Numbers 10:1-10

F. THE SILVER TRUMPETS (Numbers 10:1-10)

TEXT

Numbers 10:1. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 2. Make these two trumpets of silver; of 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. 3. And when they shall blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 4. And if they blow but with one trumpet, then the princes, which are heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves unto thee. 5. When ye blow an alarm, then the camps that lie on the east parts shall go forward. 6. When ye 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. 7. But when the congregation is to be gathered together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm. 8. And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and they shall be to you for an ordinance for ever throughout your generations. 9. And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the Lord your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies. 10. Also in the day of your 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.

PARAPHRASE

Numbers 10:1. And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying, 2. Make two trumpets of silver; of one beaten piece each, you shall make them. You shall use them to call the congregation, and for the traveling of the camps. 3. And when they blow them, all the congregation shall gather themselves to you at the door of the Tent of Meeting. 4. If they blow only one trumpet, then the princes, 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 the second alarm, the camps that lie on the south side shall go forward: they shall blow an alarm for their travels. 7. But when the congregation is to be assembled, you shall blow, but you shall not sound an alarm. 8. And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets; and they shall be a law for you forever throughout your generations. 9. And if you go to war in your land against an oppressor enemy, you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets; and you shall be remembered before the Lord God, and you shall be saved from your enemies, 10, Also, in the day of your gladness and in your feast days, and in the beginnings of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of the peace offerings, so that they may be a memorial to you before your God: I am the Lord your God.

COMMENTARY

The trumpet named here, the chatsotserah, was almost certainly a long slender tube of silver with a widened mouth. Two other trumpets were known, the cheren and the shophar, both curved after the general shape of the ram's horn; often they were actually the ram's horn itself. Two of the trumpets are prescribed, doubtless giving distinctive sounds in order that even a single blast might be recognized at once.

Since the signal for Israel to move from one place to another was the removal of the cloud and pillar, trumpets might seem unnecessary. The purpose of the instruments was not simply to signal movement, but to give an orderly method for the tribes to follow as they disbanded their sites. They further served to call the entire assembly together for any special occasions, for announcements, or for hearing the Lord's instructions in a given situation: unique signals were also established for summoning the princes of the tribes to receive their personal advice from Moses and Aaron.

When the signal of the trumpets designated a forward march, the first sound called the tribes from the east of the Tabernacle: Judah, Issachar and Zebulun. The sound was a long, unbroken note, distinguished from short, sharp tones as in Numbers 10:7. The second signal called Reuben, Simeon and Gad from the south. For some unknown reason, the order in which the western and northern tribes is not given; the LXX assigns the west to the third signal, and the northern three to the final blast.

Since the trumpets were to be used only for religious purposes, they were to be kept as sacred utensils; their use was restricted to the sons of Aaron. When they were sounded under the circumstances of war, it was to summon the soldierssuch would have been impossible in Canaan with the tribes widely scattered, and only two trumpetsit was to pronounce to Israel that they were dependent upon Jehovah in battle, cf. Numbers 31:6 and 2 Chronicles 13:12; 2 Chronicles 13:14. When they were sounded to call the congregation of Israel into holy assembly, it was in conjunction with the designated feasts, at the start of each month, and at appropriate times during the offerings of those days. Later sacred history records that the trumpets were also blown on some very auspicious occasions: when the ark of the covenant was removed from the tent of Obed-edom unto the tent prepared for it by David (1 Chronicles 15:24 ff.); it was sounded when Solomon's temple was dedicated (2 Chronicles 5:12Solomon had here increased the number to 120 trumpets and 120 priests); when the foundation of the second temple was laid (Ezra 3:10); at the consecration of the walls of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 12:35; Nehemiah 12:41); as well as other occasions of the festivals Numbers 29:27).

QUESTIONS AND RESEARCH ITEMS

170.

Describe the kind of horn used for setting Israel forth on their journeying, and compare it to the other types of trumpets we know about from that time.

171.

For what reasons were the trumpets assigned to the sons of Aaron?

172.

Why were only two trumpets designated for the use to which these are ascribed?

173.

Differentiate between the type of sound made for marching orders and the sound which called the princes of the congregation together.

174.

How did the sounding of the trumpets contribute to the orderly process of marching?

175.

For what regular, ordinary purposes were the trumpets blown?

176.

What was the primary reason for blowing the trumpets at the time of war?

177.

What corollary promise did the Lord make unto Israel if they would faithfully remember to sound the trumpets before confronting their enemies in battle?

178.

List the occasions upon which the trumpets were used in later history, beyond those originally prescribed.

179.

What alteration did Solomon make in the number of trumpets and trumpeters when the temple was consecrated?