Numbers 2

1 ADONAI said to Moshe and Aharon,

2 "The people of Isra'el are to set up camp by clans, each man with his own banner and under his clan's symbol; they are to camp around the tent of meeting, but at a distance.

3 "Those camping on the east side toward the sunrise are to be under the banner of the camp of Y'hudah; they are to camp according to companies; by tribe and leader they are as follows: Tribe Chief Number Y'hudah Nachshon the son of 'Amminadav 74,600 Yissakhar N'tan'el the son of Tzu'ar 54,400 Z'vulun Eli'av the son of Helon 57,400 Total 186,400 "This group is to set out first.

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10 "Those camping on the south are to be under the banner of the camp of Re'uven; they are to camp according to companies; by tribe and leader they are as follows: Tribe Chief Number Re'uven Elitzur the son of Sh'de'ur 46,500 Shim'on Shlumi'el the son of Tzurishaddai 59,300 Gad Elyasaf the son of Re'u'el 45,650 Total 151,450 "This group is to set out second.

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17 "Then the tent of meeting, with the camp of the L'vi'im, will set out, with the other camps in front and behind. They will go in the same order as their camps are set up - each man will go forward in his position, under his banner.

18 "Those camping on the west are to be under the banner of the camp of Efrayim; they are to camp according to companies; by tribe and leader they are as follows: Tribe Chief Number Efrayim Elishama the son of 'Ammihud 40,500 M'nasheh Gamli'el the son of P'dahtzur 32,200 Binyamin Avidan the son of Gid'oni 35,400 Total 108,100 "This group is to set out third.

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25 "Those camping on the north are to be under the banner of the camp of Dan; they are to camp according to companies; by tribe and leader they are as follows: Tribe Chief Number Dan Achi'ezer the son of 'Ammishaddai 62,700 Asher Pag'i'el the son of 'Okhran 41,500 Naftali Achira the son of 'Enan 53,400 Total 157,600 "This group is to set out last with their banners."

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32 These are the ones counted from the people of Isra'el by clans; the total number recorded in the camps, company by company, was 603,550.

33 But, as ADONAI ordered Moshe, the L'vi'im were not counted with the rest of Isra'el.

34 The people of Isra'el did everything ADONAI had ordered Moshe: they set up camp under their banners, and they set out, each according to his family and clan.

Numbers 2 Commentary

Chapter 2

The order of the tribes in their tents.

- The tribes were to encamp about the tabernacle, which was to be in the midst of them. It was a token of God's gracious presence. Yet they were to pitch their tents afar off, in reverence to the sanctuary. The children of Israel put themselves in their posts, without murmuring or disputing; and as it was their safety, so it was their beauty. It is our duty and interest to be contented with the place allotted to us, and to endeavour to occupy it in a proper manner, without envying or murmuring; without ambition or covetousness. Thus the gospel church ought to be compact, according to the Scripture model, every one knowing and keeping his place; and then all that wish well to the church rejoice, beholding their order, ( Colossians 2:5 ) .

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 2

This chapter contains the order of the encampment and march of the tribes of Israel in their proper places about the tabernacle; the general direction for the same is in Nu 1:1,2; the particulars follow; on the cast of the tabernacle the camp of Judah was to pitch, and under his standard the tribes of Issachar and Zebulun, Nu 1:3-9; on the south side of it the camp of Reuben, and under his standard the tribes of Simeon and Gad, Nu 1:10-16; then the tabernacle, with the camp of the Levites round it, were next, to stand or set forward, Nu 1:17; and on the west side the camp of Ephraim, and under his standard the tribes of Manasseh and Benjamin, Nu 1:18-24; and on the north side the camp of Dan, and under his standard the tribes of Asher and Naphtali, Nu 1:25-31; the sum total of the numbers of which camps are given, exclusive of the camp of Levi, Nu 1:32,33; and the chapter is concluded with observing, that all was done according to the commandment of God, Nu 1:34.