UBF Daily Bread

A PLACE IN GOD’S COMMUNITY

Passage: Numbers 2:1~34

Key verse: 34

The Arrangement of the Tribal Camps

2 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: ²“The Israelites are to camp around the tent of meeting some distance from it, each of them under their standard^(A) and holding the banners of their family.”

³On 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.^(B) ⁴His division numbers 74,600.

⁵The tribe of Issachar^(C) will camp next to them. The leader of the people of Issachar is Nethanel son of Zuar.^(D) ⁶His division numbers 54,400.

⁷The tribe of Zebulun will be next. The leader of the people of Zebulun is Eliab son of Helon.^(E) ⁸His division numbers 57,400.

⁹All the men assigned to the camp of Judah, according to their divisions, number 186,400. They will set out first.^(F)

¹⁰On the south^(G) will be the divisions of the camp of Reuben under their standard. The leader of the people of Reuben is Elizur son of Shedeur.^(H) ¹¹His division numbers 46,500.

¹²The tribe of Simeon^(I) will camp next to them. The leader of the people of Simeon is Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai.^(J) ¹³His division numbers 59,300.

¹⁴The tribe of Gad^(K) will be next. The leader of the people of Gad is Eliasaph son of Deuel.^[a]^(L) ¹⁵His division numbers 45,650.

¹⁶All the men assigned to the camp of Reuben,^(M) according to their divisions, number 151,450. They will set out second.

¹⁷Then the tent of meeting and the camp of the Levites^(N) will set out in the middle of the camps. They will set out in the same order as they encamp, each in their own place under their standard.

¹⁸On the west^(O) will be the divisions of the camp of Ephraim^(P) under their standard. The leader of the people of Ephraim is Elishama son of Ammihud.^(Q) ¹⁹His division numbers 40,500.

²⁰The tribe of Manasseh^(R) will be next to them. The leader of the people of Manasseh is Gamaliel son of Pedahzur.^(S) ²¹His division numbers 32,200.

²²The tribe of Benjamin^(T) will be next. The leader of the people of Benjamin is Abidan son of Gideoni.^(U) ²³His division numbers 35,400.

²⁴All the men assigned to the camp of Ephraim,^(V) according to their divisions, number 108,100. They will set out third.^(W)

²⁵On the north^(X) will be the divisions of the camp of Dan under their standard.^(Y) The leader of the people of Dan is Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.^(Z) ²⁶His division numbers 62,700.

²⁷The tribe of Asher will camp next to them. The leader of the people of Asher is Pagiel son of Okran.^(AA) ²⁸His division numbers 41,500.

²⁹The tribe of Naphtali^(AB) will be next. The leader of the people of Naphtali is Ahira son of Enan.^(AC) ³⁰His division numbers 53,400.

³¹All the men assigned to the camp of Dan number 157,600. They will set out last,^(AD) under their standards.

³²These are the Israelites, counted according to their families.^(AE) All the men in the camps, by their divisions, number 603,550.^(AF) ³³The Levites, however, were not counted^(AG) along with the other Israelites, as the Lord commanded Moses.

³⁴So 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 of them with their clan and family.

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Footnotes

Numbers 2:14 Many manuscripts of the Masoretic Text, Samaritan Pentateuch and Vulgate (see also 1:14); most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text Reuel

As the Israelites prepared to conquer Canaan, the LORD told the people to camp and break camp in a specific pattern. The tabernacle was in the center. The Levites camped around the tabernacle (2:53). The other tribes camped around the Levites, some distance from the tabernacle. Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun camped on the east. Reuben, Simeon, and Gad were on the south. Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin were on the west. Dan, Asher and Naphtali camped to the north. When they moved, the tribes under Judah and Reuben went first, followed by the Levites carrying the tabernacle. Then the tribes under Ephraim and Dan followed. God designated a place for every Israelite in the community.

In Jesus, we belong to God’s community. May we find our place in God’s community and encourage others to do the same.

The Israelites formed concentric squares around the tabernacle. God was in the center of their camp. They were to be God-centered people while camping or moving. Likewise, whether we are staying or going, may we also put God and obeying him at the center of our lives.

Prayer: Father, thank you for including me as one of your people through Christ and giving me a place in your kingdom. Be the center of our lives.

One Word: God’s place in my heart; our place in God’s community