Numbers2
New American Standard
1Now the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,
2“The sons of Israel shall camp, each by his own flag, with the banners of their fathers’ households; they shall camp around the tent of meeting at a distance.
3Now those who camp on the east side toward the sunrise shall be of the flag of the camp of Judah, by their armies; and the leader of the sons of Judah: Nahshon the son of Amminadab,
4and his army, their numbered men: 74,600.
5Those who camp next to him shall be the tribe of Issachar; and the leader of the sons of Issachar: Nethanel the son of Zuar,
6and his army, their numbered men: 54,400.
7Then follows the tribe of Zebulun; and the leader of the sons of Zebulun: Eliab the son of Helon,
8and his army, his numbered men: 57,400.
9The total of the numbered men of the camp of Judah: 186,400, by their armies. They shall set out first.
10“On the south side shall be the flag of the camp of Reuben by their armies; and the leader of the sons of Reuben: Elizur the son of Shedeur,
11and his army, their numbered men: 46,500.
12And those who camp next to him shall be the tribe of Simeon; and the leader of the sons of Simeon: Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai,
13and his army, their numbered men: 59,300.
14Then follows the tribe of Gad; and the leader of the sons of Gad: Eliasaph the son of Deuel,
15and his army, their numbered men: 45,650.
16The total of the numbered men of the camp of Reuben: 151,450 by their armies. And they shall set out second.
17“Then the tent of meeting shall set out with the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camps; just as they camp, so they shall set out, every man in his place by their flags.
18“On the west side shall be the flag of the camp of Ephraim by their armies; and the leader of the sons of Ephraim: Elishama the son of Ammihud,
19and his army, their numbered men: 40,500.
20Next to him shall be the tribe of Manasseh; and the leader of the sons of Manasseh: Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur,
21and his army, their numbered men, 32,200.
22Then follows the tribe of Benjamin; and the leader of the sons of Benjamin: Abidan the son of Gideoni,
23and his army, their numbered men, 35,400.
24The total of the numbered men of the camp of Ephraim: 108,100, by their armies. And they shall set out third.
25“On the north side shall be the flag of the camp of Dan by their armies; and the leader of the sons of Dan: Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai,
26and his army, their numbered men: 62,700.
27Those who camp next to him shall be the tribe of Asher; and the leader of the sons of Asher: Pagiel the son of Ochran,
28and his army, their numbered men: 41,500.
29Then follows the tribe of Naphtali; and the leader of the sons of Naphtali: Ahira the son of Enan,
30and his army, their numbered men: 53,400.
31The total of the numbered men of the camp of Dan was 157,600. They shall set out last by their flags.”
32These are the numbered men of the sons of Israel by their fathers’ households; the total of the numbered men of the camps by their armies, 603,550.
33The Levites, however, were not counted among the sons of Israel, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
34So the sons of Israel did all this; according to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so they camped by their flags, and so they set out, everyone by his family according to his father’s household.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Numbers 2.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The order of the tribes in their tents. (1-34).
vv1-34
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, Col 2:5.
Key Words
דָבַר: perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue
מֹשֶׁה: Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver
אַהֲרוֹן: Aharon, the brother of Moses
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
יִשְׂרָאֵל: Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
חָנָה: properly, to incline; by implication, to decline (of the slanting rays of evening); specifically, to pitch atent; gen. to encamp (for abode or siege)
אִישׁ: a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
דֶּגֶל: a flag
אוֹת: a signal (literally or figuratively), as aflag, beacon, monument, omen, prodigy, evidence, etc.
Cross References
Numbers 2Establishes the 'far off' distance of 2000 cubits between the camp of Israel and the Ark.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Spiritual parallel to the order, beauty, and compact structure of the gospel church.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Nahshon, captain of Judah, is listed in the messianic genealogy of Jesus Christ.
Supported by JFB
Confirms the fulfillment of the marching order with Judah departing first.
Supported by JFB
Explains how the Levites set forward in the midst of the camps during journeys.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Details the sanctuary being carried in the midst, matching the encampment layout.
Supported by JFB
Ephraim is preferred before his older brother Manasseh, fulfilling Jacob's prophetic blessing.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Levites pitching around the Tabernacle explains why Israel pitched 'far off' to prevent wrath.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Judah's preeminence and standard (lion) relate to Jacob's blessing of the tribes.
Supported by JFB
Direct parallel linking the command to pitch by standards to the initial census.
Balaam's admiration of Israel's order when he saw them tents abiding by standards.
The total sum of the camps matches the exact military census figure.
Apostolic mandate that all things in the church should be done decently and in order.
Identifies the command exempting the Levites from the general military numbering.