Numbers 10:11-36

Numbers 10:11-36

[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:  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:  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:  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  for the LORD  hath spoken  good  concerning Israel.  [30] And he said  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] with us, yea, it shall be, that what goodness  the LORD  shall 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  [36] And when it rested,  he said,  Return,  O LORD,  unto the many  thousands  of Israel. 

What does Numbers 10:11-36 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

The Israelites had been at Mt. Sinai for almost one year ( Exodus 19:1; Numbers 10:11). All that Moses recorded as occurring between Exodus 19:1 and Numbers 10:11 took place during those twelve months.
Even though this region contains several oases and some grazing land, these could not have provided for the two million or so Israelites plus their animals during their stay there. Merrill believed Israel"s population was more than two and a half million. [1] Allen argued for it being about250 ,000 to300 ,000. [2] As the text of Scripture implies and sometimes states, God provided for the needs of His people from Egypt to Canaan by giving them an unbroken series of miraculous provisions.
The trip from Sinai to Kadesh on Canaan"s southern border was normally a journey of only11days ( Deuteronomy 1:2). Numbers 10:11-12 summarize the whole journey from Sinai to Kadesh that the writer described in more detail in Numbers 10:13 to Numbers 12:16. The wilderness of Paran ( Numbers 10:12) was an area between Sinai and Kadesh.
"The Desert of Paran is a large plateau in the northeastern Sinai, south of what later would be called the Negev of Judah, and west of the Arabah. This forms the southernmost portion of the Promised Land, the presumed staging area for the assault on the land itself. The principal lines of assault on the land of Canaan are from the southwest, following the Way of the Sea from Egypt, and from the northwest, following the Way of the Sea from Phoenicia. Israel"s staging for attack in the Desert of Paran was a brilliant strategy. In this way they would avoid the fortified routes to the west, presumably under the control of Egypt. This unusual line of attack from the south would stun the inhabitants of the land. They would come like a sirocco blast from the desert, and the land would be theirs, under the hand of God." [3]
The Israelites broke camp and proceeded to march as the Lord had commanded them ( Numbers 10:13-28; cf. ch2). The tabernacle receives special attention in this description in keeping with its central importance in the nation.
"A major component of the covenant promise to the fathers and to Israel the nation was ... the inheritance and occupation of a land. This land was representative of the whole earth. As man was placed in the Garden of Eden to keep and rule it, so Israel would be placed in Canaan to keep and rule it as a fiefdom from the Great King. At last, when the saving purposes of the Lord will have been accomplished, all the earth-indeed all creation-will fall under the rule of mankind, who will "have dominion over all things."" [4]
Numbers 10:29-32 record an incident that took place before the Israelites left Sinai. This section is a flashback of secondary importance to the departure from Sinai. Moses" brother-in-law Hobab had come to live among or visit the Israelites at Sinai. He evidently agreed to Moses" suggestion that he act as a scout for the nation (cf. Judges 1:16).
"Moses continued to urge Hobab to join Israel. In a sense this is an act of evangelism. Hobab did not come easily. But subsequent biblical texts indicate that he did come. As such, he is like Ruth who joins Naomi en route to the Land of Promise, leaving all behind, with a promise of something ahead that is of more value than anything left at home." [5]
Other scholars believed Moses erred in extending this invitation. [4]6 Even though God led Israel with the cloud, Hobab would have been useful since he knew the wilderness and could advise Moses concerning its terrain, oases, and other features. The name of Moses" father-in-law is Reuel here ( Numbers 10:29). He was Zipporah"s father (cf. Exodus 2:18).
The Israelites apparently carried the ark in front of the whole nation as they marched ( Numbers 10:33). The cloud was evidently over it but not necessarily over the whole nation ( Numbers 10:34). The cloud stood over the ark and led those carrying it and the nation as the Israelites moved forward.
"It [4]4 is something like a wedding ring: the visible sign of the bond between the Lord and his people." [8]
Moses" prayers whenever the cloud moved ( Numbers 10:35) and stopped ( Numbers 10:36) give us a glimpse into his intercessory ministry for Israel. They show his prayerful concern for the people he was responsible to lead. Israel"s enemies ( Numbers 10:35) were those that might seek to turn them back from the Promised Land along the way, as well as the Canaanites whom Israel would fight in the land.
"The theme of this passage is Israel"s glorious leadership by Yahweh as the people depart from the Mountain of God for an immediate conquest of Canaan. There is no sense here of the impending doom that awaits Israel"s rebellion in the wilderness." [9]