UNROLL
Nightfall over the great camp of Israel seen from a mountain's lower slope: thousands of black tents in four great blocks on the plain, a few small fires among them, and at the center an open square with the white linen court and the dark tent, a soft column of cloud glowing faintly with fire resting low over it.

The Book of

Numbers 2

Twelve tribes, four sides, one tent in the middle: God at the center of His people.

34 verses≈ 4 min3 peopleBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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In this chapter

Where we are

  1. 1–10Ready at SinaiCounted and orderedChapter 2
  2. 11–14GrumblingTo Kadesh and refusal
  3. 15–21Forty yearsRebellion and mercy
  4. 22–25BalaamA curse turned to blessing
  5. 26–36A new generationReady for the land

The Order of the Camps

Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron: “The Israelites are to camp around the Tent of Meeting at a distance from it, each man under his standard, with the banners of his family.

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JudahReubenEphraimDanCourtyard · 100 × 50 cubitsNGate · EastTent of MeetingBronze altarBasinThe tent, enlarged · 30 × 10 cubitsArkTableLampstandIncense altarVeilScreenMost Holy PlaceHoly Place

Plan to scale in cubits · north at the top

The camp

God in the middle

The twelve tribes camped “around the Tent of Meeting,” three to a side. Judah, Issachar and Zebulun on the east, “toward the sunrise,” facing the gate. Reuben, Simeon and Gad on the south. Ephraim, Manasseh and Benjamin on the west. Dan, Asher and Naphtali on the north. Between the tribes and the court camped the Levites (chapter 3), with Moses and Aaron at the east, by the entrance. Whichever way an Israelite stepped out of his tent, God’s dwelling was in the middle.

The east side of the camp at sunrise: the sun just up over a low ridge, rows of black tents lit gold, families standing at their tent doors facing the light, and a plain dyed cloth on a tall wooden pole above the nearest tents.

The camp

East: Judah, Issachar, Zebulun

  1. Toward the sunrise

    Judah: Nahshon, 74,600

    On the east side, toward the sunrise, the divisions of Judah are to camp under their standard:

    The leader of the Judahites is Nahshon son of Amminadab,

    and his division numbers 74,600.

  2. Issachar: Nethanel, 54,400

    The tribe of Issachar will camp next to it. The leader of the Issacharites is Nethanel son of Zuar,

    and his division numbers 54,400.

  3. Zebulun: Eliab, 57,400

    Next will be the tribe of Zebulun. The leader of the Zebulunites is Eliab son of Helon,

    and his division numbers 57,400.

  4. Sets out first

    Camp of Judah: 186,400

    The total number of men in the divisions of the camp of Judah is 186,400; they shall set out first.

Late afternoon in the camp: a tall wooden pole planted at the head of a row of black tents, a plain dyed woolen cloth hanging from it and lifting in the wind, and a man seen from behind tying its cord.

The camp

South: Reuben, Simeon, Gad

  1. Reuben: Elizur, 46,500

    On the south side, the divisions of Reuben are to camp under their standard:

    The leader of the Reubenites is Elizur son of Shedeur,

    and his division numbers 46,500.

  2. Simeon: Shelumiel, 59,300

    The tribe of Simeon will camp next to it. The leader of the Simeonites is Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai,

    and his division numbers 59,300.

  3. Gad: Eliasaph, 45,650

    Next will be the tribe of Gad. The leader of the Gadites is Eliasaph son of Deuel,

    and his division numbers 45,650.

  4. Sets out second

    Camp of Reuben: 151,450

    The total number of men in the divisions of the camp of Reuben is 151,450; they shall set out second.

The camp on the march seen from a high slope: a long column of people ahead and another behind, and in the middle a smaller company of Levites carrying covered loads on poles on their shoulders, a low cloud above them, the column winding across a vast plain.

In the middle of the camps, the Tent of Meeting is to travel with the camp of the Levites. They are to set out in the order they encamped, each in his own place under his standard.

0:10

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

Seen from behind, four men in plain linen carry the altar on two bronze-covered poles on their shoulders across the sand; the altar is covered with a purple cloth and a gray leather covering, its bronze rings and lower corners showing beneath.

Reflect

What is at your center?

Israel did not put God’s tent at the edge of the camp, to visit when convenient. They pitched their tents “around the Tent of Meeting,” and on the road God said, “In the middle of the camps, the Tent of Meeting is to travel.” Everything was arranged around Him. Look at your week: your time, your plans, your money, your home. What sits in the middle, and what has God been pushed to the edge of? Write down one change that would put Him back at the center. Then pray: Lord, be the middle of my life, and order everything else around You.

The west side of the camp at sunset, seen from beside the court: the back of the low dark tent and the white linen wall in the foreground, the black tents of the west beyond, and the sun going down behind them.

The camp

West: Ephraim, Manasseh, Benjamin

  1. Ephraim: Elishama, 40,500

    On the west side, the divisions of Ephraim are to camp under their standard:

    The leader of the Ephraimites is Elishama son of Ammihud,

    and his division numbers 40,500.

  2. Manasseh: Gamaliel, 32,200

    The tribe of Manasseh will be next to it. The leader of the Manassites is Gamaliel son of Pedahzur,

    and his division numbers 32,200.

  3. Benjamin: Abidan, 35,400

    Next will be the tribe of Benjamin. The leader of the Benjamites is Abidan son of Gideoni,

    and his division numbers 35,400.

  4. Sets out third

    Camp of Ephraim: 108,100

    The total number of men in the divisions of the camp of Ephraim is 108,100; they shall set out third.

The camp

North: Dan, Asher, Naphtali

  1. Dan: Ahiezer, 62,700

    On the north side, the divisions of Dan are to camp under their standard:

    The leader of the Danites is Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai,

    and his division numbers 62,700.

  2. Asher: Pagiel, 41,500

    The tribe of Asher will camp next to it. The leader of the Asherites is Pagiel son of Ocran,

    and his division numbers 41,500.

  3. Naphtali: Ahira, 53,400

    Next will be the tribe of Naphtali. The leader of the Naphtalites is Ahira son of Enan,

    and his division numbers 53,400.

  4. Sets out last

    Camp of Dan: 157,600

    The total number of men in the camp of Dan is 157,600; they shall set out last, under their standards.”

The order of march

Judah’s campeast · 186,400 · firstReuben’s campsouth · 151,450 ·secondTent andLevitesin the middleEphraim’s campwest · 108,100 · thirdDan’s campnorth · 157,600 · last

Whiteboard

Camped in a square, they marched in a line, with God’s tent in the middle either way. Judah went first and Dan last, and each camp was to “set out in the order they encamped, each in his own place under his standard.”

Question

Quick question

Each side of the camp had a leading tribe, and each camp had its place in the march.

Which tribe camped toward the sunrise and set out first?

The Israelites are to camp around the Tent of Meeting at a distance from it, each man under his standard, with the banners of his family.

Numbers 2:2

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Numbers 2

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A verse to carry with you

The Israelites are to camp around the Tent of Meeting at a distance from it, each man under his standard, with the banners of his family.

Numbers 2:2

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