Study Desk

"Make two trumpets. Use silver and hammer it to make the trumpets. These trumpets will be for calling the people together and for telling them when it is time to move the camp.

But if you want to gather the people together for a special meeting, blow the trumpets in a different way—blow a long steady blast on the trumpets.

Only Aaron's sons, the priests, should blow the trumpets. This is a law for you that will continue forever, for generations to come.

Also blow these trumpets for your special meetings, New Moon celebrations, and all your happy times together. Blow the trumpets when you give your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. This will be a special way for your God to remember you. I command you to do this; I am the Lord your God."

The last three tribes in the line were the rear guard for all the other tribes. These were the groups from Dan's camp. They traveled under their flag. The first group was the tribe of Dan. Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai was their commander.

So they began traveling from the mountain of the Lord . The priests took the Box of the Lord 's Agreement and walked in front of the people. They carried the Holy Box for three days, looking for a place to camp.

So the people cried to Moses for help. He prayed to the Lord and the fire stopped burning.

I don't have enough meat for all these people! And they continue complaining to me. They say, ‘Give us meat to eat!'

I cannot take care of all these people alone. The burden is too heavy for me.

Then I will come down and speak with you there. The Spirit is on you now. But I will also give some of that Spirit to them. Then they will help you take care of the people. In this way you will not have to be responsible for these people alone.

"Tell the people this: Make yourselves ready for tomorrow. Tomorrow you will eat meat. The Lord heard you when you cried out and said, ‘We need meat to eat! It was better for us in Egypt!' So now the Lord will give you meat. And you will eat it.

You will eat it for more than one, or two, or five, or ten, or even twenty days!

You will eat that meat for a whole month until you are sick of it. This will happen to you because you complained against the Lord . He lives among you and knows what you need, but you cried and complained to him! You said, ‘Why did we ever leave Egypt?'"

Moses said, "There are 600,000 soldiers here, and you say, ‘I will give them enough meat to eat for a whole month!'

If we were to kill all the sheep and cattle, that would still not be enough to feed this many people for a month. And if we caught all the fish in the sea, it would not be enough for them!"

So the people named that place Kibroth Hattaavah, because there they buried those who had the strong desire for meat.

Then Aaron said to Moses, "Please, sir, forgive us for the foolish sin that we did.

The Lord answered Moses, "If her father spit in her face, she would be shamed for seven days. So put her outside the camp for seven days. After that she can come back into the camp."

So they took Miriam outside the camp for seven days. And the people did not move from that place until she was brought in again.

And learn other things about the land. Is the soil good for growing things, or is it poor soil? Are there trees on the land? Try to bring back some of the fruit from that land." (This was during the time when the first grapes should be ripe.)