Num 10:1-10 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Num 10:1-10: 10:1-10 Israel needed signals that were loud and clear so that the tribes could receive instructions. Two silver trumpets provided a simple, effective means to signal all the tribes to move. • These trumpets were not the ram’s horns (Hebrew shopar ) mentioned frequently in the Old Testament (e.g., Josh 6:4-6 ); they were fashioned by Israelite craftsmen from hammered silver brought out of Egypt.

a10:1-10►

bJosh 6:4-6►

c10:2-4►

dRev 8–11►

e10:5-8►

f9:15-22►

g2►

h10:8►

i10:9-10►

jHos 5:8►

kJoel 2:1►

‏ Numbers 10:1-10

Summary for Num 10:1-10: 10:1-10 ^a Israel needed signals that were loud and clear so that the tribes could receive instructions. Two silver trumpets provided a simple, effective means to signal all the tribes to move.

• These trumpets were not the ram’s horns (Hebrew shopar) mentioned frequently in the Old Testament (e.g., Josh 6:4-6 ^b); they were fashioned by Israelite craftsmen from hammered silver brought out of Egypt.
Summary for Num 10:2-4: 10:2-4 ^c The two trumpets were used to get people’s attention for important pronouncements (cp. Rev 8–11 ^d).
Summary for Num 10:5-8: 10:5-8 ^e When it was time to break camp, the sound of the trumpets supplemented the movement of the pillar of cloud (cp. 9:15-22 ^f) by signaling when to camp and when to move on (see ch 2 ^g).
10:8 ^h Only the priests ... are allowed to blow the trumpets: All uses of these trumpets were related to God and his government of Israel, both of which the priests served.
Summary for Num 10:9-10: 10:9-10 ⁱ The trumpets marked holy events that might not readily be recognized as such. Trumpets that sounded a call to arms (Hos 5:8 ^j; Joel 2:1 ^k) would remind . . . the Lord to rescue the Hebrews from their enemies.