Numbers 2

A. Organization of the People (continued) 1:1-2:34

Adam Clarke Commentary quotes Scheuchzer's Description and Plan of the Encampments of the Israelites in the Wilderness in connection with vs. 2. He says: "The Israelitish army was divided into three principal divisions. The first, which was the least in extent, but the strongest and the most powerful, occupied the center of the army: this was the throne of God, i. e., the TABERNACLE. The second, which was composed of the priests and Levites, surrounded the first. The third, and the furthest from the center, took in all the other tribes of Israel, who were at least about a mile from the tabernacle. For it appears from Josephus, iii. 4, that the nearest approach they dared make to the ark, except during the time of worship, was a distance of 2,000 cubits. The reverence due to the Divine Majesty, the numerous army of the Israelites, composed of 600,000 soldiers, with their families, which made about 3,000,000 souls, naturally demanded a considerable extent of ground. We are not to imagine that all these families pitched their tents pell mell, without order, like beasts, or as the troops of Tartary, and the eastern armies; on the contrary, their camp was divided according to the most exact rules. And we cannot even doubt that their camp was laid out, and the place of every division and tribe exactly assigned by some engineers, or geometricians, before the army stopped to encamp, in order that every person might immediately find his own quarter, and the road he ought to take to reach the other tents."

This gives us an impression of the efficiency of the organization of the people. Each tribe knew its exact place in relationship to the tabernacle and the exact distance at which to pitch their tents. They also knew the marching order when they broke up camp. Nobody rushed around in confusion, trying to find a random place. Each tribe had a standard with the banner of the tribe to which each member of the tribe rallied. Not much is known about the banners of the different tribes. Matthew Henry's Commentary says on this point: "Many of the modern Jews think there was some coat of arms painted in each standard, which had reference to the blessing of that tribe by Jacob. Judah bore a lion, Dan a serpent, Naphtali a hind, Benjamin a wolf, etc. Some of them say the four principal standards were, Judah a lion, Reuben a man, Joseph an ox, and Dan an eagle, making the appearances in Ezekiel's vision to allude it. Others say the name of each tribe was written in its standard. Whatever it was, no doubt it gave a certain direction." The allusion to Jacob's last word spoken to his sons before his death, in Gen. 49, is a plausible one.

Judah's position is the first one mentioned, which means that they were the first ones to break up and follow immediately after the ark and the tabernacle. All translations agree that the tribe's place was "on the east, toward the sunrise." It may seem nit-picking, but this phrase does not automatically imply that the sun actually rose from the east in the time Israel trekked through the desert. The Hebrew words are Qeed^amaah mizraachaah, which, according to Strong's definition means: qedem, "the front, of place (absolutely, therefore part, relatively the East)" and mizrach, "sunrise i.e.: the east." So, literally it only says: "In front toward the east." The reason we mention this a book by Emanuel Veliskovsky, Worlds in Collision, in which he advances the theory that the rotation of the earth was reversed around the time of the Exodus by the coming of Venus into our solar system as a comet. The book gives some very interesting explanations about some of the extraordinary phenomena recorded in Joshua, like the standing still of the sun.[ 1 ] The fact that the author does not bring any Christian bias or any inclination to lean toward inspiration of the Scriptures into his hypothesis, add a good deal of weight to his arguments. We only want to indicate that the Hebrew text of Num. 2:3 does not necessarily prove him wrong.

The closest distance a tribe was to be from the tabernacle, according to Josephus was 2000 cubits. A cubit being approximately 18 inches, this would be about 3000 foot, or 900 meters.

In the light of the history of salvation as a whole, it is not amazing that Judah was the first tribe to lead the army. Judah was God's chosen tribe for the purpose of bringing our Savior into the world. Jacob had prophesied about Judah: "The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his."[ 2 ] In Jacob's words addressed to Judah, he is compared to a lion. In Revelation our Lord Jesus Christ is called "the Lion of the tribe of Judah."[ 3 ] And, although Judah followed the tribe of Levi who carried the ark and the tabernacle, the Lion of Judah becomes the leader when the images are replaced with the reality. The epistle to the Hebrews speaks about a change in priesthood. We read: "For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must also be a change of the law. He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar. For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests."[ 4 ]

For the purpose of our study it is of little use to go into detail as to the placement of the various tribes in their relation to the tabernacle. Adam Clarke draws a comprehensive diagram in his Commentary, which gives the position of each tribe and the number of conscripted men. I have been unable to copy it directly from the bible program to my word processor. It looks approximately like this:

North

		Simeon Reuben Gad
		Asher Dan Naphtali
		*Merarites*
Manasseh Ephraim Benjamin	*Gershonites*	Tabernacle and Court	Moses Aaron and Sons	Issachar Judah Zebulun
		*Kohathites*

This diagram gives us an impression of the imposing spectacle the Israelite army must have presented in the desert.

Matthew Henry's Commentary has some interesting observations about the stations of the several tribes: "We have here the particular distribution of the twelve tribes into four squadrons, three tribes in a squadron, one of which was to lead the other two.

Those tribes were placed together under the same standard that were nearest of kin to each other; Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun, were the three younger sons of Leah, and they were put together; and Issachar and Zebulun would not grudge to be under Judah, since they were his younger brethren. Reuben and Simeon would not have been content in their place. Therefore Reuben, Jacob's eldest son, is made chief of the next squadron; Simeon, no doubt, is willing to be under him, and Gad, the son of Zilpah, Leah's handmaid, is fitly added to them in Levi's room: Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin, are all the posterity of Rachel. Dan, the eldest son of Bilhah, is made a leading tribe, though the son of a concubine, that more abundant honour might be bestowed on that which lacked; and it was said, Dan should judge his people, and to him were added two younger sons of the handmaids. Thus unexceptionable was the order in which they were placed.

The tribe of Judah was in the first post of honour, encamped towards the rising sun, and in their marches led the van, not only because it was the most numerous tribe, but chiefly because from that tribe Christ was to come, who is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, and was to descend from the loins of him who was now nominated chief captain of that tribe. Nahshon is reckoned among the ancestors of Christ, <Mt. 1:4>. So that, when he went before them, Christ himself went before them in effect, as their leader. Judah was the first of the twelve sons of Jacob that was blessed. Reuben, Simeon, and Levi, were censured by their dying father; he therefore being first in blessing, though not in birth, is put first, to teach children how to value the smiles of their godly parents and dread their frowns.

The camp of Dan (and so that tribe is called long after their settlement in Canaan <Judg. 13:25>, because celebrated for their military prowess), though posted in the left wing when they encamped, was ordered in their march to bring up the rear, v. 31. They were the most numerous, next to Judah, and therefore were ordered into a post which, next to the front, required the most strength, for as the strength is so shall the day be. Lastly, The children of Israel observed the orders given them, and did as the Lord commanded Moses, v. 34. They put themselves in the posts assigned them, without murmuring or disputing, and, as it was their safety, so it was their beauty; Balaam was charmed with the sight of it: How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob! <Num 24:5>."

Adam Clarke's Commentary remarks about the space that would be occupied by such a mass of people: "If we examine and compare the camp of Israel with that of our most numerous armies which in these days are composed of 100,000 or of 150,000 men, we cannot but consider it of vast extent. The Jews say it was twelve miles In circumference; this is not at all improbable, and consequently the front of each wing must be three miles in extent. But taking in the tents, the soldiers and their numerous families, the beasts of burden, the cattle, and the goods it certainly must have formed a very considerable inclosure, much more than twelve miles." And according to Josephus, "It was, says, like a well appointed market where everything was ready for sale in due order, and all sorts of artificers kept their shops, so that this camp might be considered a movable city." We can hardly overestimate the impression this encampment must have made upon Israel's enemies, both human and spiritual. Satan must have observed with fear and trembling the column of cloud and fire that formed the visible center of the camp, symbolizing the presence of God Himself. And we get a little idea of what it must have looked like from the viewpoint of Balaam, of whom Clarke says: "Balaam was charmed with the sight of it." This must be considered an understatement.

When we compare the nation of Israel, as we see it in the desert, with the church of the Lord Jesus Christ, we realize the differences and the similarity. It has been said that the church is not an organization but an organism. As born again believers we are members of the body of Christ. The Israelites were born into the nation of Israel, but what bound them together was more a bond of blood than a common spiritual experience. The fact that the Lord was in their midst was more a life threatening experience than a source of joy and life for them. All the components of a spiritual reality were present, but for the majority of the nation this had not brought about an inner change. Even as we see them here, with the ark of the covenant and the presence of God in their midst, lined up around the center according to the tribes and banners, they are more a well organized band of rebels than the army of the Lord.

Jesus says about the church: "I am the vine; you are the branches."[ 5 ] This picture may be idyllic, but yet it is the essence of the church. Unless we are united by an inner spiritual life to the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, we do not belong to the church. There is a tendency to see a contradiction between this truth and any form of human organization. In spite of the fact that there is a tensed relationship between human organization and spiritual life, there has to be order. Like the tribes were given their exact place in relationship to the tabernacle and each knew the distance to observer in their settling down and breaking up, so the dominion of the Holy Spirit in the church creates order. Paul says: "The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. For God is not a God of disorder but of peace."[ 6 ] Peace is not just a state of mind, but the result of an orderly arrangement in which each individual and group knows its place.

[ 1 ] Josh. 10:12-14

[ 2 ] Gen. 49:10

[ 3 ] Rev. 5:5

[ 4 ] Heb. 7:12-14

[ 5 ] John 15:5

[ 6 ] I Cor. 14:32,33

Numbers 2 - Commentary by Rev. John Schultz

Numbers 2

North

Tabernacleand Court

Tabernacle
and Court