This continues a chronological Bible study. Because Blogger limits the number of labels per post, this post is actually in two parts. See the first part here:
The Israelites' Removal from Sinai to Paran, Part 1
(Numbers 10:22) 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.
In part one of this post the tribes of the Israelites were moving out from their camps in an order that had been predetermined. The
Israelites under the standard of Judah (Judah, Issachar, Zebulun) moved first; then went the Gershonites and Merarites carrying the tabernacle; then the tribes under the standard of Reuben (Reuben, Simeon, Gad) moved forward; and then went the Kohathites carrying the most holy parts of the tabernacle, those things belonging to the sanctuary.
Now we see that the next to move were the tribes under the standard of Ephraim. According to Numbers 2, they camped on the west side,
and included the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin. The captain
of the host of Ephraim 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.
The captain of the host of the tribe of Manasseh, which was under the standard of Ephraim, was Gamaliel, the son of Pedazur.
(24) And over the host of the tribe of the children of Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gideoni.
The captain over the host of the tribe of Benjamin, that also moved under the standard of Ephraim, was Abidan, the son of Gideoni.
(25) And the standard of the camp of the children of Dan set forward, the rearward of all the camps throughout their hosts; and over his host was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.
Finally the standard of Dan moved forward, bringing up the rear of all the camps. The captain of the host of the tribe of Dan was Ahiezer, the son of Ammishaddai. According to Numbers 2:25 they camped on the north side of the
tabernacle. Included under the standard of Dan were the tribes of Dan,
Asher, and Naphtali.
(26) And over the host of the tribe of the children of Asher was Pagiel the son of Ocran.
The captain over the host of the tribe of Asher, which was under the standard of Dan, 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.
The captain of the host of the tribe of Naphtali, also under the standard of Dan, was Ahira, the son of Enan.
(28) Thus were the journeyings of the children of Israel according to their armies, when they set forward.
Thus was the order in which the children of Israel journeyed forward, by their armies.
(29) And Moses said to Hobab, the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses's father-in-law, "We are journeying to the place of which the LORD said, ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us, and we will treat you well, for the LORD has spoken good concerning Israel."
Reuel or Jethro (in some scriptures) was Moses's father-in-law, Zipporah's father; therefore Hobab would be Zipporah's brother. Back in Exodus 18:27 Moses had left his father-in-law to go to his own land, but apparently, his brother-in-law had stayed with the Israelites. Now that they were moving on to the place the Lord was giving to them, Moses asked Hobab to join them, promising to treat him well because the Lord had promised blessings on Israel and they would share those with him.
(30) And he said to him, “I will not go, but I will depart to my own land and to my kindred."
Hobab refused, saying he would return to his own land and to his family.
(31) And he said, "Leave us not, I pray thee, forasmuch as you know how we are to camp in the wilderness, and you may be our eyes."
Moses asked Hobab not to leave them, this time suggesting that he could help them. Obviously, the Lord was their guide in the cloud, but I suppose Hobab could have been useful in their daily excursions from their camps. He, being more familiar with the area, could point them to watering places, pastures, or point out dangerous places, etc. This may have been just Moses's attempt to show Hobab that they sincerely would like him to stay with them.
(32) “And it shall be, if you go with us, yea, it shall be, that what goodness the LORD shall do to us, the same will we do to you.”
Moses continued with his plea to Hobab, repeating that indeed if Hobab went with them, whatever goodness the Lord blessed them with, they would in turn bless Hobab.
(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.
Although it doesn't specifically say so, I think we can assume that Hobab remained with the Israelites, because later scriptures show that
his posterity dwelt among the Israelites in Canaan. The Israelites departed from Mount Sinai, and traveled three days with the pillar of cloud over the Ark of the Covenant leading them, seeking out the next place for them to rest or camp.
(34) And the cloud of the LORD was upon them by day, when they went out of the camp.
The cloud did not just stay as a pillar at the head, but it spread itself in journeying over the whole body of people and was a covering to them from the heat of the sun, as well as a guide to them. The psalmist spoke of this in Psalm 105:39: "He spread a cloud for a covering; and fire to give light in the night."
(35) And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, “Rise up, O LORD, and let Your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate You flee before You.”
When the ark set forward, Moses asked the Lord to rise up and scatter their enemies and those who hated Him, so that they might safely travel through the wilderness. That's a prayer we would all do well to remember; God must come first and we want to follow Him and be dependent upon Him for our successes.
(36) And when it rested, he said, “Return, O LORD, to the many thousands of Israel."
Moses also prayed when the ark rested. Having asked the Lord to rise up and scatter their enemies as they journeyed, he now asked Him to return to them and take up His abode with them. Matthew Henry, in his Commentary on the Whole Bible, likened this to the church of God, which has many thousands, hundreds of thousands, yet their safety is not in their numbers, but in the continual presence of God. Our welfare and happiness, like with the Israelites, depends upon His grace and mercy and guidance.
Showing posts with label Numbers 10. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Numbers 10. Show all posts
Sunday, July 1, 2018
The Israelites' Removal from Sinai to Paran, Part 1
(Numbers 10:13) And they first took their journey according to the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.
In verse 12 at the end of the last post, we were told that the pillar of cloud lifted and the children of Israel moved from the wilderness of Sinai to the wilderness of Paran where the cloud again rested. The people set out on this first journey according to the commandment of the Lord that had been earlier described as the movement of the cloud, and by the directions that had been given to Moses and were carried out by him as follows:
(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.
Numbers 2 explained the four standards, the tribes grouped under each standard, where they should camp, and the order of their marching. The Israelites under the standard of Judah were to move first; these included the tribes of Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. These were camped on the east side and had been instructed in Numbers 2:9 to move out first. The captain of the tribe of Judah was Nahshon, the son of Amminadab.
(15) And over the host of the tribe of the children of Issachar was Nethanel the son of Zuar.
The captain of the tribe of Issachar that was also under the standard of Judah, was Nethanel, the son of Zuar.
(16) And over the host of the tribe of the children of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon.
The captain of the host or army, if you will, of the children of Zebulun was Eliab, the son of Helon. The tribe of Zebulun also moved under the standard of Judah.
(17) And the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari set forward, bearing the tabernacle.
The tabernacle was taken down; according to Numbers 1:51, this would have been done by the Levites. Then specifically the Gershonites and Merarites moved forward carrying the tabernacle. Numbers 3 described the tribes of the sons of Levi and their particular duties as it related to the moving of the tabernacle. The Gershonites were responsible for the tent, the skin covering, and all the curtains and linen hangings of the tabernacle. The Merarites carried the boards of the tabernacle, including all the bars, pillars, and sockets.
(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.
Next the standard of Reuben moved forward. According to Numbers 2, the standard of Reuben camped on the south side, and the tribes under that standard were Reuben, Simeon, and Gad. The captain of the host of Reuben 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.
The captain of the host of the tribe of Simeon, which was under the standard of Reuben, 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.
The captain of the army of Gad, which was also under the standard of Reuben, was Eliasaph, the son of Deuel.
(21) And the Kohathites set forward, bearing the sanctuary; and the other did set up the tabernacle before they came.
Next the Kohathites moved forward, carrying the holy things, including the Ark of the Covenant with the mercy seat, the showbread table, the gold candlestick, the altars, and all the vessels and furnishings of the sanctuary. The Gershonites and Merarites, who had marched before the Kohathites, had the tabernacle set up before the Kohathites came with the holy things.
Because Blogger limits the number of labels I can have per post, I will continue this in the next post:
The Israelites' Removal from Sinai to Paran, Part 2
In verse 12 at the end of the last post, we were told that the pillar of cloud lifted and the children of Israel moved from the wilderness of Sinai to the wilderness of Paran where the cloud again rested. The people set out on this first journey according to the commandment of the Lord that had been earlier described as the movement of the cloud, and by the directions that had been given to Moses and were carried out by him as follows:
(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.
Numbers 2 explained the four standards, the tribes grouped under each standard, where they should camp, and the order of their marching. The Israelites under the standard of Judah were to move first; these included the tribes of Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. These were camped on the east side and had been instructed in Numbers 2:9 to move out first. The captain of the tribe of Judah was Nahshon, the son of Amminadab.
(15) And over the host of the tribe of the children of Issachar was Nethanel the son of Zuar.
The captain of the tribe of Issachar that was also under the standard of Judah, was Nethanel, the son of Zuar.
(16) And over the host of the tribe of the children of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon.
The captain of the host or army, if you will, of the children of Zebulun was Eliab, the son of Helon. The tribe of Zebulun also moved under the standard of Judah.
(17) And the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari set forward, bearing the tabernacle.
The tabernacle was taken down; according to Numbers 1:51, this would have been done by the Levites. Then specifically the Gershonites and Merarites moved forward carrying the tabernacle. Numbers 3 described the tribes of the sons of Levi and their particular duties as it related to the moving of the tabernacle. The Gershonites were responsible for the tent, the skin covering, and all the curtains and linen hangings of the tabernacle. The Merarites carried the boards of the tabernacle, including all the bars, pillars, and sockets.
(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.
Next the standard of Reuben moved forward. According to Numbers 2, the standard of Reuben camped on the south side, and the tribes under that standard were Reuben, Simeon, and Gad. The captain of the host of Reuben 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.
The captain of the host of the tribe of Simeon, which was under the standard of Reuben, 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.
The captain of the army of Gad, which was also under the standard of Reuben, was Eliasaph, the son of Deuel.
(21) And the Kohathites set forward, bearing the sanctuary; and the other did set up the tabernacle before they came.
Next the Kohathites moved forward, carrying the holy things, including the Ark of the Covenant with the mercy seat, the showbread table, the gold candlestick, the altars, and all the vessels and furnishings of the sanctuary. The Gershonites and Merarites, who had marched before the Kohathites, had the tabernacle set up before the Kohathites came with the holy things.
Because Blogger limits the number of labels I can have per post, I will continue this in the next post:
The Israelites' Removal from Sinai to Paran, Part 2
Friday, June 15, 2018
Use of the Silver Trumpets
Continuing a chronological Bible study:
(Numbers 10:1) And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, (2) “Make you two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece you shall make them; that you may use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps."
In the last chapter and post, God had given instructions to Moses about how the people were to move and camp according to the pillar of cloud above the tabernacle. When it rested on the tabernacle, they were to camp and stay camped until the cloud lifted up into the pillar, at which point they were to move. Now the Lord told Moses to make two silver trumpets that were to be used when it was time to move, or whenever he needed to call an assembly. Each trumpet was to be made from a single piece of silver, hammered into shape, rather than in pieces joined together.
(3) "And when they blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to you at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation."
When they blew both trumpets together, the whole congregation was to come together at the door of the tabernacle. "They" who blew them were the priests, as will be revealed in a later verse.
(4) "And if they blow but one trumpet, then the princes, heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves to you."
If the priests blew only one trumpet, that was a signal for just the princes of the tribes to assemble. Both trumpets were sounded for the whole congregation, one can assume because it was louder and could be heard at a greater distance; but if only one was sounded, that was a signal for just the princes to assemble.
(5) "When you blow an alarm, then the camps that lie on the east parts shall go forward."
When they blew an alarm, which apparently was a different sound from the other signals, then the camps on the east side, the camps of Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun, were to move forward.
(6) "When you blow an alarm the second time, then the camps that lie on the south side shall take their journey; they shall blow an alarm for their journeys."
When the alarm sound was blown a second time, the camps on the south side, Reuben, Simeon, and Gad, were to march forward. The alarm, which was evidently different than the signals for assembly, was to be sounded when the people were to journey. Although scripture didn't report it, the historian Josephus said that at the third sounding of the alarm, the camps on the west (Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin) moved, and on the fourth, the camps of the north (Dan, Asher, and Naphtali).
(7) "But when the congregation is to be gathered together, you shall blow, but you shall not sound an alarm."
Once again, we are told the trumpet sound for the gathering of the assembly was not the same as the alarm sound for movement of the camps.
(8) "And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and they shall be to you for an ordinance forever throughout your generations."
The sons of Aaron, the priests, were the ones who were to blow the trumpets. I believe the meaning of the second part of the verse is that it was to be an ordinance forever, or at least as long as the Levitical priesthood lasted, that only the priests blew the trumpets.
(9) "And if you go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresses you, then you shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and you shall be remembered before the LORD your God, and you shall be saved from your enemies."
If the people went to war in their land against an oppressive enemy, they were to blow an alarm with the trumpets, in a sense calling to the Lord to be with them and save them from their enemies, which is what the Lord promised to do in this verse. As Matthew Henry stated in his Commentary on the Whole Bible, "Not that God needed to be awaked by sound of trumpet...But where he intends mercy it is his will that we should solicit it." God wants us to depend and call upon Him and Him alone for our salvation.
(10) “Also in the day of your gladness, in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, you 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."
God named times when the priests should blow the trumpets: in their days of celebration, rejoicing, and thanksgiving; in their solemn days which referred to their appointed festivals like Passover and Pentecost, etc.; at the beginnings of the months; and over their burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of their peace offerings. The blowing of the trumpets purposefully brought their Lord to their minds, remembering His promises, faithfulness, and blessings.
(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.
On the twentieth day of the second month in the second year since their coming out of Egypt, the pillar of cloud was lifted up from the tabernacle of the Testimony, indicating it was time to move on from their camps. They had been encamped almost a year according to Exodus 19:1, which stated they came to the wilderness at Sinai in the third month of the first year of their exodus from Egypt.
(12) And the children of Israel took their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran.
At the sign of the pillar of cloud the people packed up and journeyed out of the wilderness of Sinai and to the wilderness of Paran, which is where the cloud again rested on the tabernacle. I like what Matthew Henry wrote about this relating to our current times: "All our removals in this world are but from one wilderness to another. The changes which we think will be for the better do not always prove so; while we carry about with us, wherever we go, the common infirmities of human nature, we must expect, wherever we go, to meet with its common calamities; we shall never be at rest, never at home, till we come to heaven, and all will be well there."
Although this is a relatively short post, I have to separate this chapter into two different posts because Blogger limits the number of labels I can have per post, and I find them all important and don't want to omit any of them. This seems a good stopping point as it ends the Israelites' many months (and chapters) of encampment.
(Numbers 10:1) And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, (2) “Make you two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece you shall make them; that you may use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps."
In the last chapter and post, God had given instructions to Moses about how the people were to move and camp according to the pillar of cloud above the tabernacle. When it rested on the tabernacle, they were to camp and stay camped until the cloud lifted up into the pillar, at which point they were to move. Now the Lord told Moses to make two silver trumpets that were to be used when it was time to move, or whenever he needed to call an assembly. Each trumpet was to be made from a single piece of silver, hammered into shape, rather than in pieces joined together.
(3) "And when they blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to you at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation."
When they blew both trumpets together, the whole congregation was to come together at the door of the tabernacle. "They" who blew them were the priests, as will be revealed in a later verse.
(4) "And if they blow but one trumpet, then the princes, heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves to you."
If the priests blew only one trumpet, that was a signal for just the princes of the tribes to assemble. Both trumpets were sounded for the whole congregation, one can assume because it was louder and could be heard at a greater distance; but if only one was sounded, that was a signal for just the princes to assemble.
(5) "When you blow an alarm, then the camps that lie on the east parts shall go forward."
When they blew an alarm, which apparently was a different sound from the other signals, then the camps on the east side, the camps of Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun, were to move forward.
(6) "When you blow an alarm the second time, then the camps that lie on the south side shall take their journey; they shall blow an alarm for their journeys."
When the alarm sound was blown a second time, the camps on the south side, Reuben, Simeon, and Gad, were to march forward. The alarm, which was evidently different than the signals for assembly, was to be sounded when the people were to journey. Although scripture didn't report it, the historian Josephus said that at the third sounding of the alarm, the camps on the west (Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin) moved, and on the fourth, the camps of the north (Dan, Asher, and Naphtali).
(7) "But when the congregation is to be gathered together, you shall blow, but you shall not sound an alarm."
Once again, we are told the trumpet sound for the gathering of the assembly was not the same as the alarm sound for movement of the camps.
(8) "And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and they shall be to you for an ordinance forever throughout your generations."
The sons of Aaron, the priests, were the ones who were to blow the trumpets. I believe the meaning of the second part of the verse is that it was to be an ordinance forever, or at least as long as the Levitical priesthood lasted, that only the priests blew the trumpets.
(9) "And if you go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresses you, then you shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and you shall be remembered before the LORD your God, and you shall be saved from your enemies."
If the people went to war in their land against an oppressive enemy, they were to blow an alarm with the trumpets, in a sense calling to the Lord to be with them and save them from their enemies, which is what the Lord promised to do in this verse. As Matthew Henry stated in his Commentary on the Whole Bible, "Not that God needed to be awaked by sound of trumpet...But where he intends mercy it is his will that we should solicit it." God wants us to depend and call upon Him and Him alone for our salvation.
(10) “Also in the day of your gladness, in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, you 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."
God named times when the priests should blow the trumpets: in their days of celebration, rejoicing, and thanksgiving; in their solemn days which referred to their appointed festivals like Passover and Pentecost, etc.; at the beginnings of the months; and over their burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of their peace offerings. The blowing of the trumpets purposefully brought their Lord to their minds, remembering His promises, faithfulness, and blessings.
(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.
On the twentieth day of the second month in the second year since their coming out of Egypt, the pillar of cloud was lifted up from the tabernacle of the Testimony, indicating it was time to move on from their camps. They had been encamped almost a year according to Exodus 19:1, which stated they came to the wilderness at Sinai in the third month of the first year of their exodus from Egypt.
(12) And the children of Israel took their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran.
At the sign of the pillar of cloud the people packed up and journeyed out of the wilderness of Sinai and to the wilderness of Paran, which is where the cloud again rested on the tabernacle. I like what Matthew Henry wrote about this relating to our current times: "All our removals in this world are but from one wilderness to another. The changes which we think will be for the better do not always prove so; while we carry about with us, wherever we go, the common infirmities of human nature, we must expect, wherever we go, to meet with its common calamities; we shall never be at rest, never at home, till we come to heaven, and all will be well there."
Although this is a relatively short post, I have to separate this chapter into two different posts because Blogger limits the number of labels I can have per post, and I find them all important and don't want to omit any of them. This seems a good stopping point as it ends the Israelites' many months (and chapters) of encampment.
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