Numbers 2:18

18 "Those camping on the west are to be under the banner of the camp of Efrayim; they are to camp according to companies; by tribe and leader they are as follows: Tribe Chief Number Efrayim Elishama the son of 'Ammihud 40,500 M'nasheh Gamli'el the son of P'dahtzur 32,200 Binyamin Avidan the son of Gid'oni 35,400 Total 108,100 "This group is to set out third.

Numbers 2:18 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 2:18

On the west side [shall be] the standard of the camp of
Ephraim, according to their armies
It was in the rear or behind, consisting of his tribe, and of the tribes of Manasseh and Benjamin, divided into several companies, and extended four miles, as the above Targum. The Jewish writers say ^F12, that Joseph's stone is the onyx or sardonyx, and his flag was coloured very black, and on it were figured for the two princes, Ephraim and Manasseh, Egypt, because they were born in Egypt; and upon the flag of Ephraim was figured an ox, because of what is said in ( Deuteronomy 33:17 ) ; and on the flag of the tribe of Manasseh was figured an unicorn, because of what is said in the same place. Benjamin's stone was the jasper, and his flag was coloured like to twelve colours, and on it was figured a wolf, because of what is said ( Genesis 49:27 ) ;

and the captain of the sons of Ephraim [shall be] Elishama the son of
Ammihud;
of whom see ( Numbers 1:10 ) ( 7:48 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F12 Bemidbar Rabba, ut supra. (sect. 2. fol. 178. 2.)

Numbers 2:18 In-Context

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17 "Then the tent of meeting, with the camp of the L'vi'im, will set out, with the other camps in front and behind. They will go in the same order as their camps are set up - each man will go forward in his position, under his banner.

18 "Those camping on the west are to be under the banner of the camp of Efrayim; they are to camp according to companies; by tribe and leader they are as follows: Tribe Chief Number Efrayim Elishama the son of 'Ammihud 40,500 M'nasheh Gamli'el the son of P'dahtzur 32,200 Binyamin Avidan the son of Gid'oni 35,400 Total 108,100 "This group is to set out third.

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