2:1–2 “The people of Israel” (vv. 2, 34) refers principally to the conscripted males. They are organized in four camps, each comprising three tribal companies. According to his tribal affiliation, each man is in a “camp” (Hb. makhaneh)—e.g., “the camp of Judah” (v. 3)—and a “company” (tsabaʾ; cf. 1:52)—e.g., the company of Judah, the company of Issachar, and the company of Zebulun (2:4, 6, 8). “Each by his own standard” (v. 2) refers to the standard of his camp (e.g., Judah), since a “standard” (degel) is associated only with the four camps (vv. 3, 10, 18, 25). “Banners” (pl. ʾoth) identifies the “fathers’ houses” of the soldiers and their extended families (vv. 2, 34; cf. comment on 1:1–19 [at v. 2]).

The overall arrangement is by tribe. For example, Judah is the head tribe of the camp comprising the companies of Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun (2:3–9). For each tribe, a “chief of the people” is named (e.g., representing Judah is “Nahshon the son of Amminadab”; v. 3). These chiefs are the same men who assisted Moses in taking the census (1:5–15).

The tribes camp “facing the tent of meeting” (2:2) “on every side [of]” (sabib, v. 2; lit., “around,” here rectangularly) the tent of meeting.40 The four groups of three tribes camp on the four compass points of the tabernacle (cf. Section Overview). The distance from the tent of meeting is not indicated. Rabbinic interpretation based on Joshua 3:4 puts the distance at 2,000 cubits (1,000 yards or 900 meters; cf. comment on 35:1–8 [at vv. 4–5]). The area occupied by the camps may have been about 3 square miles (8 sq km; cf. comment on 33:37–49 [at v. 49]).41

2:3–9 In addition to being first in the list, the preeminence of the tribe of Judah is seen from three other vantage points. First, “Judah” (v. 3) heads the camp comprising two additional Leah tribes, Issachar and Zebulun (vv. 5, 7). Second, his “camp” is assigned to the prominent “east” (Hb. qedem: “forward,” v. 3; cf. Gen. 13:11) position, also qualified as being “toward the sunrise.” The priests’ camp, including Moses, is also on the east side of the tabernacle. Orientation in the OT is always eastward. Third, when breaking camp, Judah leads not only his camp of three companies but all the Israelite tribes. The order of march anticipates what is to come: the departure of the cloud and the trumpet signal given by the priests to set out (Num. 10:5–6, 11–13).

These are steps toward the ultimate unveiling of the messianic fulfillment of the prophetic blessing bestowed upon Judah by his father. Jacob’s benediction forecast his son’s preeminence:

    The scepter [shebet] shall not depart from Judah,

    nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,

    until tribute comes to him;

    and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples. (Gen. 49:10)

In Jacob’s blessings, Zebulun and Issachar come directly after Judah (Gen. 49:13–15). The three tribes’ being grouped into one camp in Numbers 2 recalls these ancient blessings.

2:10–16 The “south side” (from yamin; Num. 2:10, “right”) is on the right side of the tabernacle from the perspective of an eastward orientation. Reuben’s camp includes “Simeon” and “Gad.” Reuben was Leah’s first son, thus Jacob’s firstborn. Simeon was her second son, and Gad was the first son born to her servant Zilpah. Levi’s position as Leah’s third son was filled by Gad (cf. 1:24).

Among Jacob’s blessings were reproaches addressed to Reuben and to Simeon and Levi:

    Unstable as water, you [Reuben] shall not have preeminence,

    because you went up to your father’s bed;

    then you defiled it—he went up to my couch! (Gen. 49:4)

As concerns Reuben’s birthright, Jacob declared him forfeit for having had relations with Rachel’s servant Bilhah (Gen. 35:22–23), by whom Jacob had fathered Dan and Naphtali.

    Cursed be their [Simeon’s and Levi’s] anger, for it is fierce,

    and their wrath, for it is cruel!

    I will divide them in Jacob

    and scatter them in Israel. (Gen. 49:7; cf. vv. 5–6)

This was the consequence of these brothers’ disproportionate vengeance on the inhabitants of Shechem after their sister, Dinah, was raped (Genesis 34).

“All those listed of [or assigned to] the camp of Reuben” are those from his tribe and from Simeon’s and Gad’s tribes. They form the second camp comprising three companies. When time comes to march, the Reuben camp “shall set out second.”

In Numbers considerable emphasis is placed on the Leah tribes, which increases as the book unfolds. This begins in Numbers 1 (cf. comment on 1:1–19 [at vv. 5–15]); as were the first six tribes in that chapter, here the first seven are Leah tribes. In chapter 1 Reuben was first in the census order as the “firstborn” (1:20). In chapter 2 Judah is preeminent. His tribe is encamped on the prominent east side and will march in the lead of all the others when they set out. The tribe of Levi has a special place in Numbers. Not only is Levi the ancestor of Miriam, Moses, and Aaron; his name is memorialized in “the Levites” (2:17), who will profoundly mark the spiritual history of Israel and the church.

2:17 “The tent of the meeting shall set out” (v. 17) after the Reubenite camp and before the Ephraimite camp (vv. 16, 24). The Kohathite Levites carry its sacred furnishings (4:15; 10:21). The “Levites” who set out “in the midst [betok] of the camps” (2:17) are the Kohathites, who set out between (betok) the Reuben and Ephraim camps (10:18, 21–22; cf. comments on 2:18–24; 10:11–28 [at v. 21]). Implicitly, a distinction is drawn between the Kohathites and the two other Levitical families, the Gershonites and the Merarites.

“As they camp, so shall they set out” (2:17) refers to the three Levitical families and apparently the secular camps also (cf. “standard by standard”). The Gershonites and the Merarites set out between the Judah and Reuben camps (10:17), ahead of the Kohathites. In that way the tent could be erected and ready to be furnished by the time the Kohathites arrive (10:21).

“Standard by standard” (lediglehem; 2:17) means “according to/by their standards,” as the identical Hebrew term is translated in verse 34 (“by their standards”). Verse 17 may refer to the Judah and Reuben camps, and verse 34 to the Ephraim and Dan camps. All together the four military camps have four “standards” (vv. 3, 10, 18, 25). Nowhere is there reference to any “standard of the tribe of Levi,” which would have been over the three Levitical camps.

2:18–24 The sons of Joseph—Rachel’s firstborn (Gen. 30:22–24)—Ephraim (Num. 2:18) and his brother, Manasseh (2:20), received their grandfather Jacob’s blessing. Thereby Joseph received a double portion, like a firstborn (cf. Deut. 21:17). Joseph’s sons became heirs of that which would have been Reuben’s and Simeon’s (Gen. 48:5). The tribe of Joseph’s younger brother, Benjamin (Num 2:22), also belonged to the “camp of Ephraim” (v. 18).

The three Rachel tribes were “on the west side” of the tabernacle (v. 18; lit., “seaward,” Hb. yamah, with the “sea” being the Mediterranean; e.g., Deut. 11:24). From an eastward orientation, west is also “behind the tabernacle” (ʾahar; Num. 3:23). After the Judah and Reuben camps, the camp of Ephraim “shall set out third on the march” (2:24). Psalm 80:1–2 seems to allude to this passage, declaring that the shepherd-king of Israel, enthroned upon the cherubim, goes before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh to save them by his might.

2:25–31 “On the north [tsaphon] side” is the camp of Dan (2:25), which includes, in addition to his own company, those of Asher (v. 27) and Naphtali (v. 29). Dan was the firstborn of Rachel’s servant Bilhah and therefore the firstborn of the sons Jacob fathered through his wives’ servants. Bilhah also gave birth to Naphtali (Gen. 30:3–8). Asher was the second son born to Leah’s servant Zilpah (Gen. 30:12–13). “They shall set out last” (Num. 2:31): the Israelites journey in a linear fashion, with Judah in the lead and Dan bringing up the rear, “acting as the rear guard of all the camps” (10:25).

FIGURE 4.1: “Standard” (Hb. degel) Positions around the Tabernacle (T) Compass Points

2:32–34 The summary (2:32–33a) and the compliance formula (vv. 33b–34) recall the three main activities up to this point: how the conscripted were assigned to military companies and camps, how they “camped,” and how they “set out.” It also notes that “the Levites were not listed” (v. 33); that is, they were not assigned to a military company and camp (cf. 1:47–50). The compliance formula (“As the Lord commanded Moses. . . . According to all that the Lord commanded Moses”; 2:33–34) links and closes chapters 1–2, emphasizing the people’s complete obedience to the Lord’s commands.