1.
And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
the LORD [Hebrew. Jehovah.
spake. See note on Numbers 1:1 .
2.
Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign of their father's house: far off about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch.
man. Hebrew. 'ish . See App-14 .
children = sons. See note on Numbers 1:2 .
pitch = encamp.
standard. Hebrew. degel.
ensign. Each standard is said to have had as its "sign" one of the twelve constellations (see note on Genesis 1:16 , and App-12 . Hebrew. 'oth) depicted on it. One standard, with its sign on it for each tribe. Hence called "ensign". See notes on the tribes below, from the Targum of Jonathan.
far off = over against. Same as Psalms 38:12 , yet so as to be in view. Compare 2 Kings 2:7 . Deuteronomy 32:52 .Genesis 21:16 .
tabernacle = tent. Hebrew. 'ohel. See App-40 .
3.
And on the east side toward the rising of the sun shall they of the standard of the camp of Judah pitch throughout their armies: and Nahshon the son of Amminadab shall be captain of the children of Judah.
east. The order proceeds according to the course of the sun: east, south, west, north. camp. Each camp composed of three tribes. Compare verses: Numbers 2:3 , Numbers 2:10 , Numbers 2:17 , Numbers 3:18 , Numbers 3:25 , Numbers 3:32 .
Judah. The sign, a lion (Genesis 49:9 . Ezekiel 1:10 . Revelation 4:7 ). The standard, the colors of the three stones of the second row, Exodus 28:1-8 , For the order, see App-45 .
4.
And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were threescore and fourteen thousand and six hundred.
5.
And those that do pitch next unto him shall be the tribe of Issachar: and Nethaneel the son of Zuar shall be captain of the children of Issachar.
Issachar , brother of Judah (same mother, Leah). Genesis 35:23 . Sign on standard = Cancer.
6.
And his host, and those that were numbered thereof, were fifty and four thousand and four hundred.
7.
Then the tribe of Zebulun: and Eliab the son of Helon shall be captain of the children of Zebulun.
Then. This word, according to some codices, with Samaritan Pentateuch, should not be in italics. Compare verses: Numbers 2:14 , Numbers 2:22 , Numbers 2:29 ,
Zebulun , brother of Judah (same mother, Leah). Genesis 35:23 . Sign on standard = Virgo.
8.
And his host, and those that were numbered thereof, were fifty and seven thousand and four hundred.
9.
All that were numbered in the camp of Judah were an hundred thousand and fourscore thousand and six thousand and four hundred, throughout their armies. These shall first set forth.
10.
On the south side shall be the standard of the camp of Reuben according to their armies: and the captain of the children of Reuben shall be Elizur the son of Shedeur.
south. See note on "east", Numbers 2:3 .
Reuben. The centre of the south side, with standard in the colors of stones of first row of Exodus 28:17 ; and sign, a man (Genesis 30:14 ) = Aquarius in Zodiac.
11.
And his host, and those that were numbered thereof, were forty and six thousand and five hundred.
12.
And those which pitch by him shall be the tribe of Simeon: and the captain of the children of Simeon shall be Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.
Simeon, the brother of Reuben (same mother, Leah). Genesis 35:23 . Sign = Pisces.
13.
And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were fifty and nine thousand and three hundred.
14.
Then the tribe of Gad: and the captain of the sons of Gad shall be Eliasaph the son of Reuel.
Gad , brother of Reuben (same mother, Leah). Genesis 35:23 . Sign = Aries.
Reuel. Some codices, with one early printed edition, Targum of Onkelos, The Targum of Jonathan ben Uzziel and Vulgate, have "Deuel", as in Ch. Numbers 1:14 ; Numbers 7:41 ; Numbers 10:20 ; the (Resh, R) being mistaken for (Daleth, D). Probably called, indifferently, by either name.
15.
And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were forty and five thousand and six hundred and fifty.
16.
All that were numbered in the camp of Reuben were an hundred thousand and fifty and one thousand and four hundred and fifty, throughout their armies. And they shall set forth in the second rank.
17.
Then the tabernacle of the congregation shall set forward with the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camp: as they encamp, so shall they set forward, every man in his place by their standards.
tabernacle of the congregation. See note on Numbers 2:2 . This was in centre. So is the tent of the chief of the tribe to this day. The manner of its being carried is shown in Ch. Numbers 10:17 , &c.
Levites. The order of the Levites' camping is shown in Numbers 3 , their marching in Numbers 10 . Their sign was Libra, or more anciently the "altar".
as = according as.
18.
On the west side shall be the standard of the camp of Ephraim according to their armies: and the captain of the sons of Ephraim shall be Elishama the son of Ammihud.
west. See note on Numbers 2:3 . Hebrew = sea, that being west.
Ephraim. The centre on the west side. The colors of the stones in fourth row of Exodus 28:20 . The sign, an ox (Deuteronomy 33:17 . Ezekiel 1:10 . Revelation 4:7 ). In the Zodiac, Ephraim and Manasseh are the two horns of Taurus, the bull. Ephraim, the younger, bears the standard, according to the blessing in Genesis 48:14-20 .
19.
And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were forty thousand and five hundred.
20.
And by him shall be the tribe of Manasseh: and the captain of the children of Manasseh shall be Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.
Manasseh , brother of Ephraim by same mother (Genesis 41:51 , Genesis 41:52 ). Sign, see Numbers 2:18 .
21.
And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were thirty and two thousand and two hundred.
22.
Then the tribe of Benjamin: and the captain of the sons of Benjamin shall be Abidan the son of Gideoni.
Benjamin , sons of Rachel, all on west side. Sign, Gemini.
23.
And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were thirty and five thousand and four hundred.
24.
All that were numbered of the camp of Ephraim were an hundred thousand and eight thousand and an hundred, throughout their armies. And they shall go forward in the third rank.
25.
The standard of the camp of Dan shall be on the north side by their armies: and the captain of the children of Dan shall be Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.
Dan. The centre on the north side. Colors of standard same as those of the third row of stones in Exodus 28:19 . Sign, the eagle (substituted for the serpent of Genesis 49:17 ). Compare Ezekiel 1:10 . Revelation 4:7 .
26.
And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were threescore and two thousand and seven hundred.
27.
And those that encamp by him shall be the tribe of Asher: and the captain of the children of Asher shall be Pagiel the son of Ocran.
Asher, the son of the other handmaid Zilpah, put with Dan and Naphtali, the sons of Bilhah. His sign was Sagittarius, the Archer.
28.
And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were forty and one thousand and five hundred.
29.
Then the tribe of Naphtali: and the captain of the children of Naphtali shall be Ahira the son of Enan.
Naphtali. His sign was Capricornus, the goat. Compare Genesis 49:21 .
30.
And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were fifty and three thousand and four hundred.
31.
All they that were numbered in the camp of Dan were an hundred thousand and fifty and seven thousand and six hundred. They shall go hindmost with their standards.
32.
These are those which were numbered of the children of Israel by the house of their fathers: all those that were numbered of the camps throughout their hosts were six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty.
the camps. See note on Numbers 2:3 , and App-45 . They may be thus set forth:
33.
But the Levites were not numbered among the children of Israel; as the LORD commanded Moses.
34.
And the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses: so they pitched by their standards, and so they set forward, every one after their families, according to the house of their fathers.