Numbers 2:4-14

4 and his army, even their numbered men, 74,600 * * *.
5 "Those who camp next to him shall be the tribe of Issachar, and the leader of the sons of Issachar: 1Nethanel the son of Zuar,
6 and his army, even their numbered men, 54,400 * * * *.
7 "Then comes the tribe of Zebulun, and the leader of the sons of Zebulun: 2Eliab the son of Helon,
8 and his army, even his numbered men, 57,400 * * * *.
9 "The total of the numbered men of the camp of Judah: 186,400 * * * * * *, by their armies. 3They shall set out first.
10 "On the south side shall be the standard of the camp of Reuben by their armies, and the leader of the sons of Reuben: 4Elizur the son of Shedeur,
11 and his army, even their numbered men, 46,500 * * * *.
12 "Those who camp next to him shall be the tribe of Simeon, and the leader of the sons of Simeon: 5Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai,
13 and his army, even their numbered men, 59,300 * * * *.
14 "Then comes the tribe of Gad, and the leader of the sons of Gad: 6Eliasaph the son of Deuel,

Numbers 2:4-14 Meaning and Commentary

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.

Cross References 6

  • 1. Numbers 1:8; Numbers 7:18, 23
  • 2. Numbers 1:9
  • 3. Numbers 10:14
  • 4. Numbers 1:5
  • 5. Numbers 1:6
  • 6. Numbers 1:14; Numbers 7:42

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. Lit "mustered," and so throughout the ch
  • [b]. Many mss read "Reuel"
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