Single lesson
Israel Leaves Mount Sinai
Numbers 10:11–36
This lesson helps children follow Israel’s first move from Mount Sinai, notice the careful order of the journey, and see how the people travelled under Yahweh’s direction and with Moses’ prayers.
Before you teach
Numbers 10:11–36 tells of Israel setting out after the cloud lifted from over the tabernacle of the covenant. The passage lists the order of the tribes, notes the tabernacle and sanctuary being carried, records Moses speaking with Hobab, and ends with Moses’ words when the ark moved and rested.
Students will be able to put the journey in order and explain two ways this passage shows Yahweh leading Israel in Numbers 10:11–36.
Welcome: Spot the signal to move
4 minShow children how a journey starts in this passage. Explain that Israel did not move at random. They moved when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle of the covenant, and they went forward according to Yahweh’s commandment by Moses. Ask children to listen for who moves, what moves, and how Yahweh leads.
Numbers 10:11, Numbers 10:13
Read and explain: Follow the order of the camps
8 minRead verses 11–28 in clear parts. Help children hear the pattern: Judah’s camp goes first, then the tabernacle is taken down and carried, then Reuben’s camp, then the Kohathites bearing the sanctuary, then Ephraim’s camp, and Dan’s camp as the rear guard. Explain that a standard is a camp banner, and rear guard means the group at the back.
Numbers 10:14, Numbers 10:17, Numbers 10:18, Numbers 10:21, Numbers 10:22, Numbers 10:25, Numbers 10:28
Discuss: Moses speaks to Hobab
6 minRead verses 29–32. Point out Moses’ invitation: ‘Come with us’. Moses says Yahweh has spoken good concerning Israel. Hobab first says he will go to his own land and relatives. Moses asks him to stay because Hobab knows the wilderness camps and can help them. Let children name the choices spoken in the passage.
Numbers 10:29, Numbers 10:30, Numbers 10:31, Numbers 10:32
Make and respond: Journey order cards
8 minChildren make simple sequence cards for key moments: cloud lifts, Judah goes first, tabernacle carried, sanctuary carried, Dan at the rear, Moses invites Hobab, ark goes before, cloud over them by day, Moses speaks when the ark moves and rests. After arranging the cards, ask children to retell the passage in order using the words of the text where possible.
Numbers 10:11, Numbers 10:14, Numbers 10:17, Numbers 10:21, Numbers 10:25, Numbers 10:29, Numbers 10:33, Numbers 10:34, Numbers 10:35, Numbers 10:36
Closing: Hear Moses’ words of trust
4 minRead verses 33–36 again. Emphasise that the ark of Yahweh’s covenant went before them to seek out a resting place, and the cloud of Yahweh was over them by day. Finish by hearing Moses’ two short prayers, one when the ark went forward and one when it rested. Invite children to say what these words show about dependence on Yahweh.
Numbers 10:33, Numbers 10:34, Numbers 10:35, Numbers 10:36
Questions to explore
What was the signal for Israel to begin this journey?
Look for the change above the tabernacle and the statement that they went forward by Yahweh’s commandment.
Numbers 10:11, Numbers 10:13
Which camp is named first, and which camp is called the rear guard?
Listen to the order of the standards and find the group at the front and the group at the back.
Numbers 10:14, Numbers 10:25
What two things in this passage show Yahweh leading the journey?
You might notice what went before the people and what stayed over them by day.
Numbers 10:33, Numbers 10:34
Make, think or respond
Journey Sequence Cards
What you’ll need
- Plain paper or card
- Pencils or textas
- Scissors
- Bible
Try it together
- Write or draw nine key moments from the passage on separate cards.
- Mix the cards and let children work in pairs to place them in order from Numbers 10:11 to Numbers 10:36.
- Ask each pair to explain one card by reading the matching verse aloud.
- As a group, check the full order and repeat the two prayers in verses 35 and 36.
This activity helps children trace the order of Israel’s journey and notice that Yahweh led them through the cloud, the ark going before them, and Moses’ prayers.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, use six cards instead of nine and add simple drawings such as a cloud, a tent, and a line of travellers.
- For older or confident readers, ask them to label each card with the exact verse reference and sort the tribe groups named in verses 14–27.
An optional closing prayer
‘Yahweh, thank you for showing your people the way to go. Please help us listen carefully to your word and trust you as we learn from this passage.’
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Numbers 10
11 In the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle of the covenant.
12 The children of Israel went forward on their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud stayed in the wilderness of Paran.
13 They first went forward according to the commandment of Yahweh by Moses.
14 First, the standard of the camp of the children of Judah went forward according to their armies. Nahshon the son of Amminadab was over his army.
15 Nethanel the son of Zuar was over the army of the tribe of the children of Issachar.
16 Eliab the son of Helon was over the army of the tribe of the children of Zebulun.
17 The tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, who bore the tabernacle, went forward.
18 The standard of the camp of Reuben went forward according to their armies. Elizur the son of Shedeur was over his army.
19 Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai was over the army of the tribe of the children of Simeon.
20 Eliasaph the son of Deuel was over the army of the tribe of the children of Gad.
21 The Kohathites set forward, bearing the sanctuary. The others set up the tabernacle before they arrived.
22 The standard of the camp of the children of Ephraim set forward according to their armies. Elishama the son of Ammihud was over his army.
23 Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur was over the army of the tribe of the children of Manasseh.
24 Abidan the son of Gideoni was over the army of the tribe of the children of Benjamin.
25 The standard of the camp of the children of Dan, which was the rear guard of all the camps, set forward according to their armies. Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai was over his army.
26 Pagiel the son of Ochran was over the army of the tribe of the children of Asher.
27 Ahira the son of Enan was over the army of the tribe of the children of Naphtali.
28 Thus were the travels of the children of Israel according to their armies; and they went forward.
29 Moses said to Hobab, the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We are journeying to the place of which Yahweh said, ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us, and we will treat you well; for Yahweh has spoken good concerning Israel.”
30 He said to him, “I will not go; but I will depart to my own land, and to my relatives.”
31 Moses said, “Don’t leave us, please; because you know how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and you can be our eyes.
32 It shall be, if you go with us—yes, it shall be—that whatever good Yahweh does to us, we will do the same to you.”
33 They set forward from the Mount of Yahweh three days’ journey. The ark of Yahweh’s covenant went before them three days’ journey, to seek out a resting place for them.
34 The cloud of Yahweh was over them by day, when they set forward from the camp.
35 When the ark went forward, Moses said, “Rise up, Yahweh, and let your enemies be scattered! Let those who hate you flee before you!”
36 When it rested, he said, “Return, Yahweh, to the ten thousands of the thousands of Israel.”
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.