Numbers 2:3

The Tribes on the East

2:3 “Now those who will be camping ¹  on the east, toward the sunrise, ²  are the divisions ³  of the camp of Judah under their standard. The leader of the people of Judah is ⁴  Nahshon son of Amminadab.

Numbers 2:10

The Tribes on the South

2:10 “On the south will be the divisions of the camp of Reuben under their standard. ⁵  The leader of the people of Reuben is Elizur son of Shedeur.

Numbers 1:52

1:52 “The Israelites will camp according to their divisions, each man in his camp, and each man by his standard.

Numbers 10:14

10:14 The standard ⁶  of the camp of the Judahites set out first according to their companies, and over his company was Nahshon son of Amminadab.

Numbers 10:18

Journey Arrangements for the Tribes

10:18 The standard of the camp of Reuben set out according to their companies; over his company was Elizur son of Shedeur.

Numbers 10:22

10:22 And the standard of the camp of the Ephraimites set out according to their companies; over his company was Elishama son of Ammihud.

Numbers 10:25

10:25 The standard of the camp of the Danites set out, which was the rear guard ⁷  of all the camps by their companies; over his company was Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.

[2:3]  ¹ tn The sentence begins with a vav (ו) on a word that is not a finite verb, indicating a new section begins here. The verbal form is a participle with the article used substantivally, with the meaning “and/now those camping.” Many English versions employ a finite verb; cf. KJV “on the east side…shall they of the standard of the camp of Judah pitch.”

[2:3]  ² tc The two synonyms might seem to be tautological, but this is fairly common and therefore acceptable in Hebrew prose (cf. Exod 26:18; 38:13; etc.).

[2:3]  ³ tn The sentence actually has “[those camping…are] the standard of the camp of Judah according to their divisions.”

[2:3]  ⁴ tn Or “will be.”

[2:10]  ⁵ tn Here and throughout the line is literally “[under] the standard of the camp of Reuben…according to their divisions.”

[10:14]  ⁶ sn The “standard” (דֶּגֶל, degel) was apparently some kind of a symbol put up on a pole to signify the tribal hosts. R. de Vaux thought it simply referred to a pole or a mast, but that would not distinguish tribes (Ancient Israel, 226-27).

[10:25]  ⁷ tn The MT uses a word that actually means “assembler,” so these three tribes made up a strong rear force recognized as the assembler of all the tribes.