Numbers 2:18

18 "On the west side shall be the standard of the camp of E'phraim by their companies, the leader of the people of E'phraim being Eli'shama the son of Ammi'hud,

Numbers 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.)

Numbers 2:18 In-Context

16 The whole number of the camp of Reuben, by their companies, is a hundred and fifty-one thousand four hundred and fifty. They shall set out second.
17 "Then the tent of meeting shall set out, with the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camps; as they encamp, so shall they set out, each in position, standard by standard.
18 "On the west side shall be the standard of the camp of E'phraim by their companies, the leader of the people of E'phraim being Eli'shama the son of Ammi'hud,
19 his host as numbered being forty thousand five hundred.
20 And next to him shall be the tribe of Manas'seh, the leader of the people of Manas'seh being Gama'liel the son of Pedah'zur,
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.