Numbers · Chapter 2

1. The Lord spake unto Moses… Aaron — We are not to suppose that Jehovah utters all the words of this chapter. Divine commands relating to the order seem to alternate with human statements of the numbers. This should be borne in mind by the reader. Jehovah relieved Moses of the delicate duty of establishing the order of the camp, and of making distinctions among his brethren by giving some the post of honour. He did what all generals claim as their prerogative, deeming it necessary to their success. He selected his own division, and subordinate commanders, and assigned each battalion its post in camp and on the march. We see no reason why Aaron should be addressed with Moses in this chapter, and Moses alone in the first. The reverse of this would have been natural, inasmuch as duties are enjoined on the Levites in the first chapter, but none in the second.

V. 2. His own standard-It is manifest there were four great standards or ensigns, which here follow, distinguished by their colours or figures; also there were other particular ensigns belonging to each of their fathers houses or families. Far off-Partly out of reverence to God and his worship, and the portion, allotted to it, and partly for caution, lest their vicinity to it might tempt them to make too near approaches to it. It is supposed they Were at 2000 cubits distance from it, which was the space between the people and the ark; and it is not improbable, because the Levites encamped round about it, between them and the tabernacle. It is observable, those tribes were placed together, that were nearest of kin to each other. Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun were the three youngest sons of Leah, and Issachar and Zebulun would not grudge to be under Judah, their elder brother. Reuben and Simeon would not be content with their place. Therefore Reuben, Jacob’s eldest son, is chief of the next squadron. Simeon doubtless is willing to be under him. And Gad, the son of Leah’s handmaid, is fitly added to him, in Levi’s room. Ephraim Manasseh, and Benjamin are all the posterity of Rachel. Dan the eldest son of Bilhah leads the rest; to them are added the two younger sons of the handmaids. So much of the wisdom of God appears even in these smaller circumstances!

Verse 2. Every man-shall pitch by his own standard] Commentators, critics, philosophers, and professional men, have taken a great deal of pains to illustrate this chapter by showing the best method of encampment for such a vast number of men, and the manner in which they conceive the Israelites formed their camp in the wilderness. As God gave them the plan, it was doubtless in every respect perfect; and fully answered the double purpose of convenience and security. Scheuchzer has entered into this subject with his usual ability, and in very considerable detail. Following the plan of Reyher, as in the preceding chapter, he endeavours to ascertain the precise order in which the several tribes were disposed; and as his work is both scarce and dear, the reader will not be displeased-to meet here with a translation of all that refers to the subject.

SCHEUCHZER’S DESCRIPTION AND PLAN OF THE

ENCAMPMENTS OF THE ISRAELITES IN THE WILDERNESS

(See graphic at end of chapter.)

“If we form a proper idea of God, of his essence and his attributes, we shall easily perceive that this infinite and supreme Being wills and executes what his Divine wisdom appoints; in a word, we shall see that he is the God of order. This order displays itself in the perfection, arrangement, and assemblage of all created beings; in the construction of the earth which we inhabit, where every thing is formed in order, number, weight, and measure; and in all bodies, great and small. It is certain that Noah’s ark is a perfect model of naval architecture. The temple of Solomon, and that of Ezekiel were likewise masterpieces in their kind. But at present we are to consider the Divine arrangement of the Israelitish camp, and the manner in which it was formed.

“The Israelitish army was divided Into three principal divisions. The first, which was the least in extent, but the strongest and the most powerful, occupied the centre of the army: this was the throne of God, i.e., the TABERNACLE. The second, which was composed of the priests and Levites, surrounded the first. The third, and the farthest from the centre, took in all the other tribes of Israel, who were at least about a mile from the tabernacle. For it appears from Josephus, iii. 4, that the nearest approach they dared make to the ark, except during the time of worship, was a distance of 2,000 cubits. The reverence due to the Divine Majesty, the numerous army of the Israelites, composed of 600,000 soldiers, with their families, which made about 3,000,000 souls, naturally demanded a considerable extent of ground. We are not to imagine that all these families pitched their tents pellmell, without order, like beasts, or as the troops of Tartary, and the eastern armies; on the contrary, their camp was divided according to the most exact rules. And we cannot even doubt that their camp was laid out, and the place of every division and tribe exactly assigned by some engineers, or geometricians, before the army stopped to encamp, in order that every person might at once find his own quarter, and the road he ought to take to reach the other tents.

“Four divisions, which faced the four quarters of the heavens, each with his own ensign, formed the centre of the army. JUDAH was placed on the east, and under him he had Issachar and Zebulun; on the south was REUBEN, and under him Simeon and Gad: on the west was Ephraim, and under him Manasseh and Benjamin; finally, DAN was on the north, and he had under him Asher and Naphtali. It has been pretended by some that these four principal divisions were not alone distinguished by their ensigns, but that each particular tribe had likewise its standard or ensign. On this subject we might refer to the Talmudists, who have gone so far as to define the colours, and the figures or arms, of the very ensigns. They pretend that on that of JUDAH a lion was painted, with this inscription: ‘Rise, Lord, let thine enemies be dispersed, and let those that hate thee flee before thee;’ and they found this description of Judah’s ensign in Genesis 49:9. They give to ISSACHAR an ass, Genesis 49:14; to ZEBULUN a ship, Genesis 49:13; to REUBEN a river, Genesis 49:4, (others give REUBEN the figure of a man;) to SIMEON a sword, Genesis 49:5; to GAD a lion, Deuteronomy 33:20; to EPHRAIM a unicorn, Deuteronomy 33:17; an ox to MANASSEH, Deuteronomy 33:17; a wolf to BENJAMIN, Genesis 49:27; and a serpent to DAN, Genesis 49:17, though others give him an eagle. In short, they pretend that the ensign of ASHER was a handful of corn, Genesis 49:20, and that of NAPHTALI a stag, Genesis 49:21.

“To prove that the sums here are correctly added, we have but to join together the detached numbers, and see if they agree with the total. The text will furnish us with an example of this: there was in the quarter of:— Judah 186,400 Numbers 2:9

Reuben 151,450 Numbers 2:16

Ephraim 108,100 Numbers 2:24

Dan 157,600 Numbers 2:31

“Among other things we must remark that rule of military tactics which requires that the advanced and rear guards should be stronger than the centre.

“In a well-regulated camp, cleanliness is considered indispensably necessary; this is particularly remarkable in the Israelitish army, where the most exact order was maintained. Hence every person who had any kind of disease, and those who were reputed unclean, were forbidden to enter it; Numbers 5:2, 3; Deuteronomy 23:10.

“Those who have the health of men, and of a whole army confided to them, are not ignorant that diseases may be easily produced by putrid exhalations from excrementitious matter; and that such matter will produce in camps pestilential fevers and dysenteries. For this reason, care should be always taken that offices, at a distance from the camp, be provided for the soldiers, and also that those who are sick should be separated from the others, and sent to hospitals to be properly treated.

“In military tactics we find two distinct wings spoken of; the right and the left. The Israelitish army not only had them on one side, as is customary, but on all their four sides. On the eastern side, the tribe of Issachar formed the right, that of Zebulun the left, and that of Judah the centre. On the south, Simeon formed the right wing, Gad the left, and Reuben the centre. Towards the west, Manasseh composed the right, Benjamin the left, and Ephraim the centre. And on the north, Asher was on the right wing, Naphtali on the left wing, and Dan in the centre. Notwithstanding this, however, the army was not in danger of being easily broken; for every tribe being numerous, they were supported by several ranks, in such a manner that the first being broken, the second was capable of making resistance; and if the second gave way, or shared the same fate as the first, it found itself supported by the third, and so on with the rest. The square form in which the Jewish army was ordinarily placed, was the very best for security and defence. The use and importance of the hollow square in military tactics is well known.

“For so large a multitude of people, and for so numerous an army, it was needful that all the necessary articles of life should be prepared beforehand, or be found ready to purchase. In these respects nothing was wanting to the Israelites. Their bread came down to them from heaven, and they had besides an abundance of every thing that could contribute to magnificence. If we may credit Josephus, they had amongst them public markets, and a variety of shops. Ant., i. iii. c. 12, sec. 5. The tabernacle being erected, it was placed in the midst of the camp, each of the three tribes stretching themselves on the wings, and leaving between them a sufficient space to pass.

“It was, says Josephus, like a well appointed market where every thing was ready for sale in due order, and all sorts of artificers kept their shops; so that this camp might be considered a movable city.

“In Exodus 32:27 we likewise find that mention is made of the gates of the camp: ‘Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp.’ From whence we may certainly conclude that if the camp had gates, the Israelites had also sentinels to guard them. If this be true, we may also believe that they were surrounded with entrenchments, or that at least their gates were defended by some fortifications. Sagittarius (de Jan. Vet., c. 18. § 10) pretends that the tabernacle was not only guarded by the Levites, but that there were likewise sentinels at the gates, and at the entrance of the Israelitish camps. See Clarke’s note on “Exodus 32:27”.

“If we examine and compare the camp of Israel with that of our most numerous armies, which in these days are composed of 100,000 or of 150,000 men, we cannot but consider it of vast extent. The Jews say it was twelve miles in circumference; this is not at all improbable, and consequently the front of each wing must be three miles in extent. But taking in the tents, the soldiers and their numerous families, the beasts of burden, the cattle, and the goods, it certainly must have formed a very considerable inclosure, much more than twelve miles. See Clarke’s notes on “Exodus 12:37”, and “Exodus 13:18”. Reyher (Math. Mos., p. 568) assigns to the

Tribe of JUDAH,

A space of 298 2/5 cubits in

breadth

And 250 in length

———

Which makes 74,600 square cubits.

“We must observe that we are here merely speaking of the ground which the soldiers of this tribe occupied whilst remaining close to each other in their ranks, and that in this computation there is but one cubit square allowed for each man; wherefore, if we take in the arrangement of the soldiers, the tents, the necessary spaces, the families, the beasts of burden, and the movables, a much larger extent of ground is requisite. All those circumstances do not come into Reyher’s calculation. He continues thus:— For the tribe of ISSACHAR,

217 3/5 cubits in breadth

250 in length

———

Total 54,400

For the tribe of GAD,

140 5/11 cubits in breadth

325 in length

———

Total 45,650

For the tribe of ZEBULUN,

229 3/4 cubits in breadth

250 in length

———

Total 57,400

For the tribe of EPHRAIM,

202 1/2 cubits in breadth

200 in length

———

Total 40,500

For the tribe of REUBEN,

143 1/5 cubits in breadth

325 in length

———

Total 46,500

For the tribe of

MANASSEH,

161 cubits in breadth

200 in length

———

Total 32,200

For the tribe of SIMEON,

182 6/13 cubits in breadth

325 in length

———

Total 59,300

For the tribe of BENJAMIN,

177 cubits in breadth

200 in length

———

Total 35,400

For the tribe of DAN,

156 3/4 cubits in breadth

400 in length

———

Total 62,700

For the tribe of ASHER,

103 3/4 cubits in breadth

400 in length

———

Total 41,500

For the tribe of NAPHTALI,

133 1/2 cubits in breadth

400 in length

———

Total 53,400

“If we make the ichnography, or even the scenography, of the camp on this plan, in following it we must first, in the centre, form a parallelogram of 100 cubits long and 50 broad for the court of the tabernacle with an empty space all round of 50 cubits broad. We must then place the camp of the Levites in the following order:—

To the west, the Gershonites, Numbers 3:22 Numbers

3:22, 23.

Breadth 30 cubits

Length 250 cubits

———

Total 7,500

To the south, the Kohathites, Numbers 3:28 Numbers

3:28, 29.

Breadth 86 cubits

Length 100 cubits

———

Total 8,600

To the north, the Merarites, Numbers 3:34 Numbers

3:34, 35.

Breadth 62 cubits

Length 100 cubits

———

Total 6,200

“On the east we must place tents for Moses, Aaron, and his sons, Numbers 3:38.

“At the place where the camp of the Levites ends, a space must be left of 2,000 square cubits, after which we must take the dimensions of the camp of the twelve tribes.

“This plan is in the main well imagined, but it does not afford an ichnography of sufficient extent. To come more accurately to a proper understanding of this subject, I shall examine the rules that are now in use for encampments, and compare them afterward with what is laid down in the Holy Scriptures, in order that we may hereby form to ourselves an idea of the camp of God, the grandeur and perfection of which surpassed every thing of the kind ever seen. I shall now mention what I am about to propose as the foundation upon which I shall proceed.

“In Exodus 18:21, Deuteronomy 1:15, we find the advice given by Jethro to Moses respecting political government and military discipline: ‘Thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.’ [See the note on “Exodus 18:21”.] We may very well compare these tribunes, or rather these chiliarchs, to our colonels, the centurions or hecatontarchs to commanders or captains, the quinquagenaries or pentecontarchs to lieutenants, and the decurions or decarchs to our sergeants. These chiefs, whether they were named magistrates or officers, were each drawn from his own particular tribe, so that it was not permitted to place over one tribe an officer taken from another. Whatever matter the decarchs could not decide upon or terminate, went to the pentecontarchs, and from thence by degrees to the hecatontarchs, to the chiliarchs, to Moses, and at length to GOD himself, the sovereign head of the army. If we divide the whole army (such as it was at its departure from Egypt) by the numbers already laid down, we shall find 600 chiliarchs, 6,000 hecatontarchs, 12,000 pentecontarchs, 60,000 decarchs, which in all make 78,600 officers. Josephus regulates the number of them still more exactly by saying that there were chiefs set over 10,000, 1,000, 500, 50, 30, 20, and 10. We find this regulation in Ant. Jud., b. iii., c. 4: ‘Take a review of the army, and appoint chosen rulers over tens of thousands, and then over thousands, then divide them into five hundreds, and again into hundreds, and into fifties, and set rulers over each of them who may distinguish them into thirties, and keep them in order; and at last number them by twenties and by tens, and let there be one commander over each number, to be denominated from the number of those over whom they are rulers.’ “We ought not to pass over in silence this division by tens, for twice 10 make 20, three times 10, 30, five times 10, 50, ten times 10, 100, ten times 50, 500, ten times 1,000, 10,000. It was in this manner, as is pretended, that Cangu, the first of the great Khams, (as he is called,) and after him Tamerlane, drew out an army, i.e., by 10, 100, 1,000, 10,000, mentioned in Alhazen, c. v. Probably these Tartars borrowed from the very Hebrews themselves this manner of laying out a camp. At all events it is certain that nothing more ancient of the kind can be found than that mentioned in the books of Moses. To distinguish it from that of the Greeks and Romans we may with justice call it the Hebrew castrametation, or, if we judge it more proper, the Divine castrametation, and consequently the most perfect of all. For although Moses places the pentecontarchs in the middle, between the hecatontarchs and the decarchs, i.e., 50 between 100 and 10; and although Josephus afterward places 1,000 between 500 and 10,000, and 30 and 20 between 10 and 50, this does not at all derange the progression by tens, which Is the foundation of arithmetic. These subaltern officers were equally useful and necessary, as we now see that their number, far from creating confusion, helps maintain order, and that the more there are of them the better is order preserved. According to the modern method of carrying on war, the next in rank to the generals of the army (who have the supreme command) are field marshals and brigadiers, who command 5,000 men. There are then between the chiliarchs or colonels and the hecatontarchs or captains, lieutenant-colonels; and between the hecatontarchs and the decarchs, lieutenant-captains; and these have under them lieutenants and ensigns.

“It is certain that this method of distributing an army by tens, and of encamping, which is very concise, has far greater advantages even with respect to expense than the very best plans of the Greeks, Romans, or any other ancient nation. On this subject we have the testimony of Simon Steven, Castrametat. c. 1, art. 1, and c. 4. art. 3, Oper. Math., p. 574 and 596, &c. According to this arrangement each soldier, or if more proper, each father of a family, being thus placed by ten and ten in a straight line one after the other, might very easily name themselves first, second, &c. Each troop in like manner might be distinguished by its ensigns, that of 100 might have them small, that of 1,000 larger, and that of 10,000 still larger. Every officer, from the lowest subaltern to the general officers of the camp, and even to the generalissimos themselves, had only an easy inspection of ten men each; the decarch had the inspection of 10 soldiers, the hecatontarch of 10 decarchs, and the chiliarch of 10 hecatontarchs. After the chiliarchs, which in no troop can amount to ten, there is the chief or head of each tribe. Each then exactly fulfilling the duty assigned him, we may suppose every thing to be in good order, even were the camp larger and more numerous. The same may be said respecting the contentions that might arise among the soldiers, as well as every thing relative to the general duty of the officers, as to the labours they were to undertake, whether for striking their tents for works of fortification or for making entrenchments. This arrangement might be easily retained in the memory, or a general list be kept of the names of both officers and soldiers to distribute to them their pay, and to keep exact accounts. “It was possible in one moment to know the number of those who were either wanting or were out of their ranks, and to avoid this disorder in future by obliging each man to attend to his duty and keep in his rank. If by chance it happened that any one man wished to desert or had escaped, it was easy to notice him and inflict on him the punishment he merited. The ensigns being distinguished by their marks, and the company being known, it was easy to find any soldier whatever.

“The armies themselves might have certain marks to distinguish them, and by that means they might at once ascertain the person in question; for example: 8. 2. 7. 3. might signify the eighth soldier or father of a family, of the second rank, of the seventh company, in the third chiliad; 7. 3. 5. the halberdier of the decurion or sergeant of the seventh line, in the third company, of the fifth chiliad or thousand; 5. 8. the hecatontarchs or captains of the fifth company, in the eighth chiliad; 7. the chiliarchs or colonels of the seventh rank; 0. finally, the general of the whole army. Farther, by the same means the loss or misplacing of their arms might be prevented. Again, the soldiers might in a very short time be instructed and formed to the exercise of arms, each decad having its sergeant for its master; and the chariots or other carriages might easily be divided amongst several, 10 under the decurion, 100 under the hecatontarch; and by thus following the above method, every thing might be kept in good order. A PLAN OF THE WHOLE ISRAELITISH CAMP

(See graphic at end of chapter.)

“We shall finally, in one plate, represent the whole camp of the Israelites, in that order which appears the most proper. For this purpose we must extract the square roots of the preceding spaces, in order that we may be able to assign to each tribe square areas, or rectangular parallelograms. I therefore find for

Reuben 3049 square cubits.

Simeon 3443

The Gershonites 1224

The Kohathites 1311

The Merarites 1113

Judah 3862

Issachar 3298

Zebulun 3388

Gad 3019

Asher 2880

Manasseh 2537

Ephraim 2846

Benjamin 2660

Dan 3541

Naphtali 3268

“The tabernacle, which was 100 cubits long and 50 broad, I place in the centre of the camp, at the distance of 840 feet from the camp of the Levites, which is placed exactly in the same manner as described in the sacred writings. I find therefore that the whole space of the camp is 259,600,000 feet. Now, according to the manner we have just divided the camp for each tribe, the sum total being 125,210,000, it follows that the space between the tents contained 134,390,000. If, with Eisenschmid, we estimate the Roman mile at 766 French fathoms and two feet, (consequently 21,141,604 square feet to a Roman square mile,) the Israelitish camp will contain a little more than 12 such square miles.” The reader will have the goodness to observe that the preceding observations, as well as the following plate or diagram, which was made by Scheuchzer on the exactest proportions, could not be accurately copied here without an engraved plate; and after all, the common reader could have profited no more by the plate than he can by the diagram. It is not even hoped that disquisitions of this kind can give any thing more than a general idea how the thing probably was; for to pretend to minute exactness, in such cases, would be absurd. The sacred text informs us that such and such tribes occupied the east, such the west, &c., &c.; but how they were arranged individually we cannot pretend absolutely to say. Scheuchzer’s plan is such as we may suppose judgment and skill would lay down; but still it is very probable that the plan of the Israelites’ castrametation was more perfect than any thing we can well imagine; for as it was the plan which probably God himself laid down, it must be in every respect what it ought to be, for the comfort and safety of this numerous multitude.

As there are some differences between the mode of distributing the command of a large army among the British, and that used on the continent, which is followed by Scheuchzer, I shall lay down the descending scale of British commanders, which some may think applies better to the preceding arrangement of the Israelitish army than the other. The command of a large army in the British service is thus divided:— The command of a large army in the British service is thus divided:—

1. The Commander-in-chief.

2. Lieutenant-generals, who command divisions of the army: (these divisions consist of 2 or 3 brigades each, which, on an average, amount to 5,000 men.)

3. Major-generals, who command brigades: (these brigades consist of from 2 to 3,000 men [2,500 is perhaps the average] according to the strength of the respective regiments of which the brigade is composed.)

4. Colonels in the army, or lieutenant-colonels, who command single regiments; they are assisted in the command of these regiments by the majors of the regiments. [I mention the major, that there may be no break in the descending scale of gradation of ranks, as in the event of the absence of the above two officers, he is the next in command.]

5. Captains who command companies: these companies (on the war establishment) consist of 100 men each, and there are 10 companies in every regiment, consequently a colonel, or lieutenant-colonel, commands 1,000 men.

(Subaltern officers having no command, but assisting the captain.)

6. Lieutenants, of which there are 2 to every company.

7. Ensign; 1 to each company.

(These are called general officers.)

1. Commander-in-chief.

2. Lieutenant-generals commanding divisions 5,000 each.

3. Major-generals, brigades 2,500.

4. Colonels, lieutenant-colonels, and majors; 3 officers belonging to each regiment in the service, and are solely employed in the disciplining and commanding the men; these are mounted on horseback, and termed field-officers. (to each company.)

5. 1 Captain

6. 2 Lieutenants

7. 1 Ensign

Ascending scale of ranks which every officer must pass through. (to every regiment.)

Ensign

Lieutenant

Captain

Major

Lieutenant-colonel

Colonel

Major-general, brigade-commander.

Lieutenant-general, division-commander.

General-in-chief, who commands the whole army.

Though I particularly refer the reader to the above diagram of the Israelitish camp, taken from Scheuchzer’s plate, which I have thought necessary to be subjoined to his description, yet I think it also proper to introduce that on the following page, as it gives a general and tolerably correct idea of this immense camp, in the description of which the inspired writer has been so very particular; but still I must say these things are to be considered as PROBABLE, not as absolutely certain; as comprising a general view of what may be supposed probable, likely, and practicable. The whole may be said to consist of three camps, viz., 1. The camp of the Lord; 2. The camp of the Levites; and , 3. The people. These in the grand camp in the wilderness, corresponded with the holy of holies, the holy place, and the outward court of the Temple at Jerusalem. See Ainsworth. NUMBERS

Verse 2. His own standard — It is manifest there were four great standards or ensigns, which here follow, distinguished by their colours or figures; also there were other particular ensigns belonging to each of their fathers’ houses or families. Far off — Partly out of reverence to God and his worship, and the portion allotted to it, and partly for caution, lest their vicinity to it might tempt them to make too near approaches to it. It is supposed they were at two thousand cubits distance from it, which was the space between the people and the ark; and it is not improbable, because the Levites encamped round about it, between them and the tabernacle. It is observable, those tribes were placed together, that were nearest of kin to each other. Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun were the three youngest sons of Leah, and Issachar and Zebulun would not grudge to be under Judah, their elder brother. Reuben and Simeon would not be content with their place. Therefore Reuben, Jacob’s eldest son, is chief of the next squadron. Simeon doubtless is willing to be under him. And Gad, the son of Leah’s handmaid, is fitly added to him, in Levi’s room. Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin, are all the posterity of Rachel. Dan, the eldest son of Bilhah, leads the rest; to them are added the two younger sons of the handmaids. So much of the wisdom of God appears even in these smaller circumstances!

Verse 2. Every man—shall pitch by his own standard. Ensigns or colours are useful in war, for distinction and for honour, and serve as rallying points to the host. The rabbins say that the ensign of Judah bore a lion; Reuben a man, with a mandrake, Genesis 30:14; Ephraim an ox; Dan an eagle. See Ezekiel 1. Mystically, these wise regulations adumbrated the church of Christ, in the midst of which is the tabernacle of the Most High. Verse 17 directs the order of their march in the wide wilderness, that they might avoid confusion, and be ready for defence. The camp of Levi was in the centre, and around the tabernacle.

2. Every man… standard — See Numbers 1:52, note. Ensign — There were banners for the subdivisions of the tribes as well as for the tribe. It would be difficult for every man to see the tribal ensign, hence smaller groups were marked by their own banners. How the ensign (Hebrews, oth) differs from the standard (Hebrews, degel) we know not. It was probably smaller. “As the Israelites were commanded to encamp, ‘each by his own standard, with the ensign of their father’s house,’ the direction has been considered as implying that they possessed three varieties — 1,) the great tribal standards; 2,) the ensigns of the subdivisions; 3,) those of families or houses.” — JAMIESON. Far off — Rather, opposite to the tabernacle on all sides, thus making a hollow square, with the sacred tent in the centre.

V. 3. Judah-This tribe was in the first post, and in their marches led the van, not only because it was the most numerous, but chiefly because Christ, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, was to descend from it: Yea, from the loins of Nahshon, who is here appointed the chief captain of it.

Verse 3. Judah — This tribe was in the first post, and in their marches led the van, not only because it was the most numerous, but chiefly because Christ, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, was to descend from it: yea, from the loins of Nahshon, who is here appointed the chief captain of it.

3. On the east — Or, in front of the door of the tabernacle. Nearest to the tents of Moses and Aaron and the priests, and situated toward the sunrise, was Judah’s standard, planted with the first grand army corps of 186,600 soldiers, to constitute the van of the ponderous column. Issachar and Zebulun and Judah are all sons of Leah, hence there is the strongest motive for harmony. By birthright, Reuben’s was the right of precedence, or the hegemony, as the Greeks called it; but he had forfeited it by a very flagrant crime against the peace and order of his father Jacob’s house, and especially insulting to him. See Genesis 35:22; and 49:4. His sin dis-crowned him, as sin will dis-crown every impenitent soul. Nahshon, the phylarch or captain of the tribe, with the captains of the other tribes, were those whom Jehovah chose to assist Moses and Aaron in the census. Numbers 1:5. It is probable that Nahshon outranked not only the two captains of his division, but all the others also, being next to Moses and his vicegerent Joshua. These are doubtless the same men who were assembled by Moses and Aaron in Exodus 4:29, as “all the elders.”

4. Those that were numbered — These words are simply explanatory of his host. The better translation would be his host, even those of them who were mustered. Good generalship always puts the strongest battalion in the van, to receive without faltering any sudden attack from the front, and also places a strong rear-guard for the same reason. This accounts for the position of Dan’s grand division, next in strength to Judah’s.

5. Issachar was encamped next to Judah on one side, and Zebulun was probably on the other. By arranging them thus the standard of Judah would be in the centre of the line, and opposite to the door of the tabernacle, and very near to the marquee of Moses, the commander in

chief under Jehovah. An inspection of the annexed diagram will show the post of honour for Judah.

9. These shall first set forth — Literally, pull up (stakes) first: the first to break up camp and march was to be Judah’s grand division. Mr. Bush, following Rosenmuller, inclines to the opinion that these are the words of Moses, and cites grammatical authority for the use of the future for repeated or customary action — “These uniformly set forth first.” But the future is more frequently used as a mild imperative. Moreover, if it was worthy of God to say any thing about the order, it was of the first importance that he should establish the question of precedence in the march, a point on which victory or defeat might turn.

10. Camp of Reuben — Or, host of Reuben. This tribe was the head of the second army corps, situated on the south of the tabernacle. Simeon, his own brother, son of Leah, and Gad, son of Zilpah, her handmaid, are members of this division. Reference to relationship was had in the entire arrangement of the camp, and finally, in some degree, in the allotment of the Promised Land.

Ver. 14. Reuel. Hebrews Rehuel; Chaldee, Dehuel; the LXX, Raguel. The orthography of all ancient books is very variable, with regard to the names of persons and cities.

V. 17. In the midst-This is not to be understood strictly, but largely; for in their march they were divided, and part of that tribe marched next after Judah, Numbers 10:17, and the other part exactly in the midst of the camp.

Verse 17. In the midst — This is not to be understood strictly, but largely; for in their march they were divided, and part of that tribe marched next after Judah, (Numbers 10:17,) and the other part exactly in the midst of the camp.

17. The camp of the Levites is fully described in Numbers 3:14-39. The tabernacle itself, transported by the Gershonites and Merarites, had not its position in the column behind Reuben, but immediately in the rear of Judah, so as to be set up early for the reception of the sacred vessels and furniture, carried by the Kohathites in this central position in the rear of Reuben, for their better protection. See Numbers 10:17.

V. 18. Ephraim-Who is here preferred before his brother, according to the prophecy, Genesis 48:19,20.

Verse 18. Ephraim — Who is here preferred before his brother, according to the prophecy, Genesis 48:19, 20.

18. The camp of Ephraim came next, on the west side of the tabernacle. Here the descendants of Rachel, the tribes of Joseph’s two sons and the tribe of Benjamin, his favourite younger brother, reared their standard. They were near neighbours in Canaan, though the Jordan divided Manasseh. In the days of the monarchy they were intimately associated. “Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh, stir up thy strength.” Psalm 80:2.

25. The camp of Dan… on the north completes the square. It is composed of the tribes of Asher the son of Zilpah, and of Dan and Naphtali, sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s handmaid. Dan, second in strength to Judah, guards the rear of the column. The van and the rear, the posts of danger, are strongly guarded, while the weaker tribes and the non-combatant Levites are wisely placed in the middle of the column when on the march, and the Levites in the center of the square when encamped. CONCLUDING NOTE.

With respect to the area of this camp there is much difference of opinion. If it were so arranged as to be completely filled, we could approximate its area by assigning a requisite number of square feet to each person. But there was an unoccupied space between the tabernacle, with its Levitical custodians, and the sides of the quadrilateral. Since the breadth of this space is not given in the plan of the camp, we are left to conjecture its size. The camp was probably larger relatively than the Roman military castra, which were always fortified. The Hebrews never fortified, and hence had not the same reason for compression. It is evident from Numbers 10:2-8, that every part of the camp was to be within the sound of the silver trumpet. They could all see the brazen serpent lifted up on a pole near the tabernacle. Numbers 21:9. It is supposed that the length of the sabbath-day’s journey was fixed at two thousand cubits, because this was the distance from the tabernacle to the extremities of the camp, but there is no scriptural proof of this. Nor does the statute granting to the Levites a strip of land two thousand cubits wide around their cities (Numbers 35:4, 5) prove that there was exactly this space between the tabernacle and the side of the camp. The Jewish writers do not agree, but the most common opinion among them is, that the circumference was twelve miles. Scheuchzer makes its area twelve square miles.

An inspection of Solomon’s temple and its successor, with the outer and inner court, and its temple proper, o naov, divided into the holy and the most holy place, will show that it is but a crystallization of this fluent camp. But this typifies more than the structure reared on Mount Moriah. Its antitype, or, rather, its eternal ideal and archetype, is the “holy city, the new Jerusalem, having the glory of God, and a wall great and high, and twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.” This is “the camp of the saints.” Revelation 20:9.

The camp in the wilderness, before reaching the table-lands of Moab, was seldom laid out in the regular manner here indicated, on account of the unevenness of the ground. But when Balaam gazed upon it from “the top of the rocks,” spread out upon the plain, its symmetry and beauty extorted from his unwilling tongue these words of admiration: “How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob! and thy tabernacles, O Israel!” Could the eyes of unbelievers in modern times be anointed to see the inner, spiritual beauty of the “camp of the saints, the family of God on the earth, the Church of the firstborn written in heaven,” similar exclamations of wonder and praise would burst from their lips.

V. 31. The Camp of Dan-The strongest camp next after Judah, and therefore he comes in the rear, as Judah marched in the front, that the tabernacle might be best guarded where there was most danger.

Verse 31. The camp of Dan — The strongest camp next after Judah, and therefore he comes in the rear, as Judah marched in the front, that the tabernacle might be best guarded where there was most danger. The Jews say this camp made a square of twelve miles in compass about the tabernacle, three miles on each side.

Verse 34. So they pitched by their standards — Their order was so beautiful, that when Balaam beheld the camp of Israel from an eminence, he exclaimed with admiration, How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob! thy tabernacles, O Israel! As valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river’s side? Numbers 24:5, 6.

Ver. 34. So they pitched by their standards; and by estimation formed a square, each of whose sides was twelve miles. In this order also they marched through the wilderness.