Numbers 2:1-9

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

2 "Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch his tent by his own standard, with the ensign of their father's house. Far off about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch.

3 And on the east side toward the rising of the sun shall those 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."

4 And his host and those who were numbered of them were threescore and fourteen thousand and six hundred.

5 "And those who pitch next unto him shall be the tribe of Issachar; and Nethaneel the son of Zuar shall be captain of the children of Issachar."

6 And his host and those who were numbered thereof were fifty and four thousand and four hundred.

7 "Then the tribe of Zebulun: and Eliab the son of Helon shall be captain of the children of Zebulun."

8 And his host and those who were numbered thereof were fifty and seven thousand and four hundred.

9 All who were numbered in the camp of Judah were a hundred thousand and fourscore thousand and six thousand and four hundred, throughout their armies. "These shall first set forth.

Numbers 2:1-9 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.