Numbers 2

The LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,

“The children of Israel shall encamp every man by his own standard, with the banners of their fathers’ houses. They shall encamp around the Tent of Meeting at a distance from it.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 2. By, and so forth Hebrew “by his own standard, in the ensigns of their father’s house, far off, about,” and so forth Perhaps a general standard, belonging to the chief tribe, was set up for each of the four great bodies; while the two inferior tribes had their peculiar ensign, as well as the different companies. It is supposed, that these standards were distinguished either by their colour, or by the representation of some animals. Jonathan says, each of the great standards, made of silk, were of three colours, similar to those precious stones, on which the names of the patriarchs were engraven on the rational; and also exhibited the figure or emblem of the principal tribe, with some text of Scripture, and the names of the three tribes. Thus the tribe of Juda, with those of Issachar and Zabulon, occupying the space of 4000 paces, had a lion’s whelp on their standard, with this inscription, Let God arise, and his enemies be put to fight; Juda, Issachar, Zabulon. The tribes of Ruben, Simeon, and Gad, bore the figure of a stag, Hear, O Israel, the Lord thy God is one God. The standard of Ephraim, Manasses, and Benjamin, had a child embroidered, The cloud also of the Lord was over them by day, when they marched. Some give to the tribes of Dan, Aser, and Nephtali, the figure of a basilisk; others, that of an eagle; with these words, Return, O Lord, and dwell with thy glory in the midst of the host of Israel. See Calmet. 10:34–5–6. Deuteronomy 6:4. Some imagine that the standard of Juda was green, with a lion’s whelp embroidered upon it; Ruben’s red, with the head of a man. That of Ephraim, yellowish, the colour of the chrysolite, and represented an ox, or a calf’s head. The standard of Dan had a mixture of white and red, like the jasper, with an eagle grasping a serpent in its talons; all in allusion to various passages of Scripture, and to the cherubim of Ezechiel. We cannot, however, vouch for the accuracy of these Rabinnical accounts. The custom of bearing the figures of animals on armour and standards, is very ancient. Anubis and Macedo had a dog and a wolf engraven on their arms, when they accompanied their father Osiris. Diod. ii. 2. The heroes at Troy had similar emblems on their bucklers. Plin. xxxv. 3. Others adorned their helmets with them. Hence some derive the custom of armour-hearing.—Covenant, at the distance of 2000 cubits, as at the passage of the Jordan. Joshua 3:4. The tabernacle in the middle formed the camp of the Lord, the Levites were round it; the third camp was for the army, ( Calmet.) occupying a large square. The nearest soldiers were a mile distant from the centre.

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3

“Those who encamp on the east side toward the sunrise shall be of the standard of the camp of Judah, according to their divisions. The prince of the children of Judah shall be Nahshon the son of Amminadab.

4

His division, and those who were counted of them, were seventy-four thousand six hundred.

5

“Those who encamp next to him shall be the tribe of Issachar. The prince of the children of Issachar shall be Nethanel the son of Zuar.

6

His division, and those who were counted of it, were fifty-four thousand four hundred.

7

“The tribe of Zebulun: the prince of the children of Zebulun shall be Eliab the son of Helon.

8

His division, and those who were counted of it, were fifty-seven thousand four hundred.

9

“All who were counted of the camp of Judah were one hundred eighty-six thousand four hundred, according to their divisions. They shall set out first.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 9. First. The gate of the tabernacle looked towards the east. Bible.—Juda marched therefore in the first ranks. Then followed Ruben, the Levites, with the camp of the Lord. Calmet.—(Yet see Calmet. 10:17. Bible.)—Afterwards came Ephraim; and last of all, Gad, verse 16. 17. 24. 31. But in the camp, Juda, Issachar and Zabulon, Moses and Aaron, dwelt on the eastern side of the tabernacle; Ruben, Simeon and Gad, with the Caathites, to the west; and Dan, Aser and Nephtali, with the Merarites, on the north. Calmet.

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10

“On the south side shall be the standard of the camp of Reuben according to their divisions. The prince of the children of Reuben shall be Elizur the son of Shedeur.

11

His division, and those who were counted of it, were forty-six thousand five hundred.

12

“Those who encamp next to him shall be the tribe of Simeon. The prince of the children of Simeon shall be Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.

13

His division, and those who were counted of them, were fifty-nine thousand three hundred.

14

“The tribe of Gad: the prince of the children of Gad shall be Eliasaph the son of Reuel.

15

His division, and those who were counted of them, were forty-five thousand six hundred fifty.

16

“All who were counted of the camp of Reuben were one hundred fifty-one thousand four hundred fifty, according to their armies. They shall set out second.

17

“Then the Tent of Meeting shall set out, with the camp of the Levites in the middle of the camps. As they encamp, so shall they set out, every man in his place, by their standards.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 17. And. Hebrew “when the tabernacle of the assembly, shall depart, the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camp, they shall depart in the same order as they encamp, each in his rank, and his ensigns.” The Levites shall always be in the middle. Calmet.—So the Romans made their camps, of a square form, and placed the sacred things in the centre. Grotius.—Down. The same officers who took it down, shall set it up again. Menochius.

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18

“On the west side shall be the standard of the camp of Ephraim according to their divisions. The prince of the children of Ephraim shall be Elishama the son of Ammihud.

19

His division, and those who were counted of them, were forty thousand five hundred.

20

“Next to him shall be the tribe of Manasseh. The prince of the children of Manasseh shall be Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.

21

His division, and those who were counted of them, were thirty-two thousand two hundred.

22

“The tribe of Benjamin: the prince of the children of Benjamin shall be Abidan the son of Gideoni.

23

His army, and those who were counted of them, were thirty-five thousand four hundred.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 23. Five, is omitted in the Samaritan copy.

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24

“All who were counted of the camp of Ephraim were one hundred eight thousand one hundred, according to their divisions. They shall set out third.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 24. Eight. Onkelos has 180,000 Calmet.—But both these are incorrect. Calmet. 1:37. 52. Bible.

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25

“On the north side shall be the standard of the camp of Dan according to their divisions. The prince of the children of Dan shall be Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.

26

His division, and those who were counted of them, were sixty-two thousand seven hundred.

27

“Those who encamp next to him shall be the tribe of Asher. The prince of the children of Asher shall be Pagiel the son of Ochran.

28

His division, and those who were counted of them, were forty-one thousand five hundred.

29

“The tribe of Naphtali: the prince of the children of Naphtali shall be Ahira the son of Enan.

30

His division, and those who were counted of them, were fifty-three thousand four hundred.

31

“All who were counted of the camp of Dan were one hundred fifty-seven thousand six hundred. They shall set out last by their standards.”

32

These are those who were counted of the children of Israel by their fathers’ houses. All who were counted of the camps according to their armies were six hundred three thousand five hundred fifty.

33

But the Levites were not counted among the children of Israel, as the LORD commanded Moses.

34

Thus the children of Israel did. According to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so they encamped by their standards, and so they set out, everyone by their families, according to their fathers’ houses.