Numbers 2 - John Darby's Synopsis of the New Testament vs Calvin JohnNumbers 2Numbers 2:1And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, The following commentary covers Chapters 1 and 2.The first thing to be noticed is, that God numbers His people exactly, and arranges them, once thus recognised, around His tabernacle: sweet thought, to be thus recognised and placed around God Himself! But here it had no reference to calling by faith, but to families, and households, and tribes. That order was carefully maintained when encamped at rest, or on their march; but it was the order of a nation and its tribes. God dwelt there, but the unity of the body, or of the Spirit-union in any sense had no place. Three tribes on each side of the court kept the tabernacle of Jehovah. Levi alone was excepted, in order to be consecrated to the service of God: therefore the tribe of Levi encamped according to their families immediately around the court. Moses, Aaron, and the priests were placed opposite the entrance whereby God was approached. The least things in the word deserve to be noticed. Psalm 80 is entirely opened by the position of the tribes. The spirit of the psalmist asks, in the last days of the desolation of Israel, for God to lead them and to manifest His power as He did when He led them through the wilderness; he asks for the power of His presence on the ark of testimony, as God manifested it when it was said, at the moment when Israel set forward, "Rise up, Jehovah, and let thine enemies be scattered." Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh were the three tribes nearest the ark in the camp of Israel; that is why it is said, in Verse 2 of the Psalm (Psalm 80:2), "before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh." In the setting forward of the camp, the order given was that the tabernacle, surrounded by the Levites, should be in the midst of the tribes, as it was when the camp was at rest (Numbers 2:17). It was in the midst of them as of an army that was its guard, as the rallying-point of worship and approach when the camp was at rest. They kept the charge of the Lord. In chapter 10 we shall find that another arrangement took place as a matter of fact: of this, in its place. Numbers 2:2Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign of their father's house: far off about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch.Numbers 2:3And on the east side toward the rising of the sun shall they of the standard of the camp of Judah pitch throughout their armies: and Nahshon the son of Amminadab shall be captain of the children of Judah.Numbers 2:4And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were threescore and fourteen thousand and six hundred.Numbers 2:5And those that do pitch next unto him shall be the tribe of Issachar: and Nethaneel the son of Zuar shall be captain of the children of Issachar.Numbers 2:6And his host, and those that were numbered thereof, were fifty and four thousand and four hundred.Numbers 2:7Then the tribe of Zebulun: and Eliab the son of Helon shall be captain of the children of Zebulun.Numbers 2:8And his host, and those that were numbered thereof, were fifty and seven thousand and four hundred.Numbers 2:9All that were numbered in the camp of Judah were an hundred thousand and fourscore thousand and six thousand and four hundred, throughout their armies. These shall first set forth.Numbers 2:10On the south side shall be the standard of the camp of Reuben according to their armies: and the captain of the children of Reuben shall be Elizur the son of Shedeur.Numbers 2:11And his host, and those that were numbered thereof, were forty and six thousand and five hundred.Numbers 2:12And those which pitch by him shall be the tribe of Simeon: and the captain of the children of Simeon shall be Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.Numbers 2:13And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were fifty and nine thousand and three hundred.Numbers 2:14Then the tribe of Gad: and the captain of the sons of Gad shall be Eliasaph the son of Reuel.Numbers 2:15And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were forty and five thousand and six hundred and fifty.Numbers 2:16All that were numbered in the camp of Reuben were an hundred thousand and fifty and one thousand and four hundred and fifty, throughout their armies. And they shall set forth in the second rank.Numbers 2:17Then the tabernacle of the congregation shall set forward with the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camp: as they encamp, so shall they set forward, every man in his place by their standards.Numbers 2:18On the west side shall be the standard of the camp of Ephraim according to their armies: and the captain of the sons of Ephraim shall be Elishama the son of Ammihud.Numbers 2:19And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were forty thousand and five hundred.Numbers 2:20And by him shall be the tribe of Manasseh: and the captain of the children of Manasseh shall be Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.Numbers 2:21And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were thirty and two thousand and two hundred.Numbers 2:22Then the tribe of Benjamin: and the captain of the sons of Benjamin shall be Abidan the son of Gideoni.Numbers 2:23And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were thirty and five thousand and four hundred.Numbers 2:24All that were numbered of the camp of Ephraim were an hundred thousand and eight thousand and an hundred, throughout their armies. And they shall go forward in the third rank.Numbers 2:25The standard of the camp of Dan shall be on the north side by their armies: and the captain of the children of Dan shall be Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.Numbers 2:26And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were threescore and two thousand and seven hundred.Numbers 2:27And those that encamp by him shall be the tribe of Asher: and the captain of the children of Asher shall be Pagiel the son of Ocran.Numbers 2:28And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were forty and one thousand and five hundred.Numbers 2:29Then the tribe of Naphtali: and the captain of the children of Naphtali shall be Ahira the son of Enan.Numbers 2:30And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were fifty and three thousand and four hundred.Numbers 2:31All they that were numbered in the camp of Dan were an hundred thousand and fifty and seven thousand and six hundred. They shall go hindmost with their standards.Numbers 2:32These are those which were numbered of the children of Israel by the house of their fathers: all those that were numbered of the camps throughout their hosts were six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty.Numbers 2:33But the Levites were not numbered among the children of Israel; as the LORD commanded Moses.Numbers 2:34And the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses: so they pitched by their standards, and so they set forward, every one after their families, according to the house of their fathers.Numbers 21. And the Lord spake unto Moses, and unto Aaron This distribution into separate bands must have served to prevent contention; for, had not God thus assigned to each their proper position, so natural is ambition to man, that they would have quarrelled for the place of honor. It would have been grievous to the family of Reuben, the first-born, to resign his dignity; and, even if they had patiently submitted to the punishment inflicted upon them, they would have been made to take the lowest place, as being condemned to ignominy. Disputes would also have arisen respecting the children of the concubines, for they would not have thought it consistent that; those who sprang from Leah and Rachel should yield them the superior place. Besides, in proportion as they severally had the advantage in numbers, they would have thought themselves injured unless they preceded others. |