Israel Took Their Journeys Out of the Wilderness of Sinai Numbers 10

This chapter details the journeys of the children of Israel in the wilderness. Israel took their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai, and into the wilderness of Paran. On the twentieth day of the second month of that same year, the cloud over the holy tent moved on.

So the Israelites broke camp and left the Sinai Desert. And sometime later, the cloud stopped in the Paran Desert. This was the first time the Lord ALMIGHTY had told Moses to command the people of Israel to move on.

Judah and the tribes that camped alongside it marched out first, carrying their banner. Nahshon son of Amminadab was the leader of the Judah tribe, Nethanel son of Zuar was the leader of the Issachar tribe, and Eliab son of Helon was the leader of the Zebulun tribe.

Following the Cloud of the LORD

The holy tent had been taken down, and the Gershonites and the Merarites carried it, marching behind the tribe of Judah. Reuben and the tribes that camped alongside it marched out second, carrying their standard.

Elizur son of Shedeur was the leader of the Reubenite tribe, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai was the leader of the Simeonite tribe, and Eliasaph son of Deuel was the leader of the Gadite tribe.

Next were the Kohathites, carrying the objects for the holy tent, which was to be set up before they arrived at the new camp. Ephraim and the tribes that camped alongside it marched next, carrying their flag.

Elishama son of Ammihud was the leader of the tribe of Ephraim, Gamaliel son of Pedahzur was the leader of the tribe of Manasseh, and Abidan son of Gideoni was the leader of the tribe of Benjamin.

Numbers 10

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.

Following the LORD by the Cloud

Dan and the tribes that camped alongside it were to protect the Israelites against an attack from behind, and so they marched last, carrying their standard. Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai was the leader of the tribe of Dan.

Pagiel son of Ochran was the leader of the tribe of Asher, and Ahira son of Enan was the leader of the family of Naphtali. This was the order in which the Israelites marched each time they moved their camp. Hobab the Midianite, the father-in-law of Moses, was there.

And Moses said to him, “We’re leaving for the place the Lord has promised us. He has said that all will go well for us. So come along, and we will make sure that all goes well for you.” “No, I won’t go,” Hobab answered. “I’m returning home to be with my own people.”

The Levites Carried the Divine Chest

“Please go with us!” Moses said. “You can be our guide because you know the places to camp in the desert. Besides that, if you go, we will give you a share of the good things the Lord gives us.” The people of Israel began their journey from Mount Sinai.

They traveled three days, and the Levites who carried the divine chest led the way, so the Lord could show them where to camp. And the cloud always stayed with them. Each day as the Israelites began their journey, Moses would pray, “Our Lord, defeat your enemies and make them run!”

And when they stopped to set up camp, he would pray, “Our Lord, stay close to Israel’s thousands and thousands of people.”

More 5 Minute Studies

And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. The disciples asked, “Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?”

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