Chapter 2[a]
Placement of the Tribal Camps. 1 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 2 “Every Israelite will camp by their own standard, alongside the emblems of their father’s household. They will camp some distance from the tent of meeting.
3 “On the east side, toward the rising of the sun, will be the standard of the camp of Judah arranged by their companies. The leader of the tribe of Judah is Nahshon, the son of Amminadab. 4 His forces numbered seventy-four thousand, six hundred. 5 The tribe of Issachar will camp next to him. The leader of the tribe of Issachar is Nethanel, the son of Zuar. 6 His forces numbered fifty-four thousand, four hundred. 7 Then there is the tribe of Zebulun. The leader of the tribe of Zebulun is Eliab, the son of Helon. 8 His forces numbered fifty-seven thousand, four hundred. 9 The whole camp of Judah, by their companies, numbered one hundred eighty-six thousand, four hundred. They are to set out first on the march.
10 “On the south side of the camp is the standard of the camp of Reuben, arranged by their companies. The leader of the tribe of Reuben is Elizur, the son of Shedeur. 11 His forces numbered forty-six thousand, five hundred. 12 The tribe of Simeon will camp next to him. The leader of the tribe of Simeon is Shelumiel, the son of Zurushaddai. 13 His forces numbered fifty-nine thousand, three hundred. 14 Then there is the tribe of Gad. The leader of the tribe of Gad is Eliasaph, the son of Reuel. 15 His forces numbered forty-five thousand, six hundred fifty. 16 The whole camp of Reuben, by their companies, numbered one hundred fifty-one thousand, four hundred fifty. They are to be the second to set out on the march.
17 “Then the tent of meeting will set out, with the camp of the Levites in the middle of the other camps whenever they set up camp. This is how they are to set out, each man located under his own standards.
18 “On the west side of the camp is the standard of the camp of Ephraim, arranged by their companies. The leader of the tribe of Ephraim is Elishama, the son of Ammihud. 19 His forces numbered forty thousand, five hundred. 20 The tribe of Manasseh will camp next to him. The leader of the tribe of Manasseh is Gamaliel, the son of Pedahzur. 21 His forces numbered thirty-two thousand, two hundred. 22 Then comes the tribe of Benjamin. The leader of the tribe of Benjamin is Abidan, the son of Gideoni. 23 His forces numbered thirty-five thousand, five hundred. 24 The whole camp of Ephraim, by their companies, numbered one hundred eight thousand, one hundred. They are to be the third to set out on the march.
25 “On the north side of the camp is the standard of the camp of Dan, arranged by their companies. The leader of the tribe of Dan is Ahiezer, the son of Ammishaddai. 26 His forces numbered sixty-two thousand, seven hundred. 27 The tribe of Asher will camp next to him. The leader of the tribe of Asher is Pagiel, the son of Ochran. 28 His forces numbered forty-one thousand, five hundred. 29 Then comes the tribe of Naphtali. The leader of the tribe of Naphtali is Ahira, the son of Enan. 30 His forces numbered fifty-three thousand, four hundred. 31 The whole camp of Dan, by their companies, numbered one hundred fifty-seven thousand, six hundred. They are to march last with their standards.”
32 These were the people of Israel who were counted. There were six hundred three thousand, five hundred and fifty counted in their camps, in their companies, 33 but the Levites were not counted along with the people of Israel, as the Lord had commanded Moses. 34 The people of Israel did everything as the Lord had commanded Moses[b] by encamping under their standards and by the way they set out, each going with his clan and his family.
Footnotes
- Numbers 2:1 The Hebrew people are seen here as a liturgical assembly that is hierarchically arranged, being organized in increasingly sacral concentric circles around the Dwelling of the holy God. The numbers from chapter 1 are repeated, as are the names of leaders.
- Numbers 2:34 Did everything as the Lord had commanded Moses: the subject of strict obedience shown by the people of Israel in Num 1:54 is repeated here and greatly contrasts with their later rebellion.