Numbers 2
Common English Bible
The wilderness camp’s arrangement
2 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron: 2 The Israelites will camp each under the banner with the symbol of their household. They will camp around the meeting tent some distance from it.
The camp’s east side
3 On the east side toward the sunrise will be the banner of Judah’s camp with its military units. The chief of the people of Judah is Nahshon, Amminadab’s son. 4 His military unit and those enlisted in it are 74,600. 5 Those camping on one side of him are the tribe of Issachar. The chief of the people of Issachar is Nethanel, Zuar’s son. 6 His military unit and those enlisted in it are 54,400. 7 On the other side, the tribe of Zebulun: the chief of the people of Zebulun is Eliab, Helon’s son. 8 His military unit and those enlisted in it are 57,400. 9 All those enlisted in Judah’s camp with their military units are 186,400. They will march first.
The camp’s south side
10 On the south side will be the banner of Reuben’s camp with its military units. The chief of the people of Reuben is Elizur, Shedeur’s son. 11 His military unit and those enlisted in it are 46,500. 12 Those camping on one side of him are the tribe of Simeon. The chief of the people of Simeon is Shelumiel, Zurishaddai’s son. 13 His military unit and those enlisted in it are 59,300. 14 On the other side, the tribe of Gad: the chief of the people of Gad is Eliasaph, Reuel’s son. 15 His military unit and those enlisted in it are 45,650. 16 All those enlisted in Reuben’s camp with their military units are 151,450. They will march second.
The camp’s center
17 The meeting tent and the Levites’ camp will march in the center of the camps. They will march in the same order as they camp: each in position under his banner.
The camp’s west side
18 On the west will be the banner of Ephraim’s camp with its military units. The chief of the people of Ephraim is Elishama, Ammihud’s son. 19 His military unit and those enlisted in it are 40,500. 20 On one side of him is the tribe of Manasseh. The chief of the people of Manasseh is Gamaliel, Pedahzur’s son. 21 His military unit and those enlisted in it are 32,200. 22 On the other side, the tribe of Benjamin: the chief of the people of Benjamin is Abidan, Gideoni’s son. 23 His military unit and those enlisted in it are 35,400. 24 All those enlisted in Ephraim’s camp with their military units are 108,100. They will march third.
The camp’s north side
25 On the north will be the banner of Dan’s camp with its military units. The chief of the people of Dan is Ahiezer, Ammishaddai’s son. 26 His military unit and those enlisted in it are 62,700. 27 Those camping on one side of him are the tribe of Asher. The chief of the people of Asher is Pagiel, Ochran’s son. 28 His military unit and those enlisted in it are 41,500. 29 On the other side, the tribe of Naphtali: the chief of the people of Naphtali is Ahira, Enan’s son. 30 His military unit and those enlisted in it are 53,400. 31 All those enlisted in the camp of Dan are 157,600. They will march last under their banners.
32 These are the enlisted Israelites by their households. The total enlisted in the camps with their military units is 603,550. 33 But the Levites weren’t enlisted among the Israelites, as the Lord had commanded Moses. 34 The Israelites did everything exactly as the Lord had commanded Moses: they camped under their banners and they marched by their clans and by their households.
Numbers 2
New King James Version
The Tribes and Leaders by Armies
2 And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: 2 (A)“Everyone of the children of Israel shall camp by his own [a]standard, beside the emblems of his father’s house; they shall camp (B)some distance from the tabernacle of meeting. 3 On the (C)east side, toward the rising of the sun, those of the standard of the forces with Judah shall camp according to their armies; and (D)Nahshon the son of Amminadab shall be the leader of the children of Judah.” 4 And his army was numbered at seventy-four thousand six hundred.
5 “Those who camp next to him shall be the tribe of Issachar, and Nethanel the son of Zuar shall be the leader of the children of Issachar.” 6 And his army was numbered at fifty-four thousand four hundred.
7 “Then comes the tribe of Zebulun, and Eliab the son of Helon shall be the leader of the children of Zebulun.” 8 And his army was numbered at fifty-seven thousand four hundred. 9 “All who were numbered according to their armies of the forces with Judah, one hundred and eighty-six thousand four hundred—(E)these shall [b]break camp first.
10 “On the (F)south side shall be the standard of the forces with Reuben according to their armies, and the leader of the children of Reuben shall be Elizur the son of Shedeur.” 11 And his army was numbered at forty-six thousand five hundred.
12 “Those who camp next to him shall be the tribe of Simeon, and the leader of the children of Simeon shall be Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.” 13 And his army was numbered at fifty-nine thousand three hundred.
14 “Then comes the tribe of Gad, and the leader of the children of Gad shall be Eliasaph the son of [c]Reuel.” 15 And his army was numbered at forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty. 16 “All who were numbered according to their armies of the forces with Reuben, one hundred and fifty-one thousand four hundred and fifty—(G)they shall [d]be the second to break camp.
17 (H)“And the tabernacle of meeting shall move out with the [e]camp of the Levites (I)in the middle of the [f]camps; as they camp, so they shall move out, everyone in his place, by their [g]standards.
18 “On the west side shall be the standard of the forces with Ephraim according to their armies, and the leader of the children of Ephraim shall be Elishama the son of Ammihud.” 19 And his army was numbered at forty thousand five hundred.
20 “Next to him comes the tribe of Manasseh, and the leader of the children of Manasseh shall be Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.” 21 And his army was numbered at thirty-two thousand two hundred.
22 “Then comes the tribe of Benjamin, and the leader of the children of Benjamin shall be Abidan the son of Gideoni.” 23 And his army was numbered at thirty-five thousand four hundred. 24 “All who were numbered according to their armies of the forces with Ephraim, one hundred and eight thousand one hundred—(J)they shall [h]be the third to break camp.
25 “The [i]standard of the forces with Dan shall be on the north side according to their armies, and the leader of the children of Dan shall be Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.” 26 And his army was numbered at sixty-two thousand seven hundred.
27 “Those who camp next to him shall be the tribe of Asher, and the leader of the children of Asher shall be Pagiel the son of Ocran.” 28 And his army was numbered at forty-one thousand five hundred.
29 “Then comes the tribe of Naphtali, and the leader of the children of Naphtali shall be Ahira the son of Enan.” 30 And his army was numbered at fifty-three thousand four hundred. 31 “All who were numbered of the forces with Dan, one hundred and fifty-seven thousand six hundred—(K)they shall [j]break camp last, with their [k]standards.”
32 These are the ones who were numbered of the children of Israel by their fathers’ houses. (L)All who were numbered according to their armies of the forces were six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty. 33 But (M)the Levites were not numbered among the children of Israel, just as the Lord commanded Moses.
34 Thus the children of Israel (N)did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses; (O)so they camped by their [l]standards and so they broke camp, each one by his family, according to their fathers’ houses.
Footnotes
- Numbers 2:2 banner
- Numbers 2:9 Lit. set forth
- Numbers 2:14 Deuel, Num. 1:14; 7:42
- Numbers 2:16 Lit. set forth second
- Numbers 2:17 company
- Numbers 2:17 whole company
- Numbers 2:17 banners
- Numbers 2:24 Lit. set forth third
- Numbers 2:25 banner
- Numbers 2:31 Lit. set forth last
- Numbers 2:31 banners
- Numbers 2:34 banners
Numbers 2
Living Bible
2 1-2 The Lord gave these further instructions to Moses and Aaron: “Each tribe will have its own tent area, with its flagpole and tribal banner; and at the center of these tribal compounds will be the Tabernacle.” 3-31 Here are the tribal locations:[a]
| Tribe: | Leader: | Location: | Census: |
| Judah | Nahshon (son of Amminadab) | East side of Tabernacle | 74,600 |
| Issachar | Nethanel (son of Zuar) | Next to Judah | 54,400 |
| Zebulun | Eliab (son of Helon) | Next to Issachar | 57,400 |
So the total of all those on Judah’s side of the camp was 186,400. These three tribes led the way whenever the Israelites traveled to a new campsite.
| Tribe: | Leader: | Location: | Census: |
| Reuben | Elizur (son of Shedeur) | South side of Tabernacle | 46,500 |
| Simeon | Shelumiel (son of Zurishaddai) | Next to Reuben | 59,300 |
| Gad | Eliasaph (son of Reuel) | Next to Simeon | 45,650 |
So the total of the Reuben side of the camp was 151,450. These three tribes were next in line whenever the Israelis traveled.
Next in the line of march was the Tabernacle, with the Levites. When traveling, each tribe stayed together under its own flag, just as each was separate from the others in camp.
| Tribe: | Leader: | Location: | Census: |
| Ephraim | Elishama (son of Ammihud) | West side of Tabernacle | 40,500 |
| Manasseh | Gamaliel (son of Pedahzur) | Next to Ephraim | 32,200 |
| Benjamin | Abidan (son of Gideoni) | Next to Manasseh | 35,400 |
So the total on the Ephraim side of the camp was 108,100, and they were next in the line of march.
| Tribe: | Leader: | Location: | Census: |
| Dan | Ahiezer (son of Ammishaddai) | North side of Tabernacle | 62,700 |
| Asher | Pagiel (son of Ochran) | Next to Dan | 41,500 |
| Naphtali | Ahira (son of Enan) | Next to Asher | 53,400 |
So the total on Dan’s side of the camp was 157,600. They brought up the rear whenever Israel traveled. 32-33 In summary, the armies of Israel totaled 603,550 (not including the Levites, who were exempted by Jehovah’s commandment to Moses). 34 So the people of Israel set up their camps, each tribe under its own banner, in the locations indicated by the Lord to Moses.
Footnotes
- Numbers 2:3 Here are the tribal locations, implied. Reuel. Deuel in ch. 1.
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.