1. The Lord said to Moses,
2. “Make two trumpets out of hammered silver. Use them to call the community together and as a signal to break camp.
3. When you blow both trumpets, the whole community will meet with you at the entrance to the tent of meeting.
4. If only one trumpet blows, the leaders, the heads of the divisions of Israel, will meet with you.
5. When they hear the trumpet fanfare, the tribes that are camped on the east side will break camp first.
6. When the trumpets sound a second fanfare, the tribes that are camped on the south will break camp. The fanfare is the signal to break camp.
7. But when you gather the assembly, the trumpets will blow without sounding a fanfare.
8. The sons of Aaron, the priests, will blow the trumpets. This will be a permanent law for you and your descendants.
9. “When you go to war in your own country against an enemy who is oppressing you, the trumpets will sound a fanfare. Then the Lord your God will remember you and rescue you from your enemies.
10. Also, on your festival days and on the first day of the month, blow the trumpets when you sacrifice your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. The trumpets will be a reminder for you in God’s presence. I am the Lord your God.”
11. On the twentieth day of the second month of the second year, the ⌊column of⌋ smoke left the tent of the words of God’s promise.
12. So the Israelites moved from the Desert of Sinai and traveled from place to place until the ⌊column of⌋ smoke stopped in the Desert of Paran.
13. This was the first time they moved, following the command that the Lord had given through Moses.
14. With their flag in front, the armies led by Judah’s descendants broke camp first. Nahshon, son of Amminadab, was in command.