Bamidbar 2:18

18 On the west side shall be the degel of the machaneh of Ephrayim according to their tzvaos; and the Nasi of the Bnei Ephrayim shall be Elishama ben Ammihud.

Bamidbar 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 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

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

Bamidbar 2:18 In-Context

16 All that were numbered in the machaneh of Reuven were an hundred thousand and fifty and one thousand and four hundred and fifty, by their tzvaos. And they shall set forth in the second rank.
17 Then the Ohel Mo’ed shall set forward with the machaneh of the Levi’im in the midst of the machaneh; as they encamp, so shall they set forward, every man in his place by their degel.
18 On the west side shall be the degel of the machaneh of Ephrayim according to their tzvaos; and the Nasi of the Bnei Ephrayim shall be Elishama ben Ammihud.
19 And his tz’va (host), and those that were numbered of them, were forty thousand and five hundred.
20 And by him shall be the tribe of Menasheh; and the Nasi of the Bnei Menasheh shall be Gamli’el ben Pedahtzur.
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