1The order of the tribes in their tents and in their marches. 3Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, on the east; the first division. 10Reuben, Simeon, Gad, on the south; the second division. 17The place of the tabernacle with the Levites in the midst. 18Ephraim, Manasseh, Benjamin, on the west; the third division. 25On the north, Dan, Asher, Naphtali; these bring up the rear. 32Recapitulation.
1AND the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
2Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own 1standard, with the 2ensign of their father's house: far off 3about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch.
1 Of these there were four, as appears by verses 3, 10, 18, 25. They were divided according to the four parts of the world. Under each standard there were three tribes, whereof one was the chief, as Judah, Reuben, Ephraim and Dan. Judah was camped eastward, together with Issachar and Zebulon; Reuben, southwards, with Simeon and Gad; Ephraim, westward, with Manasseh and Benjamin; Dan, northwards, with Asher and Naphtali. See the magnitude of everyone’s host, verses 9, 16, 24, 31.
2 It appears from this that, besides the four main ensigns, there were likewise other smaller ensigns made use of according to the greatness or number of the families.
3 It is perceived that the tribes camped themselves round about the tabernacle at a distance of about 2,000 cubits, and that from which is related in Joshua 3:4. Now the priests and the Levites, according to their order, camped between the camps of the tribes and the tabernacle, verse 17; Num. 1:53. Moses and Aaron were on the east side, the Gershonites on the west side, the Kohathites on the south side, and the Merarites on the north side of the tabernacle.
3And on the east side 4toward the rising of the sun shall they of the standard of the camp of Judah pitch throughout their armies: and Nahshon the son of Amminadab shall be captain of the children of Judah.
4 Or, eastward.
4And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were threescore and fourteen thousand and six hundred.
5And those that do pitch next unto him shall be the tribe of Issachar: and Nethaneel the son of Zuar shall be captain of the children of Issachar.
6And his host, and those that were numbered thereof, were fifty and four thousand and four hundred.
75Then 6the tribe of Zebulun: and Eliab the son of Helon shall be captain of the children of Zebulun.
5 This word is inserted here from the verses 14, 22, 29.
6 Namely, shall camp themselves beside, as in verses 5, 12, etc.
8And his host, and those that were numbered thereof, were fifty and seven thousand and four hundred.
9All that were numbered in the camp 7of Judah were an 8hundred thousand and fourscore thousand and six thousand and four hundred, throughout their armies. These shall 9first set forth.
7 Including those of the tribes of Issachar and Zebulon, whereof Judah was the most important one. And so afterwards for the others, as the camp of Reuben, verse 16; of Ephraim, verse 24; of Dan, verse 31.
8 Hebr. hundred thousand and eighty thousand and six thousand.
9 That is, have the vanguard in the journey.
10¶On the south side shall be the standard of the camp of Reuben according to their armies: and the captain of the children of Reuben shall be Elizur the son of Shedeur.
11And his host, and those that were numbered thereof, were forty and six thousand and five hundred.
12And those which pitch by him shall be the tribe of Simeon: and the captain of the children of Simeon shall be Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.
13And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were fifty and nine thousand and three hundred.
14Then the tribe of Gad: and the captain of the sons of Gad shall be Eliasaph the son of 10Reuel.
10 In Num. 1:14 he is called Deuel.
15And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were forty and five thousand and six hundred and fifty.
16All that were numbered in the camp of Reuben were an hundred thousand and fifty and one thousand and four hundred and fifty, throughout their armies. And they shall set forth in the 11second rank.
11 That is, shall have the second rank in the journey.
17¶Then the tabernacle of the congregation shall set forward with the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camp: as they encamp, so shall they set forward, every man 12in his place by their standards.
12 Hebr. at his hand, that is, at his place or side. Understand the sides of the tent of the congregation, which were four, being three tribes in each, round about the tabernacle, and the Levites between both. See on verse 2.
18 ¶ 13On the west side shall be the standard of the camp of Ephraim according to their armies: and the captain of the sons of Ephraim shall be Elishama the son of Ammihud.
13 Hebr. seawards. See Gen. 12 on verse 8 and Num. 3:23.
19And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were forty thousand and five hundred.
20And by him shall be the 14tribe of Manasseh: and the captain of the children of Manasseh shall be Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.
14 Namely, shall camp itself, as verses 7, 22.
21And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were thirty and two thousand and two hundred.
2215Then the tribe of Benjamin: and the captain of the sons of Benjamin shall be Abidan the son of Gideoni.
15 See on verse 7.
23And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were thirty and five thousand and four hundred.
24All that were numbered of the camp of Ephraim were an 16hundred thousand and eight thousand and an hundred, throughout their armies. And they shall go forward in the 17third rank.
16 Hebr. hundred thousand and eight thousand. Compare verse 9.
17 That is, shall have the third rank in the journey.
25¶The standard of the camp of Dan shall be on the north side by their armies: and the captain of the children of Dan shall be Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.
26And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were threescore and two thousand and seven hundred.
27And those that encamp by him shall be the tribe of Asher: and the captain of the children of Asher shall be Pagiel the son of Ocran.
28And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were forty and one thousand and five hundred.
29¶Then the tribe of Naphtali: and the captain of the children of Naphtali shall be Ahira the son of Enan.
30And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were fifty and three thousand and four hundred.
31All they that were numbered in the camp of Dan were an hundred thousand and fifty and seven thousand and six hundred. They shall go 18hindmost with their standards.
18 That is, shall spend in travelling the rear.
32¶These are those which were numbered of the children of Israel by the house of their fathers: all those that were numbered of the camps throughout their hosts were sixa hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty.
a Exod. 38:26; Num. 1:46.
33But the Levites were not numbered 19among the children of Israel; asb the LORD commanded Moses.
19 Hebr. in the midst of the sons of Israel.
b Num. 1:48, 49.
34And the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses: so they pitched by their standards, and so they set forward, every one after their families, according to the house of their fathers.