Numbers 2:8-18

8 The number of his army was fifty-seven thousand, four hundred.

9 The number of all the armies of Judah was a hundred and eighty-six thousand, four hundred. They go forward first.

10 On the south side is the flag of the children of Reuben, in the order of their armies, with Elizur, the son of Shedeur, as their chief.

11 The number of his army was forty-six thousand, five hundred.

12 And nearest to him, the tribe of Simeon, with Shelumiel, the son of Zurishaddai, as their chief.

13 The number of his army was fifty-nine thousand, three hundred.

14 Then the tribe of Gad, with Eliasaph, son of Reuel, as their chief.

15 The number of his army was forty-five thousand, six hundred and fifty.

16 The number of all the armies of Reuben together came to a hundred and fifty-one thousand, four hundred and fifty. They go forward second.

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.

Numbers 2:8-18 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.