28 These were the departures of the Israelites according to their divisions; and so they set out.
29 Moses said to Hobab son of Reuel the Midianite, the father-in-law of Moses, “We are setting out to the place that Yahweh said, ‘I will give it to you’; go with us, and we will treat you well because Yahweh promised good concerning Israel.”
30 But he said to him, “I will not go. I will only go to my land and to my family.”
31 He said, “Please, do not abandon us because you know our encampment in the desert, and you should be our guide.
32 Moreover, if you go with us, the good that Yahweh will do to us we will do to you.”
33 And so they set out from the mountain of Yahweh a journey of three days, with the ark of the covenant of Yahweh setting out ahead of them three days’ journey to search out a resting place for them;
34 and the cloud of Yahweh was over them by day when they set out from the camp.