J. Two Silver Trumpets (10:1-10)

The final piece of information given to Israel before departure from Sinai concerned two silver trumpets to be sounded by the priests, both to call the community to worship and to announce that it was time to break camp and move on to a new location. As such the use of the trumpets would be restricted, at least partially, to the wilderness sojournings. However, their use as a prelude to battle (v.9) guaranteed their use even after Israel enters into its own land. It was not enough that the rising cloud signal advancement. To the divine work the human response was added. The sound of the trumpet that went out to the community of faith perhaps portends the sound of the loud trumpet that will one day summon believers into the heavenly tabernacle (Mt 24:31; 1Co 15:52).