Numbers 2:1-6

1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,

2 Each man of the sons of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, according to the ensigns of the houses of their fathers; round about the tabernacle of the testimony shall they pitch.

3 These shall pitch toward the sunrise, on the east: the standard of the camp of Judah throughout their hosts and the prince of the sons of Judah, Nahshon, the son of Amminadab.

4 His host, with those that were numbered of them, were seventy-four thousand six hundred.

5 Next to him shall pitch those of the tribe of Issachar and the prince of the sons of Issachar, Nethaneel, the son of Zuar.

6 His host, with those that were numbered thereof, were fifty-four thousand four hundred.

Numbers 2:1-6 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.