Numbers 2:16-26

16 All that were reckoned up in the camp of Ruben, were a hundred and fifty-one thousand four hundred and fifty, by their troops: they shall march in the second place.

17 And the tabernacle of the testimony shall be carried by the officers of the Levites and their troops. As it shall be set up, so shall it be taken down. Every one shall march according to their places, and ranks.

18 On the west side shall be the camp of the sons of Ephraim, whose prince was Elisama the son of Ammiud.

19 The whole army of his fighting men, that were numbered, were forty thousand five hundred.

20 And with them the tribe of the sons of Manasses, whose prince was Gamaliel the son of Phadassur.

21 And the whole army of his fighting men, that were numbered, were thirty-two thousand two hundred.

22 In the tribe of the sons of Benjamin the prince was Abidan the son of Gedeon.

23 And the whole army of fighting men, that were reckoned up, were thirty-five thousand four hundred.

24 All that were numbered in the camp of Ephraim, were a hundred and eight-thousand one hundred by their troops: they shall march in the third place.

25 On the north side camped the sons of Dan: whose prince was Ahiezar the son of Ammisaddai.

26 The whole army of his fighting men, that were numbered, were sixty-two thousand seven hundred.

Numbers 2:16-26 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.