The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 2 “aThe sons of Israel shall camp, each by his own standard, with the 1banners of their fathers’ households; they shall camp around the Tent of Meeting , but at a distance.Each of the twelve tribes had a colored banner. The tribes were organized into groups of three. The leading tribe in each triad had a standard representing their group.Num 1:52; 24:2 3 Those who camp on the east side toward the sunrise shall be of the 1standard of the camp of Judah, by their armies; and aNahshon the son of Amminadab shall lead the sons of Judah,The standard of the tribes of Judah contained the picture of a lion.Num 1:7; 10:14; Ruth 4:20; 1 Chr 2:10; Luke 3:32, 33 4 and his army as numbered totaled 74,600. 5 Next to Judah on the east side the tribe of Issachar shall encamp; and aNethanel the son of Zuar shall lead the sons of Issachar,Num 1:8; 7:18, 23 6 and his army as numbered totaled 54,400. 7 Then also on the east side the tribe of Zebulun; and aEliab the son of Helon shall lead the sons of Zebulun,Num 1:9 8 and his army as numbered totaled 57,400. 9 The total of the numbered men in the three tribes on the east side in the camp of Judah was 186,400, by their armies. aThey shall move out first on the march.Num 10:14
10 “On the south side shall be the 1standard of the camp of Reuben, by their armies; and aElizur the son of Shedeur shall lead the sons of Reuben,The standard of the tribes headed by Reuben contained the picture of a man.Num 1:5 11 and his army as numbered totaled 46,500. 12 Those who camp next to Reuben on the south side shall be the tribe of Simeon; and aShelumiel the son of Zurishaddai shall lead the sons of Simeon,Num 1:6 13 and his army as numbered totaled 59,300. 14 Then completing the south side the tribe of Gad; and aEliasaph the son of Reuel shall lead the sons of Gad,Num 1:14; 7:42 15 and his army as numbered totaled 45,650. 16 The total of the numbered men in the three tribes on the south side in the camp of Reuben was 151,450, by their armies. aThey shall move out second on the march.Num 10:18
17 “aThen the Tent of Meeting shall move out with the camp of the Levites in the middle of the other camps; just as they camp so shall they move out, every man in his place by their standards.Num 1:53
18 “On the west side shall be the 1standard of the camp of aEphraim, by their armies; and bElishama the son of Ammihud shall lead the sons of Ephraim,The standard of the tribes headed by Ephraim contained the picture of an ox.Gen 48:14-20; Jer 31:9, 18-20Num 1:10 19 and his army as numbered totaled 40,500. 20 Beside Ephraim on the west side shall be the tribe of Manasseh; and aGamaliel the son of Pedahzur shall lead the sons of Manasseh,Num 1:10 21 and his army as numbered totaled 32,200. 22 Then completing the west side shall be the tribe of aBenjamin; and bAbidan the son of Gideoni shall lead the sons of Benjamin,Ps 68:27Num 1:11 23 and his army as numbered totaled 35,400. 24 The total of the numbered men of the three tribes on the west side in the camp of Ephraim was 108,100, by their armies. aThey shall move out in third place.Num 10:22
25 “On the north side shall be the 1standard of the camp of Dan, by their armies; and aAhiezer the son of Ammishaddai shall lead the sons of Dan,The standard of the tribes headed by Dan contained the picture of an eagle.Num 1:12 26 and his army as numbered totaled 62,700. 27 Encamped next to Dan on the north side shall be the tribe of Asher; and aPagiel the son of Ochran shall lead the sons of Asher,Num 1:13 28 and his army as numbered totaled 41,500. 29 Then completing the north side comes the tribe of aNaphtali; and bAhira the son of Enan shall lead the sons of Naphtali,Gen 30:8Num 1:15 30 and his army as numbered totaled 53,400. 31 The total of the numbered men of the three tribes on the north side in the camp of Dan was 157,600. aThey shall move out last, 1standard after standard.”The symbol on the various tribal standards seems important in view of the cherubim of Ezek 1:10, and in view of the living creatures of Rev 4:7. God was present in each of these settings.Num 10:25
32 These are the men of the Israelites twenty years old and upward as numbered by their fathers’ households. The total of the numbered men of the camps by their armies, a603,550.Ex 38:26; Num 1:46 33 But athe Levites were not numbered with the other Israelites, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.Num 1:47; 26:57-62 34 Thus the Israelites did as ordered; according to everything the LORD had commanded Moses, so they camped by their standards, and so they moved out, everyone with his family , according to his fathers’ household.