| Scripture |
Expanded Comments | Additional Comments |
| |
| |
| 1 And Yahweh spake unto Moses, saying:
|
|
|
| 2 Make thee two trumpets of silver, of beaten work, shalt thou make them,–and they shall be unto thee for calling the assembly, and for setting forward the camps. |
Of silver – Symbol of truth. T114
|
|
| 3 As soon as they blow therewith, so soon shall all the assembly assemble themselves unto thee, unto the entrance of the tent of meeting. |
|
|
| 4 And, if, only once, they blow, then shall the princes, the heads of the thousands of Israel, gather themselves unto thee. |
|
|
| 5 But, when ye blow an alarm, then shall set forward the camps that are encamped eastwards; |
|
|
| 6 and, when ye blow a second alarm, then shall set forward the camps that are encamped southwards,–an alarm, shall they blow, for setting them forward. |
|
|
| 7 But, in calling together the convocation, ye shall blow, but shall not sound an alarm. |
|
|
| 8 And, the sons of Aaron the priests, shall blow with the trumpets,–and it shall be unto you for a statute age-abiding, unto your generations. |
|
|
| 9 And, when ye go into war in your land, against the assailant that assaileth you, then shall ye blow an alarm with the trumpets,–and bring yourselves to mind before Yahweh your God, and be saved, from your enemies. |
|
|
| 10 And, in your day of rejoicing and in your appointed seasons, and in the beginnings of your months, then shall ye blow with the trumpets, over your ascending-sacrifices, and over your peace-offerings,–so shall they be unto you for a memorial before your God. I–Yahweh, am your God. |
Peace offerings – Typifying covenants of consecration to God made by mankind during the Millennial age. T98
|
|
| |
| |
| 11 And so it came to pass, in the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth of the month, that the cloud lifted itself up, from off the habitation 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
|
|
| 12 and the sons of Israel set forward, by their removals, from the desert of Sinai,–and then the cloud abode in the desert 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
|
|
| 13 Thus then did they set forward, for the first time,–at the bidding of Yahweh, by the hand of 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
|
|
| 14 So the standard of the camp of the sons of Judah set forward first, by their hosts, and, over his own host, was Nahshon, son of Amminadab; |
|
|
| 15 and, over the host of the tribe of the sons of Issachar, Nethanel, son of Zuar; |
|
|
| 16 and, over the host of the tribe of the sons of Zebulun, Eliab, son of Helon. |
|
|
| 17 Then was taken down the habitation,–and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari set forward, bearing the habitation. |
|
|
| 18 Then set forward the standard of the camp of Reuben, by their hosts,–and, over his own host, Elizur, son of Shedeur; |
Armies – Israel was now thoroughly organized. R4037:2
|
|
| 19 and, over the host of the tribe of the sons of Simeon, Shelumiel, son of Zurishaddai; |
|
|
| 20 and, over the host of the tribe of the sons of Gad, Eliasaph, son of Deuel. |
|
|
| 21 Then set forward the Kohathites, bearing the sanctuary,–and so the habitation was reared by the time they came in. |
|
|
| 22 Then set forward the standard of the camp of the sons of Ephraim, by their hosts,–and, over his own host, was Elishama, son of Ammihud; |
|
|
| 23 and, over the host of the tribe of the sons of Manasseh, Gamaliel, son of Pedahzur; |
|
|
| 24 and, over the host of the tribe of the sons of Benjamin, Abidan, son of Gideoni. |
|
|
| 25 Then set forward the standard of the camp of the sons of Dan, bringing up the rear of all the camps, by their hosts,–and, over his own host, Ahiezur, son of Ammishaddai; |
|
|
| 26 and, over the host of the tribe of the sons of Asher, Pagiel, son of Ochran; |
|
|
| 27 and, over the host of the tribe of the sons of Naphtali, Ahira, son of Enan. |
|
|
| 28 These, were the settings-forward of the sons of Israel, by their hosts,–thus did they set forward. |
|
|
| |
| |
| 29 Then said Moses to Hobab, son of Raguel the Midianite, father-in-law of Moses: Setting forward, are we, unto the place of which Yahweh hath said, The same, will I give unto you,–Oh come with us, and we will do thee good, for, Yahweh, 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
|
|
| 30 And he said unto him, I will not go,–but, unto my own land, and unto my own kindred, will I go. |
I will not go – Similarly, if our arguments of faith fail to influence our friends we should not give up. R4038:5
|
|
| 31 Then said he: I beseech thee, do not forsake us,–for, on this account, hast thou come to know of our encamping in the desert, so shalt thou be unto us, as 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
|
|
| 32 and it shall be, if thou wilt go with us,–yea it shall be that, with the very good wherewith Yahweh shall do us good, will we do good unto thee. |
|
|
| 33 So then they went forward, from the mountain of Yahweh, a journey of three days,–and, the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, was going before them, a journey of three days, to search out for them a resting-place. |
|
|
| 34 And, the cloud of Yahweh, was over them by day,–when they set forward out of the camp. |
|
|
| 35 And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said: Arise, O Yahweh! and scattered be thy foes, 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
|
|
| 36 But, when it rested, he said,–Return, O Yahweh! unto the myriads of the thousands of Israel. |
He said – As his evening prayer. R4039:1, R5313:3
|
|