Bible Commentaries

Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a ^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.

(a) Or, of work beaten out with the hammer.

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

(b) That is, the host of Judah and they that are under his ensign.

When ye blow an alarm the second time, then the camps that lie on the ^c south side shall take their journey: they shall blow an alarm for their journeys.

(c) Meaning, the heart of Reuben.

And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall ^d blow with the trumpets; and they shall be to you for an ordinance for ever throughout your generations.

(d) So that only the priests must blow the trumpets, as long as the priesthood lasted.

Also in the day of your ^e 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.

(e) When you rejoice that God has removed any plague.

And they ^f first took their journey according to the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.

(f) From Sinai to Paran, (Numbers 33:1).

And the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari set forward, bearing ^g the tabernacle.

(g) With all the belongings of it.

And the Kohathites set forward, ^h bearing the sanctuary: and ⁱ [the other] did set up the tabernacle against they came.

(h) Upon their shoulders.

(i) The Merarites and Gershonites.

And the standard of the camp of the children of Dan set forward, [which was] the ^k rereward of all the camps throughout their hosts: and over his host [was] Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.

(k) Leaving none behind, nor any of the former that fainted in the way.

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

(l) This was the order of their host when they travelled.

And Moses said unto ^m 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.

(m) Some think that Reuel, Jethro, Hobab, and Keni were all one: Kimhi says that Reuel was Jethro's father: so Hobab was Moses father-in-law, see (Exodus 2:18) , (Exodus 3:1) , (Exodus 4:18) , (Exodus 18:1) ; (Judges 4:11)

And they departed from the ⁿ 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.

(n) Mount Sinai, or Horeb.

And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, ^o Rise up, LORD, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee.

(o) Declare your might and power.