(This DRAFT study has been done fairly quickly, without the further guide of commentaries. I hope to improve on it later.)
Moses has counted the Israelites as God commanded. The people prepare to move out of camp in an orderly fashion.
Numbers 2:1-9, On the east...
The LORD said to Moses and Aaron: "The Israelites are to camp around the Tent of Meeting some distance from it, each man under his standard with the banners of his family."
On the east, toward the sunrise, the divisions of the camp of Judah are to encamp under their standard. The leader of the people of Judah is Nahshon son of Amminadab. His division numbers 74,600.
The tribe of Issachar will camp next to them. The leader of the people of Issachar is Nethanel son of Zuar. His division numbers 54,400.
The tribe of Zebulun will be next. The leader of the people of Zebulun is Eliab son of Helon. His division numbers 57,400.
All the men assigned to the camp of Judah, according to their divisions, number 186,400. They will set out first.
On the east, possibly leading the march, are three tribes, Judah, Issachar and Zebulun. Their numbers agree with those of the last chapter and a total for all three tribes is given. The leaders of these three tribes are Nahshon (brother of Aaron's wife, Elisheba, Exodus 6:23), Nethanel (nathan+el = "given of God"), and Eliab (el+ab = "God of his father".)
One suggested translation of the Hebrew word eleph has been clan, not thousand. But thousand is the obvious interpretation here as the hundreds digit in the three numbers, 74600, 54400, and 57400, create a carry (6+4+4=14) that appears in the thousands digit in the total.
Numbers 2:10-16, On the south...
On the south will be the divisions of the camp of Reuben under their standard. The leader of the people of Reuben is Elizur son of Shedeur. His division numbers 46,500.
The tribe of Simeon will camp next to them. The leader of the people of Simeon is Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai. His division numbers 59,300.
The tribe of Gad will be next. The leader of the people of Gad is Eliasaph son of Deuel. His division numbers 45,650.
All the men assigned to the camp of Reuben, according to their divisions, number 151,450. They will set out second.
On the south side of the marching nation, are three tribes, Reuben, Simeon and Gad. Their numbers agree with those of the last chapter and a total for all three tribes is given. The leaders of Reuben, Simeon and Gad are Elizur, Sheumiel, and Eliasaph.
Numbers 2:17, The Levites
Then the Tent of Meeting and the camp of the Levites will set out in the middle of the camps. They will set out in the same order as they encamp, each in his own place under his standard.
The Levites, carrying the tabernacle, travel as a separate tribe, possibly in the center of the nation. Presumably the leader of the Levites is Aaron.
Numbers 2:18-24, On the west...
On the west will be the divisions of the camp of Ephraim under their standard. The leader of the people of Ephraim is Elishama son of Ammihud. His division numbers 40,500.
The tribe of Manasseh will be next to them. The leader of the people of Manasseh is Gamaliel son of Pedahzur. His division numbers 32,200.
The tribe of Benjamin will be next. The leader of the people of Benjamin is Abidan son of Gideoni. His division numbers 35,400.
All the men assigned to the camp of Ephraim, according to their divisions, number 108,100. They will set out third.
On the west are three tribes, Ephraim, Manasseh and Benjamin. Their leaders are Elishama, Gamaliel and Abidan.
Numbers 2:25-31, On the north...
On the north will be the divisions of the camp of Dan, under their standard. The leader of the people of Dan is Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai. His division numbers 62,700.
The tribe of Asher will camp next to them. The leader of the people of Asher is Pagiel son of Ocran. His division numbers 41,500.
The tribe of Naphtali will be next. The leader of the people of Naphtali is Ahira son of Enan. His division numbers 53,400.
All the men assigned to the camp of Dan number 157,600. They will set out last, under their standards.
Finally, on the north, are three tribes, Dan, Asher and Naphtali. The leaders are Ahiezer, Pagiel and Ahira.
With these twelve leaders named, we have repeated the names given in Numbers 1:5-16.
Numbers 2:32-34, Summary
These are the Israelites, counted according to their families. All those in the camps, by their divisions, number 603,550. The Levites, however, were not counted along with the other Israelites, as the LORD commanded Moses.
So the Israelites did everything the LORD commanded Moses; that is the way they encamped under their standards, and that is the way they set out, each with his clan and family.
With this arrangement, the twelve tribes are prepared to travel east and north, into Canaan.
First published September 2, 2025; updated September 11, 2025
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