Departure from Mount Sinai

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Chapter 10 records the last of God's instructions at Mt. Sinai dealing with the use of silver trumpets. It records their departure from Mt. Sinai and their orderly march into the wilderness. It also records a treaty between Moses and his brother Hobab.

Silver trumpets were made for communication between Moses and the people. The Priests would blow these trumpets at the following times:

1. In times of battle.
2. In times of celebration.
3. In times of feasts or festivals.

The following signals were established:

1. If only one trumpet is blown, the leaders of the tribes would assemble at the Tabernacle.
2. If both were blown, all the people would assemble at the Tabernacle.
3. Other combinations would signal the time to camp and to break camp.
4. At the beginning of each month, the trumpets would be blown.

The chapter ends with a record of the move from Mt. Sinai. On the 20th day of the second month of the second year, the Cloud lifted from the Tabernacle and the Israelites left Mt. Sinai and headed toward the Wilderness of Paran. (northward) Notice they followed the instructions that had been given them relative to dismantling the Tabernacle and to their position in the order of marching.

When they leave Mt. Sinai, Moses invites his brother-in-law to travel with them and share the blessings that God will bestow upon them. Ho-bab declined, as he wanted to return to his home in Midian in spite of the efforts of Moses to show him how useful he would be in their wilderness travels because of his knowledge of the wilderness.

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