ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

 Tu’apuleulu Sune 10, 2021

They shall camp facing the tent of meeting

ko ‘enau fokotu‘u tēniti ‘e tumu‘aki ki he Tēniti Fe‘iloaki‘anga

Nomipa 2 (Numbers 2)

(v.1-2) 1 PEA folofola ‘a Sihova kia Mōsese mo ‘Ēlone, ‘o pehē, 2 Ko e fokotu‘u tēniti ‘a ha‘a ‘Isileli takitaha ‘e fai ki he fuka ‘o hono matakali, pea mo e fuka ‘o hono ‘ulumotu‘a: ko ‘enau fokotu‘u tēniti ‘e tumu‘aki ki he Tēniti Fe‘iloaki‘anga, ‘o takatakai ki ai.

(v.1-2) 1 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 2 “The people of Israel shall camp each by his own standard, with the banners of their fathers’ houses. They shall camp facing the tent of meeting on every side.

 

* G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible*

This host of God was not merely a mob or an aggregation of individuals.

It must be a disciplined and ordered company, and here we find the instructions concerning the relative positions to be occupied by the tribes, both in times of encampment and when on the march. It would be an interesting and helpful thing for the reader of this chapter to draw a diagram of the encampment as described.

At the center of everything was the Tabernacle, the very dwelling place of God, as to His manifestation. Around this the Levites were encamped on two sides and at the back. Moses and the priests were to occupy the fourth side close to the courts of worship on the east, confronting the entrance. Outside the enclosure and beyond this encampment of priests and Levites, the tribes of the nation took up their positions. Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun encamped on the east, confronting the entrance to the courts. Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin were on the west; Reuben, Simeon, and Gad on the south; with Dan, Asher, and Naphtali, on the north.

On the march, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun led. Reuben, Simeon, and Gad followed. Then at the center came the Tabernacle priests and Levites. These were followed by Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin; Dan, Asher, and Naphtali marching last in order. Whereas this is a technical chapter with a technical note, one great fact stands out, that, whether encamped or on the march, there was a divine order; and that in each case at the center of everything, the Tabernacle took its place.

 

*Commentary: David Guzik – Study Guide on the Book of Numbers*

Everyone of the children of Israel shall camp by his own standard: Israel had been on this Exodus journey for more than a year, and had assembled just about any way they had pleased. But now, ready to enter into the Promised Land, they had to take the next step in organization: Ordering themselves.

They shall camp some distance from the tabernacle of meeting: At the center of this order was the tabernacle itself. The tribes would arrange themselves to the east, south, west, and north in relation to the tabernacle. Since the tabernacle was symbolically the presence of God with them, this meant all order in Israel began being centered around God Himself.