But if only one trumpet is blown, then only the leaders—the heads of the clans of Israel—must present themselves to you.
Parallel translations
- WEB If they blow just one, then the princes, the heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves to you.
- KJV And if they blow but with one trumpet, then the princes, which are heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves unto thee.
- BSB But if only one is sounded, then the leaders, the heads of the clans of Israel, are to gather before you.
- NKJV But if they blow only one, then the leaders, the heads of the divisions of Israel, shall gather to you.
- NASB But if only one is blown, then the leaders, the heads of the divisions of Israel, shall meet you.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
If only one trumpet sounded, just the leaders of the tribes gathered. Different signals called different groups.
Overview
A single trumpet summoned the princes rather than the whole nation, showing the system's flexibility. God provided ordered communication so leaders could be convened for counsel, reflecting His design for structured, orderly governance among His people.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 4
- Num 7:2the princes of Israel, the heads of their fathers’ houses, offered. These were the princes of the tribes. These are they who were over those who were counted:
- Exod 18:21Moreover you shall provide out of all the people able men which fear God: men of truth, hating unjust gain; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.
- Num 1:4–16With you there shall be a man of every tribe; everyone head of his fathers’ house.
- Deut 1:15So I took the heads of your tribes, wise men, and known, and made them heads over you, captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds, and captains of fifties, and captains of tens, and officers, according to your tribes.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
In the wilderness Christ is the water from the rock, the bronze serpent lifted up that the dying might look and live (John 3:14), and the star and scepter that Balaam saw rising out of Jacob.
How Numbers 10:4 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.