How does Numbers 2 set the tribes’ places in camp and their order on the march?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

The Lord places the camps of Juda, Ruben, Ephraim and Dan on the east, south, west and north. They march first, second, third and last. The tabernacle is carried by the Levite officers and their troops, and everyone must march by their places and ranks.

Chapter breakdown

Numbers 2 gives the order of the tribes in camp. The Lord tells Moses and Aaron that all the children of Israel must camp by their troops, ensigns and standards, and the houses of their kindreds, around the tabernacle of the covenant.

On the east, Juda must pitch his tents by the bands of his army. His prince is Nahasson son of Aminadab, and his fighting men number 74,600. Issachar camps next to him, under Nathanael son of Suar, with 54,400 fighting men. Zabulon’s prince is Eliab son of Helon, and his fighting men number 57,400. The whole camp of Juda totals 186,400; they must march first by their troops.

The camp of Ruben is on the south. His prince is Elisur son of Sedeur, and his counted fighting men number 46,500. Simeon camps beside him under Salamiel son of Surisaddai, with 59,300 counted fighting men. Gad’s prince is Eliasaph son of Duel, and his counted fighting men number 45,650. The whole camp of Ruben totals 151,450 by their troops; they must march second.

The officers of the Levites and their troops must carry the tabernacle of the testimony. As it is set up, so it must be taken down. Everyone must march according to their places and ranks.

The camp of Ephraim is on the west, under Elisama son of Ammiud. His counted fighting men number 40,500. Manasses is with them, under Gamaliel son of Phadassur, with 32,200 counted fighting men. Benjamin’s prince is Abidan son of Gedeon, and his counted fighting men number 35,400. The whole camp of Ephraim totals 108,100 by their troops; they must march third.

Dan camps on the north, under Ahiezar son of Ammisaddai. His counted fighting men number 62,700. Aser pitches his tents beside him, under Phegiel son of Ochran, with 41,500 counted fighting men. Nephtali’s prince is Ahira son of Enan, and his fighting men number 53,400. The whole camp of Dan totals 157,600; they must march last.

The number of the children of Israel in their army, divided by the houses of their kindreds and their troops, is 603,550. The Levites are not counted among them because the Lord commanded Moses so. The children of Israel do everything the Lord commanded: they camp by their troops and march by the families and houses of their fathers.

The story inside

The chapter pairs each camp’s place with a marching rank. Juda is on the east and marches first; Ruben is on the south and marches second. After the instructions for Ruben comes the rule for carrying the tabernacle and marching by places and ranks. Ephraim is on the west and marches third, and Dan is on the north and marches last. Reading the listed ranks in order places the tabernacle instruction between Ruben and Ephraim. The closing verse records obedience to the order, without describing an attack, a tribal dispute or a reason for selecting these ranks.

Lessons worth keeping

1
Camp position and marching rank are stated separately. Knowing where a group pitches its tents does not replace the command about when it must march; the chapter gives both.
2
The four camp totals include the named tribes within each group. The separate tribal figures and the camp sums keep each group’s count clear, with the overall army total stated at the end.
3
The Levites have a separate place in the account. They carry the tabernacle but are excluded from the army count by God’s command; carrying and being counted are distinct matters here.

Test your recall

How does the command about the Levites explain their place in this chapter without including them in the army total?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 14066–14074
Numbers Chapter 2 The order of the tribes in their camp. 2:1. And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: 2:2. All the children of Israel shall camp by their troops, ensigns, and standards, and the houses of their kindreds, round about the tabernacle of the covenant.
Lines 14076–14095
2:3. On the east Juda shall pitch his tents by the bands of his army: and the prince of his sons; shall be Nahasson the son of Aminadab. 2:4. And the whole sum of the fighting men of his stock, were seventy-four thousand six hundred. 2:5. Next unto him they of the tribe of Issachar encamped, whose prince was Nathanael, the son of Suar. 2:6. And the whole number of his fighting men were fifty-four thousand four hundred. 2:7. In the tribe of Zabulon the prince was Eliab the son of Helon. 2:8. And all the army of fighting men of his stock, were fifty-seven thousand four hundred. 2:9. All that were numbered in the camp of Juda, were a hundred and eighty-six thousand four hundred: and they by their troops shall march first.
Lines 14097–14116
2:10. In the camp of the sons of Ruben, on the south side, the prince shall be Elisur the son of Sedeur: 2:11. And the whole army of his fighting men, that were numbered, were forty-six thousand five hundred. 2:12. Beside him camped they of the tribe of Simeon: whose prince was Salamiel the son of Surisaddai. 2:13. And the whole army of his fighting men, that were numbered, were fifty-nine thousand three hundred. 2:14. In the tribe of Gad the prince was Eliasaph the son of Duel. 2:15. And the whole army of his fighting men that were numbered, were forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty. 2:16. All that were reckoned up in the camp of Ruben, were a hundred and fifty-one thousand four hundred and fifty, by their troops: they shall march in the second place.
Lines 14118–14121
2:17. And the tabernacle of the testimony shall be carried by the officers of the Levites and their troops. As it shall be set up, so shall it be taken down. Every one shall march according to their places, and ranks.
Lines 14123–14143
2:18. On the west side shall be the camp of the sons of Ephraim, whose prince was Elisama the son of Ammiud. 2:19. The whole army of his fighting men, that were numbered, were forty thousand five hundred. 2:20. And with them the tribe of the sons of Manasses, whose prince was Gamaliel the son of Phadassur. 2:21. And the whole army of his fighting men, that were numbered, were thirty-two thousand two hundred. 2:22. In the tribe of the sons of Benjamin the prince was Abidan the son of Gedeon. 2:23. And the whole army of fighting men, that were reckoned up, were thirty-five thousand four hundred. 2:24. All that were numbered in the camp of Ephraim, were a hundred and eight-thousand one hundred by their troops: they shall march in the third place.
Lines 14145–14164
2:25. On the north side camped the sons of Dan: whose prince was Ahiezar the son of Ammisaddai. 2:26. The whole army of his fighting men, that were numbered, were sixty-two thousand seven hundred. 2:27. Beside him they of the tribe of Aser pitched their tents: whose prince was Phegiel the son of Ochran. 2:28. The whole army of his fighting men, that were numbered, were forty-one thousand five hundred. 2:29. Of the tribe of the sons of Nephtali the prince was Ahira the son of Enan. 2:30. The whole army of his fighting men, were fifty-three thousand four hundred. 2:31. All that were numbered in the camp of Dan, were a hundred and fifty-seven thousand six hundred: and they shall march last.
Lines 14166–14177
2:32. This is the number of the children of Israel, of their army divided according to the houses of their kindreds and their troops, six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty. 2:33. And the Levites were not numbered among the children of Israel: for so the Lord had commanded Moses. 2:34. And the children of Israel did according to all things that the Lord had commanded. They camped by their troops, and marched by the families and houses of their fathers.