“Make a joyful noise to Yahweh!
All the earth!
Break forth into joyous song!
Sing praises!
Sing praises to Yahweh
With the lyre!
Sing praises to Yahweh
With the sound of melody!
With trumpets
Make a joyful noise before the King!
The sound of the horn should
Make a joyful noise before the King!
Yahweh!”
All the earth should make a joyful noise to Yahweh. Everyone should sing melodic praises to Yahweh on the lyre. They should sound the trumpets and make a joyful noise before King Yahweh.
“John chose out of the country twenty thousand warriors and cavalry. They marched against Cendebeus. They camped for the night in Modein. Early in the morning they started out and marched into the plain. There a large force of infantry and cavalry was coming to meet them. A stream lay between them. Then he and his army lined up against them. He saw that the soldiers were afraid to cross the stream, so he crossed over first. When his troops saw him, they crossed over after him. Then he divided the army. He placed the cavalry in the center of the infantry. The cavalry of the enemy were very numerous. They sounded the trumpets. Cendebeus and his army were put to flight. Many of them were falling wounded. The rest fled into the stronghold. At that time Judas the brother of John was wounded. However, John pursued them until Cendebeus reached Kedron that he had built. They also fled into the towers that were in the fields of Azotus. John burned it with fire. About two thousand of them fell. He then returned to Judea safely.”
John, the son of Simon, had 20,000 warriors and cavalry. This is the first mention of cavalry on the Israelite side. They stopped at Modein one night on their march to meet Cendebeus. The next day on the plain they saw a large army coming at them. There was a stream between the 2 armies. John led his troops across the stream because they seemed afraid. He put the cavalry in the middle of his foot soldiers. They sounded the trumpets. Suddenly the army of Cendebeus fled. Judas, the brother of John, was wounded. John took after the fleeing army chasing them to the fields of Azotus where he burned the fields. About 2,000 of the enemy fell. Then John returned to Judea.
“Then they sounded the trumpets and gave a loud shout. After this, Judas appointed leaders of the people, in charge of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. He said to those who were building houses, or about to be married, or planting vineyards, or were fainthearted to go home. Each should return to his home again, according to the law. Then the army marched out and encamped to the south of Emmaus.”
When the trumpet sounded, the army was to gather in force. They were divided into groups of 10, 50, 100, and 1,000 with a leader for each group. The idea of sorting the people into smaller groups goes back to Moses appointing judges in Exodus, chapter 18. However, those who were building houses, vineyards, or getting married or just fainthearted should go home. This is a reference to the Mosaic Law in Deuteronomy, chapter 20. Then this army marched out to Emmaus.
“Yahweh spoke to Moses. ‘Make two silver trumpets. You shall make them of hammered work. You shall use them for summoning the congregation and for breaking camp. When both are blown, the whole congregation shall assemble before you at the entrance of the tent of meeting. But if one is blown, then the leaders, the heads of the tribes of Israel, shall assemble before you. When you blow an alarm, the camps that are on the east side shall set out. When you blow a second alarm, the camps on the south side shall set out. An alarm is to be blown whenever they are to set out. But when the assembly is to be gathered, you shall blow, but you shall not sound an alarm. The sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets. This shall be a perpetual institution for you throughout your generations. When you go to war in your land against the adversary who oppresses you, you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, so that you may be remembered before Yahweh your God, and be saved from your enemies. Also on your days of rejoicing, at your appointed festivals, and at the beginnings of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over your sacrifices of well being. They shall serve as a reminder before Yahweh your God. I am Yahweh your God.”
Yahweh spoke to Moses, telling him to make two silver trumpets. They had to use hammered silver to make these trumpets for summoning the congregation and for breaking camp. When both are blown, the whole congregation should assemble at the entrance of the tent of meeting. But if one is blown, then the leaders, the heads of the tribes of Israel, shall assemble. When the alarm blows, the camps on the east leave. When the second alarm blows, the camps on the south side leave. However, when the congregation is to be gathered together, they should only blow the trumpet, but not the alarm. Only the sons of Aaron, the priests, could blow the trumpets. This is a perpetual ordinance. However, when they were to go to war in the new land, they should blow an alarm with the trumpets to remember Yahweh. There are other times when they should blow the trumpets:
1) the days of rejoicing at appointed festivals;
2) the beginnings of months;
3) over burnt offerings;
4) and the sacrifices of well being.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 