Study Desk

Sometimes the cloud would stay over the Tabernacle for only a few days, so the people would stay for only a few days, as the Lord commanded. Then at the Lord 's command they would break camp and move on.

Whether the cloud stayed above the Tabernacle for two days, a month, or a year, the people of Israel stayed in camp and did not move on. But as soon as it lifted, they broke camp and moved on.

"Make two trumpets of hammered silver for calling the community to assemble and for signaling the breaking of camp.

When you sound the signal a second time, the tribes camped on the south will follow. You must sound short blasts as the signal for moving on.

Only the priests, Aaron's descendants, are allowed to blow the trumpets. This is a permanent law for you, to be observed from generation to generation.

When the people set out for the first time, following the instructions the Lord had given through Moses,

Dan's troops went last, marching behind their banner and serving as the rear guard for all the tribal camps. Their leader was Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.

One day Moses said to his brother-in-law, Hobab son of Reuel the Midianite, "We are on our way to the place the Lord promised us, for he said, ‘I will give it to you.' Come with us and we will treat you well, for the Lord has promised wonderful blessings for Israel!"

They marched for three days after leaving the mountain of the Lord , with the Ark of the Lord 's Covenant moving ahead of them to show them where to stop and rest.

Then the people screamed to Moses for help, and when he prayed to the Lord , the fire stopped.

Then the foreign rabble who were traveling with the Israelites began to crave the good things of Egypt. And the people of Israel also began to complain. "Oh, for some meat!" they exclaimed.

"We remember the fish we used to eat for free in Egypt. And we had all the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic we wanted.

Where am I supposed to get meat for all these people? They keep whining to me, saying, ‘Give us meat to eat!'

"And say to the people, ‘Purify yourselves, for tomorrow you will have meat to eat. You were whining, and the Lord heard you when you cried, "Oh, for some meat! We were better off in Egypt!" Now the Lord will give you meat, and you will have to eat it.

And it won't be for just a day or two, or for five or ten or even twenty.

You will eat it for a whole month until you gag and are sick of it. For you have rejected the Lord , who is here among you, and you have whined to him, saying, "Why did we ever leave Egypt?"'"

But Moses responded to the Lord , "There are 600,000 foot soldiers here with me, and yet you say, ‘I will give them meat for a whole month!'

But Moses replied, "Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord 's people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them all!"

Now the Lord sent a wind that brought quail from the sea and let them fall all around the camp. For miles in every direction there were quail flying about three feet above the ground.

From Kibroth-hattaavah the Israelites traveled to Hazeroth, where they stayed for some time.