Numbers 10:7 kjv
But when the congregation is to be gathered together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm.
Numbers 10:7 nkjv
And when the assembly is to be gathered together, you shall blow, but not sound the advance.
Numbers 10:7 niv
To gather the assembly, blow the trumpets, but not with the signal for setting out.
Numbers 10:7 esv
But when the assembly is to be gathered together, you shall blow a long blast, but you shall not sound an alarm.
Numbers 10:7 nlt
But when you call the people to an assembly, blow the trumpets with a different signal.
Numbers 10 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Num 10:2 | "Make two silver trumpets... for calling the congregation and for breaking camp." | Purpose of trumpets. |
| Num 10:3 | "When both are blown in a long blast, all the congregation..." | Gathering the full assembly. |
| Num 10:5-6 | "...you shall sound an alarm. ...you shall sound an alarm a second time..." | Alarm for specific tribal movements/war. |
| Exo 32:17-18 | "There is a noise of war in the camp." "It is not the sound of shouting for victory, or the sound of crying for defeat, but the sound of singing I hear.” | Contrast with chaotic sounds versus orderly signals. |
| Lev 23:24 | "...a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts." | Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah). |
| Judg 3:27 | "...he blew a trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim; and the people..." | Trumpet as call to war. |
| 1 Sam 13:3 | "Jonathan blew the trumpet throughout all the land..." | Gathering people for military action. |
| 2 Sam 2:28 | "Joab blew the trumpet, and all the people stopped..." | Trumpet to halt battle. |
| 1 Ki 1:39 | "...Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the tent and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the trumpet, and all the people said, 'Long live King Solomon!'" | Trumpet for solemn, joyful occasions like anointing. |
| Neh 4:20 | "In whatever place you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there..." | Trumpet as a rally signal. |
| Isa 18:3 | "...when a trumpet is blown on the earth, you will hear it." | Divine trumpet call heard by all. |
| Isa 27:13 | "...a great trumpet will be blown, and those who were lost... will come..." | Gathering scattered Israel in end times. |
| Isa 58:1 | "Cry aloud; do not hold back; lift up your voice like a trumpet..." | Proclaiming God's word with urgency. |
| Jer 4:5 | "...blow the trumpet through the land! Cry aloud..." | Warning trumpet of war. |
| Eze 33:3-6 | "...if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet..." | Watchman's responsibility to warn with a trumpet. |
| Joel 2:1 | "Blow a trumpet in Zion; sound an alarm on my holy mountain!" | Trumpet to announce divine judgment/repentance. |
| Amo 3:6 | "Is a trumpet blown in a city, and the people are not afraid?" | Trumpet as a warning or signal of danger. |
| Zep 1:16 | "a day of trumpet blast and battle cry..." | Day of judgment announced by trumpet. |
| Hag 2:6 | "Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth." | God shaking the heavens/earth; often linked with trumpet sounds of His presence. |
| 1 Cor 14:8 | "For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle?" | Importance of clear, discernible spiritual communication. |
| 1 Cor 15:52 | "at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised..." | Eschatological trumpet for resurrection. |
| 1 Thes 4:16 | "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout... and with the sound of the trumpet of God..." | The trumpet signaling Christ's return. |
| Heb 12:19 | "...the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg..." | Trumpet blast at Sinai accompanying God's voice. |
| Rev 1:10 | "...I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet..." | Divine voice heard as a trumpet. |
| Rev 4:1 | "After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice which I had heard, speaking to me like a trumpet, said..." | Call to divine revelation/judgment from heaven. |
Numbers 10 verses
Numbers 10 7 Meaning
This verse instructs the priests on a specific, distinct use of the silver trumpets: when the entire Israelite community, referred to as the "assembly," is to be peacefully gathered together for non-emergency purposes, a single, sustained, and clear sound must be blown. This specific signal is sharply differentiated from the broken, staccato, urgent sound used for alarms, military calls, or signals for the tribes to journey. It highlights the divine emphasis on clear, unambiguous communication for maintaining order and facilitating proper congregational actions.
Numbers 10 7 Context
Numbers 10, particularly verses 1-10, details the divine instructions regarding the making and specific uses of two silver trumpets, designated to be blown by the priests. This chapter marks a critical transition point for the Israelites, as they prepare to depart from Mount Sinai, where they had been encamped for nearly a year receiving the Law and establishing the Tabernacle worship. The preceding chapters meticulously outlined the camp's organization, the roles of the Levites and priests, and various laws and rituals. As the vast congregation of hundreds of thousands was to move, precise communication was essential for order and divine guidance. The trumpets served as an integral part of this communication system, enabling Moses and the priests to convey God's instructions to the diverse components of the camp, whether for assembling the whole community, summoning the leaders, initiating tribal journeys, or signaling for battle. Verse 7 specifically differentiates the signal for a peaceful, complete assembly from more urgent, broken alarms, ensuring clarity and avoiding confusion within the divinely ordered community.
Numbers 10 7 Word analysis
But when the assembly is to be gathered together,
- But when: This conjunction highlights a clear distinction or condition. It contrasts with the trumpet signals previously described for breaking camp or battle, introducing a unique purpose for the blast.
- the assembly (Hebrew: ha'edah – הָעֵדָה): Refers to the full congregation or community of Israel. This term emphasizes the entire covenant people acting as a united body, highlighting God's intention to address or gather all His people together.
- to be gathered together (Hebrew: leqahal – לְהַקְהִיל): This infinitive verb means "to assemble" or "to convoke." It indicates the specific action of bringing the entire dispersed community into one unified meeting place, signifying a general convocation rather than the movement of specific divisions.
you shall blow, but not sound an alarm.
- you (implied): Refers to the Aaronite priests, as they are specifically designated to blow the trumpets (Num 10:2, 8). This underscores their unique mediatorial role in God's ordered system for Israel.
- shall blow (Hebrew: tiqe'u – תִּקְעוּ): From the root taqa (תָּקַע), this describes a prolonged, sustained, and unbroken sound, often referred to as a "tekiah." This sound serves as a peaceful signal for orderly convocation.
- but not: A direct prohibition emphasizing the crucial differentiation in the type of sound to be produced. Misinterpreting or misusing the trumpet sound could lead to chaos or failed execution of divine will.
- sound an alarm (Hebrew: teru'ah – תְּרוּעָה): This noun denotes a short, broken, sharp, and repeated series of blasts—a sound signifying urgency, alarm, or a rallying cry for battle or immediate movement (as detailed in Num 10:5-6). It is the exact opposite of the single, sustained note required for a peaceful assembly.
Words-group Analysis:
- "But when the assembly is to be gathered together": This phrase establishes the specific context for this command, emphasizing the unity and collective nature of the edah. It is a call for a holistic communal gathering, necessitating a universally understood signal for coming together peacefully, as opposed to emergency or divisional movements.
- "you shall blow, but not sound an alarm": This concise instruction delivers the core distinction. It is not merely a statement about different sounds, but a mandate for clear, precise, and distinct communication of divine intent. The contrast between the steady, assembly-call blast (tekiah) and the broken, urgent alarm (teru'ah) ensured the massive, nomadic community could discern God's specific will for their action or inaction, preventing confusion and maintaining the sacred order God established.
Numbers 10 7 Bonus section
The silver trumpets (Hebrew: ḥatzoṭzrāh) prescribed in Numbers 10 were distinct from the ram's horn (shofar) in their material and priestly usage. The shofar was typically used for more ancient, sacred calls like the blowing for the Sabbath and Jubilee, or for spontaneous calls to war, while the silver trumpets were precise instruments of order, communication, and divine command, particularly tied to the Tabernacle system and the Levitical priesthood. The emphasis on two trumpets (Num 10:2) also hints at unity and completeness in God's guidance, ensuring redundancy and broad communication to all corners of the large camp. This distinction between a tekiah (sustained sound) and a teru'ah (staccato sound), though not explicitly named in the verse, is central to rabbinic tradition and ancient Israelite musical practice, underlining the nuanced spiritual significance attached to auditory signals in their sacred life. The principle of clear communication and the importance of recognizing the divine call for assembly echo through the New Testament in the church's call to worship and gathering.
Numbers 10 7 Commentary
Numbers 10:7 reveals the meticulous divine order governing the Israelite community, even down to specific auditory signals. God, through Moses, instituted a precise communication system using silver trumpets blown by priests. This verse critically differentiates the signal for a general assembly of the entire congregation from signals for urgent movement or war. The continuous, steady blast (tekiah) for gathering symbolized peace, order, and focused attention on divine instruction or communal deliberation, avoiding any hint of panic or rapid deployment. It reinforces that God is not a God of confusion, but of clear command and ordered process. This careful distinction in trumpet calls ensured that a large, mobile population could remain responsive to God's leadership in an orderly fashion, reflecting His organized character and fostering the unity of His people under the covenant.