Numbers 10:2

Num 10:2 Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps.

Ver. 2. Two trumpets of silver.] Signifying the voice of the law and gospel in the mouths of God’s ministers, who must "lift up the voice like a trumpet," {Isa 58:1} with fervour, zeal, and courage; {a} (1.) To gather the people, and assemble the elders; {Joe 2:16} (2.) To put them upon their marchings and motions towards the heavenly Canaan; and here to blow an alarm -

“ Sic clames ut Stentora vincere possis - ”

as that famous Farellus did, when the friars, to drown his voice in the pulpit, rang their greatest bells, but he drowned them out; (3.) To get them upon their battlements, and there hence to blow an alarm likewise, upon the approach of spiritual enemies; taking the same liberty to cry down sin, that men take to commit it; {b} and to descry the devil’s stratagems that are so destructive to men’s souls. They must cast away the inverse trumpets of Furius Fulvius, which sounded a retreat when they should have sounded an alarm; they must faithfully show God’s "people their transgressions, and the house of Jacob their sins," {Isa 58:1} yea, "all their transgressions in all their sins." {Lev 16:21} Lastly, as the priests were to sound the silver trumpets at their solemn feasts, {Psa 81:3} for a monument of spiritual gladness before the Lord; so must ministers of the gospel publish the glad tidings of the gospel; "Speak to the heart of Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, her sin is pardoned"; {Isa 40:2} make the people hear the joyful sound, that they may walk in the sense of God’s presence, and in the light of his countenance; yea, "rejoice in his name all the day long." {Psa 89:15-16}

{a} Ad ravim usque vocem intendit, nec vinci se a strepitu ullo passus est. - Melch. Adam., 114.

{b} Suetonius ea libertate scripsit Imperatorum vitas qua ipsi vixerunt.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Num 10:2. Two trumpets — For Aaron’s two sons; though afterward the number of the trumpets was much increased, as the number of the priests also was. These trumpets were ordained, both to signify the great duty of ministers, to preach the word, and for use, as here follows.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

10:2-4 The two trumpets were used to get people’s attention for important pronouncements (cp. Rev 8–11).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Or, of work beaten out with the hammer.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 2. Make thee two trumpets of silver] The necessity of such instruments will at once appear, when the amazing extent of this numerous army is considered; and how even the sound of two trumpets could reach them all is difficult to conceive; but we may suppose that, when they were sounded, the motion of those that were within reach of that sound taught the others in succession what they should do.

As the trumpets were to be blown by the priests only, the sons of Aaron, there were only two, because there were only two such persons to use them at this time, Eleazar and Ithamar. In the time of Joshua there were seven trumpets used by the priests, but these were made, according to our text, of rams' horns, Jos 6:4. In the time of Solomon, when the priests had greatly increased, there were 120 priests sounding with trumpets, 2Ch 5:12.

Josephus intimates that one of these trumpets was always used to call the nobles together, the other to assemble the people; see Nu 9:4. It is possible that these trumpets were made of different lengths and wideness, and consequently they would emit different tones. Thus the sound itself would at once show which was the summons for the congregation, and which for the princes only. These trumpets were allowed to be emblematical of the sound of the Gospel, and in this reference they appear to be frequently used. Of the fate of the trumpets of the sanctuary, See Clarke on Ex 25:31.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

X.

(2) Of a whole piece.—Better, of beaten (or, turned) work. (See Notes on Exo_25:18; Exo_25:31.) The trumpets here spoken of are supposed to have been straight, like that on the triumphal arch of Titus at Rome and on the old Egyptian monuments. In this respect the hazozerah is supposed to have differed from the cornet or horn, keren or shophar (which is interchanged with keren), which was crooked. (See Jos_6:5. compared with 6:4, 6, 8, 13.) We find reference to the jubilee trumpet in Lev_25:9, from which it has been inferred that the trumpets here mentioned were not first made at this time. It is true, indeed, that the first verse might be rendered: “Now the Lord had spoken unto Moses, saying”; but the word used in Lev_25:9 is shophar, not hazozerah, and the latter word occurs in this place for the first time.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2. trumpets] or Clarions (ḥaẓôẓerôth). This rendering serves to distinguish the word from (a) the ‘ram’s horn’ (yôbhçl), used at Sinai (Exo_19:13), at Jericho (Jos_6:5), and to usher in the year of yôbhçl, i.e. the ‘Jubile’—(b) the ‘trumpet’ (shôphâr), which was the instrument ordinarily employed for secular purposes. The clarion is a secular instrument only in Hos_5:8 (R.V. ‘cornet’), 2Ki_11:14 = 2Ch_23:13 (R.V. ‘trumpet’). It is a sacred instrument in Psa_98:6 and frequently in P and Chr.-Ezr.-Neh. Its shape was that of a straight slender tube with an expanding mouth. See the illustrations in Driver’s Amos, p. 145.

2b–8. During the journeyings the clarions are to be used for summoning an assembly of the congregation (Num_10:3), or a council of the princes (Num_10:4), or for a signal to start on the march (Num_10:5-6).

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Make thee two trumpets of silver,.... A metal very valuable and precious, durable, and fit for sound; only two are ordered, Aaron having but two sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, who were to blow with them, Num 10:8; for though Moses's order is, "make thee", or for thee, yet not for his own use, but for the priests to use when he should order them: the Targum of Jonathan adds, of what is thine own, as if they were to be made at his own expense; but others say, and which is more probable, that they were to be made at the public expense: Josephus (i) gives a description of them, and says, that they were little less than a cubit long, the pipe of them narrow, but broader about the mouth to receive the breath, and ended like a bell; they seem to be much of the shape of our trumpets: these trumpets were an emblem of the ministry of the Gospel, called the great trumpet, and in the ministration of which, the preachers of it are to lift up their voice like a trumpet, to show men their perishing condition through sin, and to encourage them, as such who are ready to perish, to come to Christ for salvation, Isa 27:13; the Gospel is comparable to silver, being fetched out of the mines of the sacred Scriptures, pure and free from the dross of errors and human inventions, will bear to be tried by the standard of the word, and is lasting and durable, yea, the everlasting Gospel; as well as valuable and precious, containing the unsearchable riches of Christ, &c. treasures of divine truths, comparable to gold, silver, and precious stones; yea, it is more valuable and precious than silver, not to be obtained by that, more profitable and useful, more satisfying and lasting: the number two may be applicable to the two dispensations, under which the Gospel has been ministered, directing to the same Saviour, and to the same way of salvation, by his grace, his blood, righteousness, and sacrifice; and to the two Testaments, which agree in the same truths respecting his person, offices, obedience, sufferings, and death; and to the prophets and apostles of both dispensations and testaments, who have united in laying Christ as the foundation; and also to the two witnesses that are still to prophecy in sackcloth, that is, preach the Gospel and blow the trumpet of it: Rev 11:3.

of an whole piece shall thou make them; of one solid mass of silver, beaten with an hammer, as Jarchi, such a piece as the candlestick was made of in Exo 25:31, where the same word is used as here, and rendered "beaten work": this may denote the pure and unmixed Gospel of Christ, having no dross, nor bad nor base metal of human corruptions in it; no jar, discord, or contradiction in it, but all in perfect harmony and agreement; and the whole of it, no part of it dropped or concealed; and the ministry of it, laboured by those employed in it, who study to show themselves workmen that need not be ashamed:

that thou mayest use them for the calling the assembly; the body of the people of Israel, either on civil or sacred accounts, see Joe 1:15; the ministry of the Gospel is for the calling and gathering of souls to Christ, and to his churches; even the remnant of Israel, all that are given to Christ and redeemed by his blood, whether Jews or Gentiles; these are gathered out of the world, which is an act of distinguishing grace; it is by means of the Gospel trumpet that they are awakened, and quickened, and directed to Christ:

and for the journeying of the camps: both of the four camps of the Israelites, and the camp of the Levites, to direct them when they should set forward on a journey: and of like use is the ministry of the Gospel; saints are pilgrims and travellers here; they are passing through a wilderness, their way is attended with many difficulties; Canaan is the place they are travelling to, and the Gospel is of singular use to them by the way, both to refresh them with its joyful sound, and to direct them in the path in which they should go.

(i) Antiqu. l. 3. c. 12. sect. 6.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

The trumpet was a straight instrument, differing in this respect from the curved horn or cornet; and is represented, among the other spoils of the temple, on the Arch of Titus. See Exo 25:23 cut. From Egyptian monuments it appears that the Jewish trumpet was copied from that used in the armies of the Pharaohs. The cornet was at first a simple ram’s horn Jos 6:4, and the metal instrument of later times preserved the original shape.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Two trumpets. These were probably deemed sufficient at first, though in the days of Josue there were seven, (Calmet) and in those of Solomon 20,000. (Josephus, [Antiquities?] viii. 2.) (Tirinus) --- They were used for all public assemblies. Josephus (iii. 11,) says, one was sounded to call the princes together, and the other to collect the people, which is not quite conformable to the Scriptures. (Calmet)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Two trumpets, for Aaron’s two sons; though afterwards the number of trumpets was much increased, as the number of the priests also was. See 2Ch 5:12 These trumpets were ordained, both for signification of the great duty of ministers, to wit, to preach the word; and for use, as here follows.

Silver is a metal pure and precious, and giving a clear sound.

A whole piece. See Exo 25:31; Num 8:4.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Make thee two trumpets. Hebrew, khatsotserah. From the testimony of Josephus, from the representation on the arch of Titus, and from a comparison of ancient Egyptian trumpets, it is clear that these trumpets were straight, long, and narrow, with an expanded mouth. The shophar, or trumpet of the Jubilee, on the other hand, was a buccina or cornet, either made of a ram"s horn, or shaped like one. Of a whole piece. Rather, "of beaten work." Hebrew, mikshah. (see on Exo_25:18) Septuagint, elataseiv autav . Probably they were made of a single plate of silver beaten out into the required shape, which was very simple.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Two trumpets - For Aaron's two sons: though afterwards the number of the trumpets was much increased, as the number of the priests also was. These trumpets were ordained, both for signification of the great duty of ministers, to preach the word; and for use, as here follows.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

עשה לך MAKE THEE etc. — make לך, “for thyself” (on thy own behalf) suggests that they shall blow them in your presence, as before a king, as it is said, (with reference to Moses) (Deuteronomy 33:5) ויהי בישרון מלך “and he was king in Jeshurun”.

עשה לך MAKE THEE — from that which is thine own and not from the common funds (Sifrei Bamidbar 72).

עשה לך MAKE FOR THYSELF” also suggests: you make them and use them, but no one else.

למקרא העדה [THAT THOU MAYEST USE THEM] FOR THE CALLING OF THE ASSEMBLY — i. e. when you wish to speak to the Sanhedrin and the rest of the people and you summon them to assemble unto you, you shall summon them by the trumpets.

ולמסע את המחנות AND FOR THE JOURNEYING OF THE CAMPS — at the time of departing on the journeys you shall blow them as a signal. Consequently you must say that they used to travel by a three-fold call: by the command of the Holy One, blessed be He, by the word of Moses (cf. Rashi on v. 18 at the end), and by the sound of the trumpets (Boraitha d’ Mlechet ha-Mishkan s. 13).

מקשה OF BEATEN WORK — from a block of silver you shall make them by hammer blows (Sifrei Bamidbar 72).

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.