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TWO SILVER TRUMPETS
AND
RAM'S HORN (SHOFAR)



Two Silver Trumpets

Bible Usage
-
Silver Trumpets & Ram's Horn

Ram's Horn




When were Silver Trumpets blown?
When was the Ram's Horns blown?
There are various words used to describe the trumpets. So it is helpful to define these. Strong's References: - H2689 - a trumpet (from its sundered or quavering note) - H7782 - shofar or shophar - clear sound or curved horn rams horn? - H8643 - from 7321 - clamor, ie acclamation (joy or battle-cry), alarm, signal, shout, sound of tempest, blast of war. - H3104 - apparently from H2986; the blast of a horn (from its continuous sound); specifically, the signal of the silver trumpets; hence, the instrument itself and the festival thus introduced:- Jubilee, ram's horn, trumpet. [NB: The Strong's definition is in error when it makes reference to the 'signal of the silver trumpets'. The KJV translates this Hebrew word as 'Jubilee' 21 times, as 'rams horn' 5 times and as 'trumpet' 1 time. In Exod 19:13 (the only instance where it is translated 'trumpet') we have Exod 19:16 subsequently defining this trumpet as the 'shofar'. So, Strong's H3104 is never used to refer to the two silver trumpets! ]

THE TWO SILVER TRUMPETS


It was ordered that two silver trumpets were to be made.

    Num   10:1   And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
            :2   Make two silver trumpets (H2689) for yourself;
                 you shall make them of hammered work; ...


The silver trumpets were used as follows.

- Blown twice to cause the gathering of all the congregation.

- Blown once to cause the gathering of just the leaders.

- The sounding of the advance/movement of the camps.

- When going to war in your land against an oppressing army
  (So as to be remembered by God.)

- On the Day of Gladness blow the trumpets,
  i.e. Passover 14th day.

- On the appointments of you.
  The appointments are mentioned in Leviticus chapter 23. 

- At the beginning ('head of') of the ceremonial 'New Moons' (ie,
  the six annual 'no servile work' days (partial Sabbath rest days)
  which are mentioned in Leviticus chapter 23.
     [NB: 1) Unfortunately many do not realise 'New Moon' days were
             the ceremonial New Moon days and not the actual days
             which initiated each of the calendar months.
          2) The Day of Atonement requires a full Sabbath rest
             - so it is not a ceremonial 'New Moon' day. ]


    Num   10:2   ... you shall use them for calling the congregation
                 and for directing the movement of the camps.
            :3   When they blow both of them, all the congregation
                 shall gather before you at the door of the tabernacle
                 of meeting.
            :4   But if they blow only one, then the leaders, the
                 heads of the divisions of Israel, shall gather to you.
            :5   When you sound the advance, the camps that lie on the
                 east side shall then begin their journey.
            :6   When you sound the advance the second time, then camps
                 that lie on the south side shall begin their journey;
                 they shall sound the call for them to begin their
                 journeys.
            :7   And when the assembly is to be gathered together, you
                 shall blow, but not sound the advance.
            :8   The sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the
                 trumpets; and these shall be to you as an ordinance
                 forever throughout your generations.
            :9   When you go to war in your land against the enemy
                 who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with
                 the trumpets, and you will be remembered before the
                 Lord your God, and you will be saved from your enemies. 
            :10  Also in the day of your gladness, in your appointed
                 feasts, and at the beginning of your months (New Moons),
                 you shall blow the trumpets (H2689) over your burnt
                 offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace
                 offerings; and they shall be a memorial for you before
                 your God: I am the Lord your God.


  Numbers 10:10 lists three occasions;

          1) The 14th Passover,
          2) The appointments (listed in Leviticus chapter 23), and
          3) The ceremonial 'New Moons'.

  There initially appears to be significant overlap with these criteria.
  For example Passover is listed in Leviticus chapter 23. Leviticus 23
  also lists the ceremonial New Moon days.

  The explanation is that the Leviticus appointments were occasions that
  were celebrated at sunset. For these appointments, reference was only
  being made to the trumpets being blown over the evening offerings.

  Upon these days (the 14th Passover and the six ceremonial New Moon
  days) the silver trumpets were also to be blown in the morning!



THE MORNING - SILVER TRUMPETS

   Silver trumpets were blown twice early in the morning on the
   following days.


 - Passover (temple Passover)                    - 14th    first month
 - first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread    - 15th    first month
 - seventh day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread  - 21st    first month
 - Feast of Weeks                                - varies  third month 
 - Day of Trumpets                               -  1st  seventh month
 - first day of the Feast of Tabernacles         - 15th  seventh month
 - Last Day                                      - 22nd  seventh month


   Firstly over the morning burnt offerings and then again over
   the subsequent morning peace offerings.
     [NB: Burnt offerings were to be first burnt on the altar.
          Then the Peace offerings, Lev 3:1-5. The fire of this
          altar was not to go out, Lev 6:12-13.]
 


NB: The Silver trumpets would have been heard only in (or around)
    Jerusalem.



Confirms they were to blown over the offerings.

    2Chr  29:27  Then Hezekiah commanded them to offer the burnt offering
                 on the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song
                 of the Lord also began, with the trumpets (H2689) and
                 with the instruments of David king of Israel.


The silver trumpets were also known as the signal trumpets.

    Num   31:6   Then Moses sent them to the war, one thousand from each
                 tribe; he sent them to the war with Phinehas the son of
                 Eleazar the priest, with the holy articles and the signal
                 trumpets (H2689) in his hand.


The silver trumpets were to be blown by the sons of Aaron, ie the priests.

    Num   10:8   The sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets
                 (H2689); and these shall be to you as an ordinance
                 forever throughout your generations.

    1Chr  16:6   Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests regularly blew the
                 trumpets(H2689) before the ark of the covenant of God.

                 Another verse indicating the priests blew these trumpets.
                 Trumpeters were standing by the king.

                 2Kin  11:14  When she looked, there was the king standing
                              by a pillar according to custom; and the
                              leaders and the trumpeters (H2689) were by
                              the king. All the people of the land were
                              rejoicing and blowing trumpets (H2689).
                              So Athaliah tore her clothes and cried out,
                              "Treason! Treason!" 


THE RAM'S HORN


1) At the time of a particular New Moon.

    Psa   81:3   Blow (H8628) the trumpet (shofar) at the new moon,
    (NASB)       At the full moon, on our feast day.

    Psa   81:3   Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the
    (KJV)        time appointed, on our solemn feast day.

   NB: 1) Notice the difference, 'full moon' in NASB and in
          many other translations, but 'time appointed' in
          the KJV translation.
       2) The word here for 'blow' is H8628 and means to
          make a 'clang', a noise.


    To which of the festival days is this verse alluding?
    The following verses discuss a specific day.

    Lev   23:24  Speak to the children of Israel, saying: 'In the seventh
                 month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a
                 sabbath-rest, a memorial of blowing (H8643) of trumpets,
                 a holy convocation.


    Num   29:1   And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month,
                 you shall have a holy convocation. You shall do no
                 customary work. For you it is a day of blowing (H8643)
                 the trumpets.

                 NB: For both these verses the word 'trumpets'
                     is not present in the Hebrew text.

    The shofar was to be blown on the ceremonial New Moon day which
    was observed on the 1st day of the 7th month.


2) With the Approaching of the Year of Jubilee.

    Lev   25:9   Then you shall cause the trumpet (shofar) of the
                 Jubilee (H8643 - "blast") to sound on the tenth day
                 of the seventh month; on the Day of Atonement you
                 shall make the trumpet (shofar) to sound throughout
                 all your land.
            :10  And you shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and
                 proclaim liberty throughout all the land to all
                 its inhabitants. It shall be a Jubilee for you;
                 and each of you shall return to his possession,
                 and each of you shall return to his family. 


Verse 10 states 'consecrate the fiftieth year'. This indicates that they
are 'setting apart' the following year as special.



RAM'S HORN - CEREMONIAL
Annually:

 - Day of Trumpets                               -  1st seventh month


Prior to the Jubilee Year:

 - Day of Atonement                              - 10th seventh month



The text of Leviticus 25 is clearly implying the existence of an
'agricultural year'. A year which begins prior to the sowing of the
grain and ends some time after the gathering of the grapes.

The existence of such a 'year' is also implied by the following verses.
These verses place the 7th month festival at the end of such a year.

    Exod  23:16   and the Feast of Harvest, the firstfruits of your
                  labors which you have sown in the field; and the
                  Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year, when
                  you have gathered in the fruit of your labors
                  from the field.

    Exod  34:22   "And you shall observe the Feast of Weeks,
                  of the firstfruits of wheat harvest, and the
                  Feast of Ingathering at the year's end."

                  [NB: The Feast of Ingathering is another name for
                       the Feast of Tabernacles. The festival held
                       in the seventh month. ]

There is a lack of a clear starting point for the agricultural year.
However, it is clear that its beginning is associated with the sowing
of the grain. This occurring some time after 7th month festival (to
ensure the grain harvest would be ready for harvesting in Spring).

There appears to be no set months specified for this 'agricultural
year'.

   [ NB: The Jewish teaching that the 'second form' of year
         started with the beginning of the 7th month is
         without any Scriptural support. ]


TIMES THE 'SHOFAR' WAS HEARD


At Mt Sinai.

    Exod  19:13  ... When the trumpet (H3104) sounds long, they shall
                 come near the mountain.
          19:16  Then it came to pass on the third day, in the morning,
                 that there were thunderings and lightnings, and a
                 thick cloud on the mountain; and the sound of the
                 trumpet (shofar) was very loud, so that all the people
                 who were in the camp trembled. 

                 [NB: This 'third day' occurs after;
                      1) Moses goes up the mountain to talk to God,
                      2) Moses calls for the elders and presents the
                         agreement before them,
                      3) Moses advises God the elders have agreed,
                         and
                      4) After the passing of a further two days.
                      Refer Exodus 19:3-11.
                      It is quite possible that the 'third day'
                      does not occur until the seventh month. ]


At Jericho. (Plural usage.)

    Josh   6:4   "And seven priests shall bear seven trumpets (shofars)
                 of rams' horns (H3104) before the ark. But the seventh
                 day you shall march around the city seven times, and
                 the priests shall blow the trumpets (shofars).
             :5  It shall come to pass, when they make a long blast
                 with the ram's horn (H3104), and when you hear the
                 sound of the trumpet (shofar), that all the people
                 shall shout with a great shout; then the wall of the
                 city will fall down flat. And the people shall go up
                 every man straight before him."

    Josh   6:8   So it was, when Joshua had spoken to the people, that
                 the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets (shofars)
                 of rams' horns (H3104) before the Lord advanced and
                 blew the trumpets (shofars), and the ark of the
                 covenant of the Lord followed them. 


When Ehud subdued Moab.

    Judg  3:27   And it happened, when he (Ehud) arrived, that he blew
                 the trumpet (shofar) in the mountains of Ephraim, and
                 the children of Israel went down with him from the
                 mountains; and he led them.


At the time of Gideon's (Jerubbaal's) triumph with 300 men.

    Judg  6:34   But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon; then he
                 blew the trumpet (shofar), and the Abiezrites gathered
                 behind him.
          7:22   When the three hundred blew the trumpets (shofars),
                 the Lord set every man's sword against his companion
                 throughout the whole camp; and the army fled to Beth
                 Acacia, toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel
                 Meholah, by Tabbath. 


Saul, in the second year after being anointed by Samuel (after having
been formally crowned king), organised an attack against the Philistines.

    1Sam  13:3   And Jonathan attacked the garrison of the Philistines
                 that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it.
                 Then Saul blew the trumpet (shofar) throughout all
                 the land, saying, "Let the Hebrews hear!

                 [NB: An obvious reference to the start of
                      a Jubilee year. ]


After the death of Saul and the crowning of Saul's son Ishbosheth.
During conflict between the armies of David and Ishbosheth.

    2Sam   2:27  And Joab said, "As God lives, unless you had spoken,
                 surely then by morning all the people would have
                 given up pursuing their brethren."
            :28  So Joab blew a trumpet (shofar), and all the people
                 stood still, and pursued after Israel no more,
                 neither fought they any more.


When the ark of the covenant was brought to Jerusalem.

    2Sam   6:15  So David and all the house of Israel brought up the
                 ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of
                 the trumpet (shofar).

    1Chr  15:28  Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant
                 of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the
                 horn (shofar), with trumpets (H2689) and with cymbals,
                 making music with stringed instruments and harps. 


When Absalom rebelled against David.

    2Sam  15:10  Then Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes
                 of Israel, saying, "As soon as you hear the sound
                 of the trumpet (shofar), then you shall say,
                 'Absalom reigns in Hebron!'"

                 Also at the time of Absalom's death.

                 2Sam  18:16  So Joab blew the trumpet (shofar),
                              and the people returned from pursuing
                              Israel. For Joab held back the people.

                 And the subsequent rebellion of Sheba.

                 2Sam  20:1   And there happened to be there a rebel,
                              whose name was Sheba the son of Bichri,
                              a Benjamite. And he blew a trumpet,
                              (shofar) and said: "We have no share
                              in David, nor do we have inheritance
                              in the son of Jesse; every man to his
                              tents, O Israel!"
                         :22  Then the woman in her wisdom went to
                              all the people. And they cut off the
                              head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and
                              threw it out to Joab. Then he blew a
                              trumpet (shofar), and they withdrew
                              from the city, every man to his tent.
                              So Joab returned to the king at
                              Jerusalem.


At the anointing of King Solomon (while David still living).

    1Kin   1:39  Then Zadok the priest took a horn of oil from the
                 tabernacle and anointed Solomon. And they blew
                 the horn (shofar), and all the people said,
                 "Long live King Solomon!"


Jehu declared King of Israel.

    2Kin   9:13  Then they hurried, and each man took his garment
                 and put it under him on the bare steps, and blew
                 the trumpet (shofar), saying, "Jehu is king!"
                 (NASB)


Asa's covenant renewal at Jerusalem (month the third, year fifteen).

    2Chr  15:14  Then they took an oath before the LORD with a
                 loud voice, with shouting and trumpets (H2689)
                 and rams' horns (shofars).


Repair of the wall of Jerusalem.

    Neh    4:18  Every one of the builders had his sword girded at
                 his side as he built. And the one who sounded the
                 trumpet (shofar) was beside me.
            :20  "Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, 
                 (shofar) rally to us there. Our God will fight
                 for us."






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