Daily Text and Bible Reading: Friday, February 14 [Press play below]

10.1 Jehovah then said to Moses:
10.2 “Make two trumpets for yourself; make them of hammered silver, and use them to summon the assembly and to break up the camps.
10.3 When both of them are blown, the whole assembly must be summoned to you at the entrance of the tent of meeting.
10.4 If just one is blown, only the chieftains, the heads of the thousands of Israel, will be summoned to you.
10.5 “When you sound a fluctuating trumpet blast, the camps of those to the east should depart.
10.6 When you sound a fluctuating trumpet blast a second time, the camps of those to the south should depart. They should sound the trumpet blasts in this way each time one of them departs.
10.7 “Now when calling the congregation together, you should blow the trumpets, but not with fluctuating blasts.
10.8 Aaron’s sons, the priests, should blow the trumpets, and the use of them will serve as a lasting statute for you throughout your generations.
10.9 “If you should go to war in your land against an oppressor who is harassing you, you should sound a war call on the trumpets, and you will be remembered by Jehovah your God and be saved from your enemies.
10.10 “Also, on your joyous occasions—your festivals and at the beginning of your months—you are to sound the trumpets over your burnt offerings and your communion sacrifices; they will serve as a reminder for you before your God. I am Jehovah your God.”
10.11 Now in the second year, in the second month, on the 20th day of the month, the cloud lifted from over the tabernacle of the Testimony.
10.12 So the Israelites began to pull away from the wilderness of Sinai in the order established for their departure, and the cloud settled in the wilderness of Paran.
10.13 This was the first time they departed following the order of Jehovah through Moses.
10.14 So the three-tribe division of the camp of the sons of Judah departed first by their companies, and Nahshon the son of Amminadab was over its company.
10.15 Over the company of the tribe of the sons of Issachar was Nethanel the son of Zuar.
10.16 Over the company of the tribe of the sons of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon.
10.17 When the tabernacle was taken down, the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, who carried the tabernacle, departed.
10.18 Then the three-tribe division of the camp of Reuben departed by their companies, and Elizur the son of Shedeur was over its company.
10.19 Over the company of the tribe of the sons of Simeon was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.
10.20 Over the company of the tribe of the sons of Gad was Eliasaph the son of Deuel.
10.21 Then the Kohathites, who carried the sanctuary items, departed. The tabernacle was to be set up by the time they arrived.
10.22 Then the three-tribe division of the camp of the sons of Ephraim departed by their companies, and Elishama the son of Ammihud was over its company.
10.23 Over the company of the tribe of the sons of Manasseh was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.
10.24 Over the company of the tribe of the sons of Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gideoni.
10.25 Then the three-tribe division of the camp of the sons of Dan departed by their companies, forming the rear guard for all the camps, and Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai was over its company.
10.26 Over the company of the tribe of the sons of Asher was Pagiel the son of Ochran.
10.27 Over the company of the tribe of the sons of Naphtali was Ahira the son of Enan.
10.28 This was the order of departure that the Israelites and their companies followed when they would depart.
10.29 Then Moses said to Hobab the son of Reuel the Midianite, the father-in-law of Moses: “We are setting out for the place about which Jehovah said, ‘I will give it to you.’ Do come with us, and we will treat you well, because Jehovah has promised good things for Israel.”
10.30 But he said to him: “I will not go. I will return to my own country and to my relatives.”
10.31 At this he said: “Please do not leave us, for you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you can serve as our guide.
10.32 And if you do come with us, whatever goodness Jehovah shows to us, we will surely show to you.”
10.33 So they began marching from the mountain of Jehovah for a journey of three days, and the ark of Jehovah’s covenant traveled before them for the three-day journey to search out a resting-place for them.
10.34 And Jehovah’s cloud was over them by day when they set out from the encampment.
10.35 Whenever the Ark was moved, Moses would say: “Rise up, O Jehovah, and let your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate you flee from before you.”
10.36 And when it would rest, he would say: “Do return, O Jehovah, to the countless thousands of Israel.”
11.1 Now the people began to complain bitterly before Jehovah. When Jehovah heard it, his anger flared, and a fire from Jehovah began to blaze against them and to consume some on the outskirts of the camp.
11.2 When the people began to cry out to Moses, he made supplication to Jehovah, and the fire died out.
11.3 So that place was given the name Taberah, because a fire from Jehovah had blazed against them.
11.4 The mixed crowd who were in their midst then expressed selfish longing, and the Israelites too began to weep again and say: “Who will give us meat to eat?
11.5 How fondly we remember the fish that we used to eat without cost in Egypt, also the cucumbers, the watermelons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic!
11.6 But now we are withering away. We see nothing at all except this manna.”
11.7 Incidentally, the manna was like coriander seed, and it looked like bdellium gum.
11.8 The people would spread out and pick it up and grind it in hand mills or pound it in a mortar. Then they would boil it in cooking pots or make it into round loaves, and it tasted like an oiled sweet cake.
11.9 When the dew descended on the camp by night, the manna would also descend on it.
11.10 Moses heard the people weeping, family after family, each man at the entrance of his tent. And Jehovah became very angry, and Moses was also very displeased.
11.11 Then Moses said to Jehovah: “Why have you afflicted your servant? Why have I not found favor in your eyes, so that you put the burden of all this people on me?
11.12 Did I conceive all this people? Did I give birth to them, so that you should tell me, ‘Carry them in your bosom, just as an attendant carries the nursing child,’ to the land that you swore to give to their forefathers?
11.13 From where will I get meat to give to all this people? For they keep weeping before me, saying, ‘Give us meat to eat!’
11.14 I am not able to bear all this people by myself; it is too much for me.
11.15 If this is how you are going to treat me, please kill me right now. If I have found favor in your eyes, do not make me see any more calamity.”
11.16 Jehovah replied to Moses: “Gather for me 70 men from the elders of Israel, men whom you recognize as elders and officials of the people, and take them to the tent of meeting, and have them stand there with you.
11.17 I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take away some of the spirit that is on you and place it on them, and they will help you in bearing the burden of the people so that you may not have to bear it alone.
11.18 You should say to the people, ‘Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, for you will certainly eat meat, because you have wept in Jehovah’s hearing and have said: “Who will give us meat to eat? It was better for us in Egypt.” Jehovah will certainly give you meat, and you will eat.
11.19 You will eat, not one day nor 2 days nor 5 days nor 10 days nor 20 days,
11.20 but for a whole month of days, until it comes out of your nostrils and it has become loathsome to you, for you rejected Jehovah, who is in your midst, and you were weeping before him, saying: “Why is it that we have come out of Egypt?”’”
11.21 Then Moses said: “The people I am among number 600,000 men on foot, and yet you yourself have said, ‘Meat I will give them, and they will eat enough for a whole month of days’!
11.22 If whole flocks and herds were slaughtered, would it be enough for them? Or if all the fish of the sea were caught, would it be enough for them?”
11.23 Jehovah then said to Moses: “Is the hand of Jehovah too short? Now you will see whether what I say will happen to you or not.”
11.24 So Moses went out and spoke the words of Jehovah to the people. And he gathered 70 men from the elders of the people and had them stand around the tent.
11.25 Then Jehovah came down in a cloud and spoke to him and took away some of the spirit that was on him and put it on each of the 70 elders. And as soon as the spirit settled down on them, they began to behave as prophets, but they did not do it again.
11.26 There were two of the men still in the camp. Their names were Eldad and Medad. And the spirit began to settle down on them, as they were among those whose names had been written down, but they had not gone out to the tent. So they began to behave as prophets in the camp.
11.27 And a young man ran and reported to Moses: “Eldad and Medad are behaving as prophets in the camp!”
11.28 Then Joshua the son of Nun, the minister of Moses from his youth, responded and said: “My lord Moses, restrain them!”
11.29 But Moses said to him: “Are you jealous for me? No, I wish that all of Jehovah’s people were prophets and that Jehovah would put his spirit on them!”
11.30 Later Moses returned to the camp along with the elders of Israel.
11.31 Then a wind from Jehovah sprang up and began driving quail from the sea and causing them to fall around the camp, about a day’s journey on this side and a day’s journey on the other side, all around the camp, and they were about two cubits deep on the ground.
11.32 So all that day and all night and all the next day, the people stayed up and gathered the quail. No one gathered less than ten homers, and they kept spreading them all around the camp for themselves.
11.33 But while the meat was still between their teeth, before it could be chewed, Jehovah’s anger blazed against the people, and Jehovah began striking the people with a very great slaughter.
11.34 So they gave that place the name Kibroth-hattaavah, because there they buried the people who showed selfish craving.
11.35 From Kibroth-hattaavah the people departed for Hazeroth, and they remained at Hazeroth.
12.1 Now Miriam and Aaron began to speak against Moses because of the Cushite wife he had married, for he had taken a Cushite wife.
12.2 They were saying: “Is it only by Moses that Jehovah has spoken? Has he not also spoken through us?” And Jehovah was listening.
12.3 Now the man Moses was by far the meekest of all the men on the face of the earth.
12.4 Jehovah suddenly said to Moses and Aaron and Miriam: “Go out, the three of you, to the tent of meeting.” So the three of them went out.
12.5 And Jehovah came down in the pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance of the tent and called Aaron and Miriam. Both of them went forward.
12.6 He then said: “Hear my words, please. If there was a prophet of Jehovah among you, I would make myself known to him in a vision, and I would speak to him in a dream.
12.7 But it is not that way with my servant Moses! He is being entrusted with all my house.
12.8 Face-to-face I speak to him, openly, not by riddles; and the appearance of Jehovah is what he sees. Why, then, did you not fear to speak against my servant, against Moses?”
12.9 So Jehovah’s anger burned against them, and he departed from them.
12.10 The cloud moved away from over the tent, and look! Miriam was struck with leprosy as white as snow. Then Aaron turned toward Miriam, and he saw that she was struck with leprosy.
12.11 Immediately Aaron said to Moses: “I beg you, my lord! Please do not hold this sin against us! We have acted foolishly in what we have done.
12.12 Please, do not let her continue like someone dead, whose flesh is half eaten away at birth!”
12.13 And Moses began to cry out to Jehovah, saying: “O God, please heal her! Please!”
12.14 Jehovah replied to Moses: “If her father would spit directly in her face, would she not be humiliated for seven days? Let her be quarantined for seven days outside the camp, and afterward she may be brought back in.”
12.15 So Miriam was quarantined outside the camp for seven days, and the people did not break camp until Miriam was brought back in.
12.16 Then the people departed from Hazeroth and began camping in the wilderness of Paran.