CHAPTER 2 THE CAMP OF ISRAEL. In this chapter Israel are depicted as needing to be organised around the God's ‘Dwellingplace', (mishkan, often translated ‘the tabernacle'), in square formation in a similar way to the camp of the Egyptians around the tent of Rameses II. Encamped to the east of the Dw... [ Continue Reading ]
‘All who were numbered of the camp of Reuben were a hundred thousand and fifty and one thousand and four hundred and fifty, according to their hosts. And they shall set forth second.' The total force in the camp of Reuben was 150 'lph (families/military leaders) with 14 ‘hundreds' or military units... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Then the tent of meeting shall set forward, with the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camps. As they encamp, so shall they set forward, every man in his place, by their standards (or ‘in their ranks').' Once the two powerful groups had gone forward the Levites would go forward after them, c... [ Continue Reading ]
‘On the west side shall be the standard of the camp of Ephraim according to their hosts, and the prince of the children of Ephraim shall be Elishama the son of Ammihud. And his host, and those who were numbered of them, were forty thousand and five hundred. And next to him shall be the tribe of Mana... [ Continue Reading ]
‘All who were numbered of the camp of Ephraim were a hundred thousand and eight thousand and a hundred, according to their hosts. And they shall set forth third.' They consisted of 107 'lph (families/military leaders) and 11 ‘hundreds' or military units. On the march they followed behind the Levite... [ Continue Reading ]
‘On the north side shall be the standard of the camp of Dan according to their hosts, and the prince of the children of Dan shall be Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. And his host, and those who were numbered of them, were threescore and two thousand and seven hundred. And those who encamp next to him... [ Continue Reading ]
‘All who were numbered of the camp of Dan were a hundred thousand and fifty and seven thousand and six hundred. They shall set forth hindmost by their standards.' So, on the march they were at the rear of the advance, in order to protect the rear. The powerful tribe of Dan together with Asher and N... [ Continue Reading ]
‘These are those who were numbered of the children of Israel by their fathers' houses. All who were numbered of the camps according to their hosts were six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty.' Once again we have repeated the result of the numbering, six hundred 'lph, thr... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But the Levites were not numbered among the children of Israel, as Yahweh commanded Moses.' But the Levites were not included in this mobilisation. They were exempt from general military service. This has been stressed previously (Numbers 1:47). Here the fact is doubly emphasised. Their responsibi... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Thus did the children of Israel. According to all that Yahweh commanded Moses, so they encamped by their standards, and so they set forward, every one by their families, according to their fathers' houses.' Again it is stressed that Israel did exactly as Yahweh had commanded Moses (compare for the... [ Continue Reading ]