Numbers 10 Background Information with Maps and Images (Picture Study Bible - Numbers) Free Bible Online

Numbers 10

1 - The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

2 - "Make two trumpets of silver. You shall make them of beaten work. You shall use them for the calling of the congregation, and for the journeying of the camps.

"Make two trumpets of silver. You shall make them of beaten work. You shall use them for the calling of the congregation, and for the journeying of the camps.

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3 - When they blow them, all the congregation shall gather themselves to you at the door of the Tent of Meeting.

4 - If they blow just one, then the princes, the heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves to you.

5 - When you blow an alarm, the camps that lie on the east side shall go forward.

6 - When you blow an alarm the second time, the camps that lie on the south side shall go forward. They shall blow an alarm for their journeys.

7 - But when the assembly is to be gathered together, you shall blow, but you shall not sound an alarm.

8 - "The sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets. This shall be to you for a statute forever throughout your generations.

9 - When you go to war in your land against the adversary who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets. Then you will be remembered before the LORD your God, and you will be saved from your enemies.

10 - "Also in the day of your gladness, and in your set feasts, and in the beginnings of your months, you 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 the LORD your God."

11 - In the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle of the testimony.

12 - The children of Israel went forward according to their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud stayed in the wilderness of Paran.

13 - They first went forward according to the commandment of the LORD by Moses.

14 - First, the standard of the camp of the children of Judah went forward according to their armies. Nahshon the son of Amminadab was over his army.

15 - Nethanel the son of Zuar was over the army of the tribe of the children of Issachar.

16 - Eliab the son of Helon was over the army of the tribe of the children of Zebulun.

17 - The tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, who bore the tabernacle, went forward.

18 - The standard of the camp of Reuben went forward according to their armies. Elizur the son of Shedeur was over his army.

19 - Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai was over the army of the tribe of the children of Simeon.

20 - Eliasaph the son of Deuel was over the army of the tribe of the children of Gad.

21 - The Kohathites set forward, bearing the sanctuary. The others set up the tabernacle before they arrived.

22 - The standard of the camp of the children of Ephraim set forward according to their armies. Elishama the son of Ammihud was over his army.

23 - Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur was over the army of the tribe of the children of Manasseh.

24 - Abidan the son of Gideoni was over the army of the tribe of the children of Benjamin.

25 - The standard of the camp of the children of Dan, which was the rear guard of all the camps, set forward according to their armies. Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai was over his army.

26 - Pagiel the son of Ochran was over the army of the tribe of the children of Asher.

27 - Ahira the son of Enan was over the army of the tribe of the children of Naphtali.

28 - Thus were the travels of the children of Israel according to their armies; and they went forward.

29 - Moses said to Hobab, the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses' 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."

30 - He said to him, "I will not go; but I will depart to my own land, and to my relatives."

31 - He said, "Don't leave us, please; because you know how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and you can be our eyes.

32 - It shall be, if you go with us, yes, it shall be, that whatever good the LORD does to us, we will do the same to you."

33 - They set forward from the Mount of the LORD three days' journey. The ark of The LORD's covenant went before them three days' journey, to seek out a resting place for them.

34 - The cloud of the LORD was over them by day, when they set forward from the camp.

35 - When the ark went forward, Moses said, "Rise up, The LORD, and let your enemies be scattered! Let those who hate you flee before you!"

36 - When it rested, he said, "Return, The LORD, to the ten thousands of the thousands of Israel."

The Book of Numbers

Numbers 14:14 - And they will tell [it] to the inhabitants of this land: [for] they have heard that thou LORD [art] among this people, that thou LORD art seen face to face, and [that] thy cloud standeth over them, and [that] thou goest before them, by day time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night.

The Old Testament - A Brief Overview

Bible Survery - Numbers
Hebrew Name - Bemidhbar "in the wilderness"
Greek Name - Numbers "numberings"
Author - Moses
Date - From 1490-1451 BC Approximately
Theme - The Journey to the Promised Land
Types and Shadows - In Numbers Jesus is the Pillar of Cloud by Day and the Pillar of Fire by Night

Photo of the Sinai Wilderness

The book of Numbers takes its name from the account of the census that happened two times among the congregation of Israel in Numbers 1-4 and Numbers 26. The Greek title was used even though there is really no connection with the "numberings." The original Hebrew title which means "in the wilderness," is much more accurate, because the book of Numbers is it's really an accurate history of the events that happened during the period of wandering in the wilderness and not necessarily a book about statistics. The book of Numbers seems to follow naturally after the book of Leviticus in the order of the books of Moses in the Old Testament. After the children of Israel received the laws at Mount Sinai, they began the journey as described in the book of Exodus, and they were ready to march directly into the land of Canaan. The book of Numbers reveals how the children of Israel became prepared, and went to various trials, and how they were sinful in not trusting the Lord. Their sinful ways resulted in 37 years of wandering through the harsh wilderness. The book of Numbers concludes with the children of Israel once again at the edge of the land of Canaan, where they received instructions for the conquest of Canaan and the division of the land.

Quick Reference Map

Map of the Possible Route of the Exodus (Click to Enlarge)

The principle divisions of the book are as follows:

Outline of the Book of Numbers

1) The preparation for the departure from Sinai (1:1-10:10). The events described here took place in nineteen days. In this time a census was taken of all men who were over twenty and who could serve in military efforts (1-4). The total obtained was 603,550 (1:46). This would indicate that the total population of the group was probably near three million. The census was followed by the cleansing and blessing of the congregation (5-6), the offering of gifts from the various tribes (7), the consecration of the Levites (8) and the observance of the Passover at Sinai (9:1-14).

2 ) The journey from Sinai to Kadesh-barnea (10:11-14:45). This section includes the account of the coming of the quail (11), the rebellion against Moses by Miriam and Aaron (12), and the fateful mission of the spies (13, 14).

3) The wanderings of the desert wilderness (15-19). As noted above, this covered a period of thirty-seven years, from the end of the second to the beginning of the fortieth year in the wilderness. Ch. 15 includes various laws and a record of capital punishment for Sabbath breaking. The rebellion of Korah (ch. 16) and the budding of Aaron's rod (ch. 17) are also mentioned here.

4 ) The history of the last year, from the second arrival of the Israelites at Kadesh till they reach "the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho" (20-36: 13). Notable sections of this are the story of Balaam (22:2-24:25), the zeal of Phinehas (ch. 25), the second census (26:1-51) , instructions for dividing the land (26:52-27: 11), the appointment of Joshua as Moses' successor (27: 12-23), various laws concerning offerings and vows ( 28-30 ), the war with Midian (ch. 31), the settlement of the tribes east of the Jordan (ch. 32), a review of the locations at which Israel had camped during their wanderings (33: 1-49), more instructions concerning the conquest and division of Canaan (33:50-34:29 ), the appointment of the cities of refuge (ch. 35) and instructions concerning the marriage of land-owning Israelite women (ch. 36).

Ancient Bronze Snake

Bronze Snake from Lachish, Late Bronze Age

Quick Reference Maps - Numbers

The Exodus of the Hebrews

Mount Horeb

The Red Sea

Canaan Before Joshua

Kadesh barnea

Moab and Ammon

Numbers Resources

The Wilderness Wanderings

More About the Book of Numbers
Numbers in the Picture Study Bible
Timeline of the Ancient World
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