Numbers 2:17-27

17 Then the Tent of meeting is to go forward, with the tents of the Levites, in the middle of the armies; in the same order as their tents are placed, they are to go forward, every man under his flag.

18 On the west side will be the flag of the children of Ephraim, with Elishama, the son of Ammihud, as their chief.

19 The number of his army was forty thousand, five hundred.

20 And by him the tribe of Manasseh with Gamaliel, the son of Pedahzur, as their chief.

21 The number of his army was thirty-two thousand, two hundred.

22 Then the tribe of Benjamin, with Abidan, the son of Gideoni, as their chief.

23 The number of his army was thirty-five thousand, four hundred.

24 The number of all the armies of Ephraim was a hundred and eight thousand, one hundred. They go forward third.

25 On the north side will be the flag of the children of Dan, with Ahiezer, the son of Ammishaddai, as their chief.

26 The number of his army was sixty-two thousand, seven hundred.

27 Nearest to him will be the tribe of Asher, with Pagiel, the son of Ochran, as their chief.

Numbers 2:17-27 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.