Numbers 2

1 And the Lord spake to Moses and to Aaron, and said,

2 All men of the sons of Israel shall set tents by the companies, signs, and banners, and houses of their kindreds, by compass of the tabernacle of [the] bond of peace. (All the men of the Israelites shall pitch their tents by the companies, signs, and banners, and houses of their kindreds, around the Tabernacle of the Covenant, that is, the Tabernacle of the Witnessing.)

3 At the east Judah shall set tents, by the companies of his host; and Nahshon, the son of Amminadab, shall be prince of the sons of Judah; (On the east side, the sons of Judah shall pitch their tents, by the companies of its army; and Nahshon, the son of Amminadab, shall be the leader of the sons of Judah;)

4 and all the number of fighters of his kindred, four and seventy thousand and six hundred. (and the number of all the fighters in his army, was seventy-four thousand and six hundred.)

5 Men of the lineage of Issachar setted tents beside him, of which the prince was Nethaneel, the son of Zuar;

6 and all the number of his fighters, four and fifty thousand and four hundred. (and the number of all the fighters in his army, was fifty-four thousand and four hundred.)

7 Eliab, the son of Helon, was prince of the lineage of Zebulun;

8 all the host of fighters of his kindred, seven and fifty thousand and four hundred. (and the number of all the fighters in his army, was fifty-seven thousand and four hundred.)

9 (So) All that were numbered in the tents of Judah, were an hundred thousand and fourscore thousand and six (thousand) and four hundred; and they shall go out first by their companies.

10 In the tents of the sons of Reuben, at the south coast, Elizur, the son of Shedeur, shall be prince; (On the south side, the sons of Reuben shall pitch their tents, and Elizur, the son of Shedeur, shall be their leader;)

11 and all the host of his fighters, that were numbered, six and forty thousand and five hundred. (and the number of all the fighters in his army, was forty-six thousand and five hundred.)

12 Men of the lineage of Simeon setted tents beside him, of which the prince was Shelumiel, the son of Zurishaddai;

13 and all the host of his fighters, that were numbered, nine and fifty thousand and three hundred. (and the number of all the fighters in his army, was fifty-nine thousand and three hundred.)

14 Eliasaph, the son of Reuel, was prince in the lineage of Gad;

15 and all the host of his fighters, that were numbered, five and forty thousand and six hundred and fifty. (and the number of all the fighters in his army, was forty-five thousand and six hundred and fifty.)

16 All that were numbered of the tents of Reuben (So all who were numbered in the tents of Reuben), (were) an hundred thousand and fifty thousand and one thousand and four hundred and fifty; they shall go forth in the second place by their companies.

17 Soothly the tabernacle of witnessing shall be raised up by the offices of deacons, and by their companies; as it shall be raised up by them, so it shall be taken down by them; all they shall go forth by their places and orders. (The Tabernacle of the Witnessing shall be raised up by the companies of the Levites; it shall be raised up by them, and it shall be taken down by them; and they all shall go forth in their proper place and order.)

18 The tents of the sons of Ephraim shall be at the west coast, of which the prince was Elishama, the son of Ammihud; (On the west side, the sons of Ephraim shall pitch their tents, and Elishama, the son of Amnmihud, shall be their leader;)

19 and all the host of his fighters, that were numbered, forty thousand and five hundred. (and the number of all the fighters in his army, was forty thousand and five hundred.)

20 And with them was the lineage of the sons of Manasseh, of which the prince was Gamaliel, the son of Pedahzur;

21 all the host of his fighters, that were numbered, were two and thirty thousand and two hundred. (and the number of all the fighters in his army, was thirty-two thousand and two hundred.)

22 In the lineage of the sons of Benjamin, the prince was Abidan, the son of Gideoni;

23 and all the host of his fighters, that were numbered, were five and thirty thousand and four hundred. (and the number of all the fighters in his army, was thirty-five thousand and four hundred.)

24 (So) All men that were numbered in the tents of Ephraim were an hundred thousand and eight thousand and one hundred; they shall go forth in the third place by their companies.

25 At the north coast the sons of Dan setted tents, of which the prince was Ahiezer, the son of Ammishaddai; (And on the north side, the sons of Dan shall pitch their tents, and Ahiezer, the son of Ammishaddai, shall be their leader;)

26 all the host of his fighters, that were numbered, were two and sixty thousand and seven hundred. (and the number of all the fighters in his army, was sixty-two thousand and seven hundred.)

27 And men of the lineage of Asher setted tents beside him, of which the prince was Pagiel, the son of Ocran;

28 and all the host of his fighters, that were numbered, were one and forty thousand and five hundred. (and the number of all the fighters in his army, was forty-one thousand and five hundred.)

29 Of the lineage of the sons of Naphtali, the prince was Ahira, the son of Enan; (In the tribe of the sons of Naphtali, the leader was Ahira, the son of Enan;)

30 and all the host of his fighters, (that were numbered), were three and fifty thousand and four hundred. (and the number of all the fighters in his army, was fifty-three thousand and four hundred.)

31 (So) All that were numbered in the tents of Dan were an hundred thousand and seven (thousand) and fifty thousand and six hundred; they shall go forth the last.

32 This is the number of the sons of Israel, by the houses of their kindreds, and by companies of the host parted, six hundred thousand and three thousand five hundred and fifty. (And so the number of the Israelites, by the houses of their kindreds, and by the companies of each of their separate armies, was six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty.)

33 Soothly the deacons were not numbered among the sons of Israel; for God commanded so to Moses. (But the Levites were not listed, or were not registered, among the Israelites; for God had so commanded to Moses.)

34 And the sons of Israel did by all things which the Lord commanded; they setted tents by their companies, and they went forth by the families, and houses of their fathers. (And the Israelites did all the things that the Lord commanded; they pitched their tents by their companies, and they went forth by their families, and the houses of their fathers.)

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.