי) or for the sake of (אל) my family (cf. Sifrei Bamidbar 79).

h.אל נא תעזב LEAVE [US] NOT, I PRAY THEE — The word נא is an expression of entreaty. Here it means: I beg of you, not to leave usin order that people should not say, “Jethro did not become a proselyte out of pure love for the Jewish faith. He believed that the proselytes, too, would have a portion in the Land; now, however, that he saw that they will have no portion in it he has deserted them and gone his own way (Sifrei Bamidbar 80).

h.כי על כן ידעת FOR THOU KNOWEST OUR ENCAMPMENT IN THE WILDERNESS] — For (כי) it is fitting for you to do this, because (על כן) you have known our encampments in the wilderness and you have seen the miracles and the mighty deeds that have been wrought for us.

h.כי על כן ידעת — This is similar to על אשר ידעת, like (Genesis 38:26) “For (כי) she has acted rightly, because (על כן) I did not give her to Selah, my son”; (Genesis 19:8): “For (כי) this kindness please do out of respect to me, because (על כן) they have come under the shadow of my roof”; (Genesis 33:10): “For (כי) it is fitting and proper for you to accept my present, because (על כן) I have seen your face.”

h.והיית לנו לעינים — The verb is in the past tense and we have to understand it just as the Targum renders it: and all the mighty deeds that have been wrought for us thou hast seen with thine own eyes. Another explanation is that it is the future tense: whatever things will be hidden from our eyes, you will enlighten our eyes about it. Still another explanation is that the passage means that you will be held in affection by us as our “very eye-balls”. as it is said, (Deuteronomy 10:19) “and ye shall love the stranger” (Sifrei Bamidbar 80).

h.והיה הטוב ההוא AND IT SHALL BE THAT WHAT GOODNESS [THE LORD SHALL DO UNTO US, THE SAME WILL WE DO UNTO THEE] — What good did they actually bestow upon him (i.e. when did they redeem their promise)? They (our Sages) say: When the Israelites were parcelling out the Land the most fertile part of Jericho proved to extend over an area of 500 by 500 cubits; they left it unparcelled and said: He in whose portion of land the Sanctuary will be built shall take it as a substitute for giving up the land upon which the Temple was built. In the meantime, however, they gave it to the children of Jethro — to Jonadab the son of Rechab, [as it is said, (Judges 1:16) “And the children of the Kenite, Moses’ father-in-law, went up out of the city of the palm tree” (which is identical with Jericho; cf. Deuteronomy 34:3)] (Sifrei Bamidbar 81).

h.דרך שלשת ימים [AND THEY DEPARTED FROM THE MOUNT OF THE LORD] THREE DAYS’ JOURNEY — A distance of three days’ journey they miraculously travelled in one day, because the Holy One, blessed be He, desired to bring them straight away into the Land (cf. Sifrei Bamidbar 82).

h.וארון ברית ה' נסע לפניהם דרך שלשת ימים AND THE ARK OF THE COVENANT OF THE LORD WENT BEFORE THEM IN THE THREE DAYS' JOURNEY — This was the Ark that went with them whenever they waged war and in which the broken Tablets were placed. It traveled in front of them a distance of three days’ journey to prepare for them a proper place for encampment (Sifrei Bamidbar 82; Talmud Yerushalmi Shekalim 6:1).

h.וענן ה׳ עליהם יומם AND THE CLOUD OF THE LORD WAS UPON THEM BY DAY — Seven times is the word ענן used in the account of their journeys alluding to four clouds which screened them on all four sides, one that was above them, one beneath their feet, and one in front of them which leveled the elevations and raised the depressions, and killed all serpents and scorpions (Sifrei Bamidbar 83:1; Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 13:21:2; Br. d’ Melechet ha-Mishkan 14).

h.FROM THE CAMP — From the place where they encamped.

h.ויהי בנסע הארן AND IT CAME TO PASS WHEN THE ARK PROCEEDED [THAT MOSES SAID etc.] — He (the Lord; cf. Shabbat 115a) made for it (for this section) dividing marks (inverted “Nuns”), in front and behind it, in order to indicate that this is not its proper place (it would more fittingly find a place in the section dealing with the march of the people in chapter Numbers II. after v. 17). But why, then, is it written here? In order to make a break between the narrative of one punishment and that of another punishment etc., as is stated in the Talmudic chapter commencing with כל כתבי (Shabbat 115b, cf. Sifrei Bamidbar 84:1).

h.‘קומה ה RISE UP O LORD — Because it (the Ark) was in front of them a distance of three days’ march, Moses exclaimed, “Stay and wait for us, and do not travel further away from us; this is to be found in Tanchuma 2:10:7 on Sedra ויקהל.

h.ויפצו איביך [RISE UP, O LORD] AND LET THINE ENEMIES BE SCATTERED — i.e. those who massed for battle.

h.וינסו משנאיך AND LET THOSE THAT HATE THEE FLEE BEFORE THEE, — this refers to the pursuing enemies (those actually engaged in battle) (Sifrei Bamidbar 84:3).

h.משנאיך THOSE THAT HATE THEE — These are those who hate Israel, because whoever hates Israel, hates “Him who spoke and the world came into existence”, as it is said, (Psalms 83:3, 4) “[For lo, thine enemies are in an uproar] and they that hate Thee have lifted up the head” — and who are these that hate Thee? The next verse states this (v. 4): “They who have taken crafty counsel against thy people” (Sifrei Bamidbar 84:4).

h.‘שובה ה [AND WHEN IT RESTED HE SAID] שובה O LORD — Menachem ben Seruk renders it (the word שובה) by an expression denoting “rest”. Similar is (Isaiah 30:15) “In rest (בשובה) and tranquility shall ye be saved” (cf. Ibn. Ezra).

h.רבבות אלפי ישראל [GIVE REST O LORD UNTO] THE MYRIADS OF THOUSANDS OF ISRAEL — This teaches us that the Shechinah does not rest upon Israel if they are less in number than twenty-two thousand (Yevamot 64a; Sifrei Bamidbar 84:5).