Chapter 2

The Encampment about the Tabernacle

1. PITCHING INSTRUCTIONS (Numbers 2:1-2 [1] And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, [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.
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1. By His Own Standard (Numbers 2:2Every 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.
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2. With the Ensign of Their Father’s House (Numbers 2:2Every 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.
   See All...; Genesis 49:1-28 [1] And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days. [2] Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father. [3] Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power: [4] Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father's bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch. [5] Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations. [6] O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall. [7] Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel. [8] Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father's children shall bow down before thee. [9] Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? [10] The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. [11] Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes: [12] His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk. [13] Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; and he shall be for an haven of ships; and his border shall be unto Zidon. [14] Issachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens: [15] And he saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant; and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute. [16] Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel. [17] Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward. [18] I have waited for thy salvation, O LORD. [19] Gad, a troop shall overcome him: but he shall overcome at the last. [20] Out of Asher his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal dainties. [21] Naphtali is a hind let loose: he giveth goodly words. [22] Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall: [23] The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him: [24] But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:) [25] Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb: [26] The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren. [27] Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf: in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil. [28] All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: and this is it that their father spake unto them, and blessed them; every one according to his blessing he blessed them.
   See All...) Note:  This is just something to ponder.  At this point I could not prove to you with scripture that this is so.  According to a rabbinical tradition, Judah’s ensign bore the image of a lion, Reuben’s was in the likeness of a man or a man’s head, Ephraim’s was the figure of an ox, and Dan’s was the figure of an eagle.  This would match the four living creatures mentioned by Ezekiel and match a representation of the four gospels, but do not be dogmatic because we don’t know for sure.
1. Reuben = strength
2. Simeon = weapons
3. Judah = lion
4. Zebulun = the sea
5. Issachar = a mule or donkey
6. Dan = a serpent
7. Gad = an army
8. Asher = bread
9. Naphtali = a hind
10. Joseph = a bow
3. Far Off about the Tabernacle (Numbers 2:2Every 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.
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2. ENCAMPED ON THE EAST (Numbers 2:3-9 [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. [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. [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. [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.
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1. Encampment Position (Numbers 2:3-8 [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. [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. [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. [8] And his host, and those that were numbered thereof, were fifty and seven thousand and four hundred.
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1. Judah (Numbers 2:3-4 [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. [4] And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were threescore and fourteen thousand and six hundred.
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1. Captain = Nahshon the son of Amminadab
2. Host = 74,600
2. Issachar (Numbers 2:5-6 [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. [6] And his host, and those that were numbered thereof, were fifty and four thousand and four hundred.
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1. Captain = Nethaneel the son of Zuar
2. Host = 54,400
3. Zebulun (Numbers 2:7-8 [7] Then the tribe of Zebulun: and Eliab the son of Helon shall be captain of the children of Zebulun. [8] And his host, and those that were numbered thereof, were fifty and seven thousand and four hundred.
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1. Captain = Eliab the son of Helon
2. Host = 57,400
2. Head Tribe (Numbers 2:9All 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.
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1. East = camp of Judah
2. Total host = 186,400
3. Marching Order (Numbers 2:9All 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.
   See All...) – “These shall first set forth”
3. ENCAMPED ON THE SOUTH (Numbers 2:10-16 [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. [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. [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. [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.
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1. Encampment Position (Numbers 2:10-15 [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. [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. [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. [15] And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were forty and five thousand and six hundred and fifty.
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1. Reuben (Numbers 2:10-11 [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. [11] And his host, and those that were numbered thereof, were forty and six thousand and five hundred.
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1. Captain = Elizur the son of Shedeur
2. Host = 46,500
2. Simeon (Numbers 2:12-13 [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. [13] And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were fifty and nine thousand and three hundred.
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1. Captain = Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai
2. Host = 59,300
3. Gad (Numbers 2:14-15 [14] Then the tribe of Gad: and the captain of the sons of Gad shall be Eliasaph the son of Reuel. [15] And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were forty and five thousand and six hundred and fifty.
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1. Captain = Eliasaph the son of Reuel or Deuel (Numbers 1:14Of Gad; Eliasaph the son of Deuel.
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2. Host = 45,650
2. Head Tribe (Numbers 2:16All 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.
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1. South = camp of Reuben
2. Total host = 151,450
3. Marching Order (Numbers 2:16All 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.
   See All...) – “they shall set forth in the second rank”
4. ENCAMPED IN THE MIDST (Numbers 2:17Then 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.
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5. ENCAMPED ON THE WEST (Numbers 2:18-24 [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. [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. [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. [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.
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1. Encampment Position (Numbers 2:18-23 [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. [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. [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. [23] And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were thirty and five thousand and four hundred.
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1. Ephraim (Numbers 2:18-19 [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. [19] And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were forty thousand and five hundred.
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1. Captain = Elishama the son of Ammihud
2. Host = 40,500
2. Manasseh (Numbers 2:20-21 [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. [21] And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were thirty and two thousand and two hundred.
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1. Captain = Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur
2. Host = 32,200
3. Benjamin (Numbers 2:22-23 [22] Then the tribe of Benjamin: and the captain of the sons of Benjamin shall be Abidan the son of Gideoni. [23] And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were thirty and five thousand and four hundred.
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1. Captain = Abidan the son of Gideoni
2. Host = 35,400
2. Head Tribe (Numbers 2:24All 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.
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1. West = camp of Ephraim
2. Total host = 108,100
3. Marching Order (Numbers 2:24All 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.
   See All...) – “they shall go forward in the third rank”
6. ENCAMPED ON THE NORTH (Numbers 2:25-31 [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. [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. [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. [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.
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1. Encampment Position (Numbers 2:25-30 [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. [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. [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. [30] And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were fifty and three thousand and four hundred.
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1. Dan (Numbers 2:25-26 [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. [26] And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were threescore and two thousand and seven hundred.
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1. Captain = Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai
2. Host = 62,700
2. Asher (Numbers 2:27-28 [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. [28] And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were forty and one thousand and five hundred.
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1. Captain = Pagiel the son of Ocran
2. Host = 41,500
3. Naphtali (Numbers 2:29-30 [29] Then the tribe of Naphtali: and the captain of the children of Naphtali shall be Ahira the son of Enan. [30] And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were fifty and three thousand and four hundred.
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1. Captain = Ahira the son of Enan
2. Host = 53,400
2. Head Tribe (Numbers 2:31All 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.
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1. North = camp of Dan
2. Total host = 157,600
3. Marching Order (Numbers 2:31All 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.
   See All...) – “They shall go hindmost”
7. POSSIBILITIES OF THE DESIGN OF ENCAMPMENT (See Appendices Sheets A1-A2)
8. PRACTICAL LESSONS OF THE ENCAMPMENT
1. God is Concerned with Details
1. In this passage we find that God has a specific place and order by which the Israelites are to encamp.  God gives instructions for the location for each tribe to encamp, and which tribe they are to be next to, and who is to march in what order when the camp moves.
2. In Numbers 20, God wasn’t satisfied that Moses went to the rock to get water, because instead of speaking to the rock, Moses smote it two times with a rod.
3. In 2 Samuel 6, God wasn’t just pleased that the Israelites were bringing the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem.  They created a new way to bring it back and when it almost fell, a man named Uzzah touched it, trying to keep it from falling and God killed him because he wasn’t supposed to touch it.
4. In Acts 16, God wasn’t just so happy that Paul wanted to preach the gospel that He let Paul go anywhere he wanted to go for the Bible says that they were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia.
5. In Acts 5, God wasn’t so overwhelmed by the fact that Ananias and Sapphira gave part of the money from their land that He let them get away with it for they were supposed to give it all.  They may have even given 90%, but that isn’t the issue.
6. In 2 Corinthians 10:5Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
   See All..., God isn’t satisfied with you not saying things that are displeasing to the Lord, but He even wants your thoughts to be brought into obedience to Christ.
2. Your Rebellion Affects Others
1. What if the tribe of Dan no longer liked the North and wanted to move to the South?  Then in order for Asher to stay next to Dan as the Bible says they also would have to move.
2. What if Judah decided all of the sudden that they weren’t leading the march any more?  Whoever leads is not following the command of God any more.
3. God Calls Some to a Special Work
1. In this passage we find that God has a specific job for the Levites in ministering to the things of the tabernacle.  Even there the Levites are divided up into different responsibilities.  The tribe of Judah is called upon by God to lead the march as the camp moves from one location to another.
2. The tribe of Reuben may have been upset because God chose Judah to lead the march.  It could be that some of the men in the tribe of Reuben were better soldiers than the men of Judah, but God chose Judah to lead the march.  It could be that some of the men of Judah didn’t want the responsibility of leading the march, but that is what God called them to do and that was their way of being obedient to the command of God.
3. Christians get into some of the biggest messes when they are trying to do something that God hasn’t called them to do (1 Corinthians 7:20Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.
   See All...). God has a plan for each Christian and obedience to that plan is the most satisfying thing a Christian can do.
4. God Desires the Fellowship of All of His People
1. God didn’t create the garden of Eden because He needed somewhere to walk.
2. God didn’t walk with Enoch because He was bored.
3. God didn’t create the holy of holies and the mercy seat because He needed somewhere to sit.
4. Christ wasn’t weeping over Jerusalem because they were in bondage to the Romans.
5. Christ isn’t in the midst of the church in Revelation 1 for lack of something better to do.
6. Rather God is always looking to be in the midst of His people and desires the fellowship of the same.
9. CONCLUSION OF THE NUMBERING AND ORGANIZATION OF THE TRIBES (Numbers 2:32-34 [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. [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.
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1. Total Soldiers = 603,550
2. Levites Excluded from the Count
3. The Children of Israel Were Obedient.
1. In their encampment
2. In their march