The Fourth Book of Moses, called Numbers
Numbers 2
Chapter II · Vol. I, pp. 415–417
The order of the tribes in their tents.
1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses, and unto Aaron, saying,
2 Everya man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard,1 with the ensign of their father's house: far off2 about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch.3
a ch. 1.52. 1 Co. 14.33, 40. Phi. 1.27. Col. 2.5, 19. Eze. 43.7. Ps. 76.11. Re. 4.2-4.
1 Moses does not inform us what the standard or ensign was. The Jewish rabbis, however, who may sometimes be safely followed, inform us that the ensign of Judah was a lion, of Ephraim an ox, of Reuben a man, and of Dan an eagle. This description is somewhat countenanced by the vision of the cherubim, Eze. 1.10, and still further by the vision of the throne of God, Re. 4.7. Still, as the Scriptures are silent, we may not positively affirm, nor draw any doctrine from these alleged figures; but with certainty we may consider the standard and ensign as a prophetic emblem of 'that day when there shall be a root of Jesse, who shall stand for an ensign of the people,' Is. 11.10, and of that gracious promise to his church still in the wilderness, that, 'when the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him,' Is. 59.19. C.—The 'standard' was the banner of each of the four great divisions of the Israelites mentioned below, while 'the ensign' was the smaller flag borne at the head of each subdivision of a tribe.—P.
A.M. 2514. B.C. 1490.
2 Heb. over against.
3 The Israelites, it appears, encamped in four great divisions, with the tabernacle in the centre. The form of the camp was quadrangular, containing, according to the most careful calculations, something more than 12 square miles. Under each of the four divisions three tribes were placed under one general standard. Between these four great camps and the tabernacle were pitched four smaller camps of the priests and Levites, who were in immediate attendance upon it; the camp of Moses and of Aaron and his sons being on the east side of the tabernacle, where the entrance to it was. Judah was placed on the east, and under him he had Issachar and Zebulun. On the south was Reuben, and under him Simeon and Gad. On the west was Ephraim, and under him Manasseh and Benjamin. On the north was Dan, and under him Asher and Naphtali. Every tribe had its particular standard, probably with the name of the tribe embroidered in large letters. See Josephus' Ant. i. xviii. c. 7.—I.
3 And b on the east side, toward 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.
b Ge. 49.8-10. ch. 10.14-16; 1.26-31; 26.19-22.
4 And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were threescore and fourteen thousand and six hundred.
5 Andc 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.
c ch. 1.28, 29; 10.15; 26.23-25.
6 And his host, and those that were numbered thereof, were fifty and four thousand and four hundred.
7 Thend the tribe of Zebulun: and Eliab the son of Helon shall be captain of the children of Zebulun.
d ch. 1.30, 31; 10.16; 26.26, 27.
8 And his host, and those that were numbered thereof, were fifty and seven thousand and four hundred.
9 All that were numbered in the camp of Judah were an hundred thousand, and fourscore thousand, and six thousand and four hundred, throughout their armies: these shall first set forth.4
4 The prescribed order of encampment was to regulate the order of march. Judah and the other two tribes attached to his banner marching first, Reuben and those attached to his banner marching next, and so forth, as is afterwards specified.—I.
10 On the e south side shall be the standard of the camp5 of Reuben, according to their armies: and the captain of the children of Reuben shall be Elizur the son of Shedeur.
e ch. 1.20-25; 10.18-20; 26.5-7.
5 There is nothing to be observed respecting this camp, but that the tribe of Reuben had the honour to pitch in the midst of it; and the tribes of Simeon and Gad lay on either side of him under his standard or banner, just as Issachar and Zebulun did on either side of Judah. 'There was,' says Patrick, 'an evident congruity in this, Simeon being his next brother, and Gad the eldest son of Zilpah, the handmaid of their mother Leah, Ge. 30.10, 11.'—I.
11 And his host, and those that were numbered thereof, were forty and six thousand and five hundred.
12 Andf 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.
f ch. 1.22, 23; 10.19; 26.12-14.
13 And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were fifty and nine thousand and three hundred.
14 Theng the tribe of Gad: and the captain of the sons of Gad shall be Eliasaph the son of h Reuel.6
g ch. 1.24, 25; 10.20; 26.15-18.
h Or, Deuel, ch. 1.14; 7.42, 47; 10.20.
6 Deuel, not Reuel, seems to be the name of the person here spoken of. He is so called, ch. 1.14; 7.42; 10.20. There is little doubt that Deuel is here the proper reading. It is supported by the Arabic and Vulgate versions, and by the authority of many Hebrew MSS.—I.
15 And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were forty and five thousand and six hundred and fifty.
16 All 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 second rank.
17 Theni the tabernacle of the congregation shall set forward, with the camp of the Levites7 in the midst of the camp; as they encamp, so shall they set forward, every man in his place, by their standards.
A.M. 2514. B.C. 1490.
i ver. 2; ch. 10.17, 21; 3.38. 1 Co. 14.40. Col. 2.5.
7 After the forenamed camps, the tabernacle was to follow, between those two that went before, and the camp of Ephraim and the camp of Dan that came after. They did not therefore march as they lay pitched; for then there was a camp on each side of the tabernacle: whereas when they marched there was none on the sides, but two camps went before it, and two followed it. It is said, 'as they encamp so shall they set forward,' which may refer either to the Levites, the sons of Kohath, or to the two camps forenamed, enjoining that they should march in the same order in which they lay encamped, Judah, e.g. in the midst of Issachar and Zebulun, they being either before and behind, or on either side of him.—I.
18 On k 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.
k ch. 1.32-37; 10.22-24; 26.35-37. Ps. 80.1; 2.
19 And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were forty thousand and five hundred.
20 Andl by him shall be the tribe of Manasseh: and the captain of the children of Manasseh shall be Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.
l ch. 1.34, 35; 10.23; 26.28-34.
21 And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were thirty and two thousand and two hundred.
22 Thenm the tribe of Benjamin: and the captain of the sons of Benjamin shall be Abidan the son of Gideoni.
m ch. 1.36, 37; 10.24; 26.38-41.
23 And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were thirty and five thousand and four hundred.
24 All that were numbered of the camp of Ephraim were an hundred thousand, and eight thousand and an hundred, throughout their armies: and they shall go forward in the third rank.
25 Then 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.
n ch. 1.38-43; 10.25-27; 26.42, 43.
26 And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were threescore and two thousand and seven hundred.
27 Ando 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.
o ch. 1.40, 41; 10.26; 26.44-47.
28 And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were forty and one thousand and five hundred.
29 Thenp the tribe of Naphtali: and the captain of the children of Naphtali shall be Ahira the son of Enan.
p ch. 1.42, 43; 10.27; 26.48-50. These three tribes were the descendants of Jacob's concubines, and so less honourable.
30 And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were fifty and three thousand and four hundred.
31 All they that were numbered in the camp of Dan were an hundred thousand, and fifty and seven thousand and six hundred: they shall go hindmost with their standards.8
8 The order of encamping and marching as here prescribed, is briefly as follows:—Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun encamped on the east of the tabernacle; Reuben, Simeon, and Gad on the south; Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin on the west; and Dan, Asher, and Naphtali on the north. The tabernacle was placed in the centre of a hollow square; but between it and the general encampment were four divisions of the tribe of Levi: the sons of Aaron on the east, before the door; the Gershonites on the west; the Kohathites on the south; and the Merarites on the north. When the camp was broken up the order of march was as follows:—The division of Judah led the van; Reuben with his division followed. Then came the tabernacle surrounded by the Levites. Next followed the division of Ephraim, and the division of Dan formed the rere-guard.—P.
32 Theseq 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 six hundred thousand, and three thousand and five hundred and fifty.
33 But the Levites were not numbered among the children of Israel; as the LORD commanded Moses.
34 And the children of Israel did r according to all that the LORD commanded Moses: so they s pitched by their standards, and so they set forward, every one after their families, according to the house of their fathers.
A.M. 2514. B.C. 1490.
r Ex. 23.21, 22; 39.42. Ps. 119.6. Lu. 1.6.
s ver. 2; ch. 23.9, 10, 21; 24.5, 6. Ca. 6.4. Col. 2.5, 6. Phi. 1.27. 1 Co. 14.33, 40.
Notes
[Ver. 3. From Ge. 17.5, in the instance of Abram changed to Abraham, we learn the doctrinal and prophetic intent of Scripture names. This is farther illustrated, Ge. 32.28, in the case of Jacob changed to Israel. It is applied in the name of Jesus, given to our Lord, Mat. 1.21, 23, and is applied in the case of Melchisedec, He. 7.1, 2, which Paul interprets as descriptive of his office. It is therefore right to examine what religious truth, or practical duty, or prophetical encouragement, was couched in the names of the tribes and princes.—Judah, praise of the Lord. Nahshon, experience. Amminadab, my noble people. Issachar, price, reward. Nethaneel, the gift of God. Zuar, small. Zebulun, habitation. Eliab, God my father. Helon, a traveller. Reuben, vision of the son. Elizur, the rock is my God. Shedeur, light from the Almighty. Simeon, he that hears, obeys. Shelumiel, God is my reward. Zurishaddai, the Almighty is my rock. Gad, a band, armed, prepared. Eliasaph, my God that completes. Reuel, shepherd, friend of God. Ephraim, fruitful. Elishama, my God hath heard. Ammihud, people of praise. Manasseh, forgetfulness. Gamaliel, recompense of God. Pedahzur, saviour, strong, stone of redemption. Benjamin, son of the right hand. Abidan, father of judgment. Gideoni, cutting off iniquity. Dan, judgment. Ahiezer, the brother's help. Ammishaddai, people of the Almighty. Asher, blessedness. Pagiel, prayer of God. Ocran, disturber. Naphtali, that struggles. Ahira, my brother's friend. Enan, his eye. Levites, associated. C.]
Reflections.—What a God of order is our God in all the churches! With unreserved submission ought we to refer to him the choice of our inheritance for us, and the fixing of the bounds of our habitation. Our life on earth is a movable as well as warlike condition. Here we have no continuing city; let us seek for one to come, which hath foundations, and whose builder and maker is God. But surely it is a high honour to have the presence and ordinances of God amongst us here below. Happy are all his ransomed tribes; they have equal access to him; they all are so marshalled in the church as best answers their abilities; and have God's tabernacle and ordinances placed among them. And it is pleasant and amiable when magistrates, and every one beside in their stations, become protectors and encouragers of the church; and when everything, both in church and state, is regulated exactly according to the command of God.