Numbers 10:35

“And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, etc.] Carried by the Kohathites, (<041021>Numbers 10:21); that Moses said; in prayer, as both the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem express it; and it was a prayer of faith, and prophetic of what would be done, and might serve greatly to encourage and animate the children of Israel in their journeys; for the following prayer was put up not only at this time, but at all times when the ark set forward; and so Ben Gersom says, it was the custom of Moses, at whatsoever time the ark was moved, to pray as follows: rise up, Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered; the Jerusalem Targum is, “rise up now, O Word of the Lord;” and the Targum of Jonathan,…”

“when the ark set forward that Moses said, Rise up, Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered--Moses, as the organ of the people, uttered an appropriate prayer both at the commencement and the end of each journey. Thus all the journeys were sanctified by devotion; and so should our prayer be, "If thy presence go not with us, carry us not hence" [Exo 33:15]. Next: Numbers Chapter 11”

“Each forward movement and each rest of the ark was made to bear a sacramental character. The one betokened the going forth of God against His enemies; the other, His gathering of His own people to Himself: the one was the pledge of victory, the other the earnest of repose. Numbers 10:36 may be translated: “Restore” (i. e. to the land which their fathers sojourned in), “O Lord, the ten thousands of the thousands of Israel.” (Compare Psalms 85:4, where the verb in the Hebrew is the same.) return to 'Top of Page' Footnotes: Copyright Statement These files are public domain. Bibliographical Information Barnes, Albert. "Commentary on Numbers 10". "Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible".…”

“10:35 Moses’ invocation, spoken when the Ark set out, acknowledged the Lord as a warrior who would give Israel the Promised Land and called him to fight Israel’s battles (cp. Ps 68:1).”

“Lord: Psa 68:1, Psa 68:2, Psa 132:8; Isa 51:9 Numbers 10:36”

“In Num 10:35 and Num 10:36, the words which Moses was in the habit of uttering, both when the ark removed and when it came to rest again, are given not only as a proof of the joyous confidence of Moses, but as an encouragement to the congregation to cherish the same believing confidence. When breaking up, he said, "Rise up, Jehovah! that Thine enemies may be scattered, and they that hate Thee may flee before Thy face;" and when it rested, "Return, Jehovah, to the ten thousand thousands of Israel!" Moses could speak in this way, because he knew that Jehovah and the ark of the covenant were inseparably connected, and saw in the ark of the covenant, as the throne of Jehovah, a material pledge…”