The position of the tribes when setting up camp – Numbers 2:1-34
God told Moses and Aaron how to set out the camp. So, each person knew the exact place where they must pitch their tent.
The tribes formed a square with God’s tabernacle in the middle. In the 13th century BC, the army of Egypt camped in a square. The king’s tent was in the middle. In the Israelites’ camp, however, the tabernacle was in the middle because God was Israel’s King.
Levi’s tribe camped in the space between the other tribes and the tabernacle. They looked after it. They did not allow the other Israelites to come too close to it.
The tribes camped in four groups. There were three tribes in each group. The tribes of Judah, Reuben, Ephraim and Dan commanded one group each. Each group and each tribe had its own flag which they would carry into battle. There was a Jewish tradition that the tribes’ flags were the colours of the 12 jewels (precious stones) in the High Priest’s special clothes (Exodus 28:15-24). But the Bible tells us nothing about the colours of the flags.
It seems the tribes had to camp in order of importance. East was the most important position. It was on the same side as the entrance to the tabernacle. So, the largest and most important group of tribes (Judah’s group) looked after it. Reuben’s group of tribes camped on the south side. Ephraim’s group camped on the west side. Lastly, Dan’s group camped on the north side.
Whenever the Israelites travelled, the tribes had to walk in this same order. Levi’s tribe carried the parts of the tabernacle. They walked between the other tribes. The tabernacle was to remind them that God was with them always. When they camped, God was with them. When they travelled, God travelled with them.
God told Moses and Aaron to arrange the camp in a military way and as they travelled, they marched as an army. They had to be ready to fight as they would encounter obstructions on the way to the Promised Land.
