| Scripture |
Expanded Comments |
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| 1 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, |
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| 2 Make thee two trumpets of silver; of beaten work shalt thou make them: and thou shalt use them for the calling of the congregation, and for the journeying of the camps. |
Of silver – Symbol of truth. T114
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| 3 And when they shall blow them, all the congregation shall gather themselves unto thee at the door of the tent of meeting. |
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| 4 And if they blow but one, then the princes, the heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves unto thee. |
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| 5 And when ye blow an alarm, the camps that lie on the east side shall take their journey. |
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| 6 And when ye blow an alarm the second time, the camps that lie on the south side shall take their journey: they shall blow an alarm for their journeys. |
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| 7 But when the assembly is to be gathered together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm. |
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| 8 And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets; and they shall be to you for a statute forever throughout your generations. |
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| 9 And when ye go to war in your land against the adversary that oppresseth you, then ye shall sound an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before Jehovah your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies. |
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| 10 Also in the day of your gladness, and in your set feasts, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow the trumpets over your burnt-offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace-offerings; and they shall be to you for a memorial before your God: I am Jehovah your God. |
Peace offerings – Typifying covenants of consecration to God made by mankind during the Millennial age. T98
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| 11 And it came to pass in the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, that the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle of the testimony. |
In the second year – Approximately one year; link No. 21 in the true Bible chronology. B48
The cloud – Representing the Lord. R3060:5
A continual reminder of their covenant with God. R4037:3
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| 12 And the children of Israel set forward according to their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud abode in the wilderness of Paran. |
Sinai – Picturing the Kingdom of God. R4037:5
Wilderness of Paran – The place from which the spies were sent out. B48
Much more rugged than Sinai. R3060:6
Referred to in Deut. 1:19 as "great and terrible." R4037:3
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| 13 And they first took their journey according to the commandment of Jehovah by Moses. |
Commandment of the LORD – Spiritual Israelites should not murmur or even express a choice when the Lord's providences lead into new circumstances. R3060:6
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| 14 And in the first place the standard of the camp of the children of Judah set forward according to their hosts: and over his host was Nahshon the son of Amminadab. |
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| 15 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Issachar was Nethanel the son of Zuar. |
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| 16 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon. |
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| 17 And the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, who bare the tabernacle, set forward. |
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| 18 And the standard of the camp of Reuben set forward according to their hosts: and over his host was Elizur the son of Shedeur. |
Armies – Israel was now thoroughly organized. R4037:2
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| 19 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Simeon was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. |
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| 20 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Gad was Eliasaph the son of Deuel. |
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| 21 And the Kohathites set forward, bearing the sanctuary: and the others did set up the tabernacle against their coming. |
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| 22 And the standard of the camp of the children of Ephraim set forward according to their hosts: and over his host was Elishama the son of Ammihud. |
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| 23 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Manasseh was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. |
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| 24 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gideoni. |
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| 25 And the standard of the camp of the children of Dan, which was the rearward of all the camps, set forward according to their hosts: and over his host was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. |
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| 26 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Asher was Pagiel the son of Ochran. |
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| 27 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Naphtali was Ahira the son of Enan. |
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| 28 Thus were the journeyings of the children of Israel according to their hosts; and they set forward. |
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| 29 And Moses said unto Hobab, the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, We are journeying unto the place of which Jehovah said, I will give it you: come thou with us, and we will do thee good; for Jehovah hath spoken good concerning Israel. |
Hobab – Moses' brother-in-law who belonged to an Arab tribe of Midian known as the Kenites. R4038:3
Raguel – Otherwise called Jethro, Moses' father-in-law. Jethro means "excellent" and was probably Raguel's title as chief of the Midianites. R3061:5, R4038:3
We – Typifying the Church of God. R4038:4
Unto the place – The heavenly Canaan. R4038:4
Come thou with us – So we may now invite those who are still strangers to the Lord's covenants. R4038:4
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| 30 And he said unto him, I will not go; but I will depart to mine own land, and to my kindred. |
I will not go – Similarly, if our arguments of faith fail to influence our friends we should not give up. R4038:5
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| 31 And he said, Leave us not, I pray thee; forasmuch as thou knowest how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and thou shalt be to us instead of eyes. |
Instead of eyes – Similarly, some may be attracted to the Lord's people by opportunity for rendering service (not as elders). The Lord's people should always be ready to make use of every human instrumentality that would aid in carrying out the divine program. R4038:5
Hobab went with the Israelites (Judges 1:16; Judges 4:11; 1 Sam. 15:6) (See comment on "Hobab," Num. 10:29). R3061:5, R4038:5
Hobab was more familiar with the trackless wilderness. R4038:6
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| 32 And it shall be, if thou go with us, yes, it shall be, that what good soever Jehovah shall do unto us, the same will we do unto thee. |
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| 33 And they set forward from the mount of Jehovah three days’ journey; and the ark of the covenant of Jehovah went before them three days’ journey, to seek out a resting-place for them. |
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| 34 And the cloud of Jehovah was over them by day, when they set forward from the camp. |
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| 35 And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, Rise up, O Jehovah, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee. |
That Moses said – As his morning invocation. R4039:1, R5313:3
Rise up, LORD – In other words, "Abide with us." R5313:3
Evidently referring to Psa. 68. R3060:6, R4039:1
This verse was Israel's usual battle hymn. R5626:3
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| 36 And when it rested, he said, Return, O Jehovah, unto the ten thousands of the thousands of Israel. |
He said – As his evening prayer. R4039:1, R5313:3
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