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The thousands of Israel, having been mustered in the former chapter, in this are marshalled, and a regular disposition is made of their camp, by a divine appointment. Here is, I. A general order concerning it (Num 2:1, Num 2:2). II. Particular directions for the posting of each of the tribes, in four distinct squadrons, three tribes in each squadron. 1. In the vanguard on the east were posted Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun (Num 2:3-9). 2. In the right wing, southward, Reuben, Simeon, and Gad (Num 2:10-16). 3. In the rear, westward, Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin, (Num 2:18-24). 4. In the left wing, northward, Dan, Asher, and Naphtali (Num 2:25-31). 5. The tabernacle in the centre (Num 2:17). III. The conclusion of this appointment (Num 2:32, etc.).

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 2 This chapter contains the order of the encampment and march of the tribes of Israel in their proper places about the tabernacle; the general direction for the same is in Num 1:1; the particulars follow; on the cast of the tabernacle the camp of Judah was to pitch, and under his standard the tribes of Issachar and Zebulun, Num 1:3; on the south side of it the camp of Reuben, and under his standard the tribes of Simeon and Gad, Num 1:10; then the tabernacle, with the camp of the Levites round it, were next, to stand or set forward, Num 1:17; and on the west side the camp of Ephraim, and under his standard the tribes of Manasseh and Benjamin, Num 1:18; and on the north side the camp of Dan, and under his standard the tribes of Asher and Naphtali, Num 1:25; the sum total of the numbers of which camps are given, exclusive of the camp of Levi, Num 1:32; and the chapter is concluded with observing, that all was done according to the commandment of God, Num 1:34.

And his host,.... That is, the host of Manasseh: and those that were numbered of them, were thirty and two thousand and two hundred. 32,200 men; see Num 1:35.

Moses continues to relate how they compassed Mount Seir, Deu 2:1. And the commands they received not to meddle with the descendants of Esau, Deu 2:2-8; nor to distress the Moabites, Deu 2:9. Of the Emims, Deu 2:10, Deu 2:11; the Horims, Deu 2:12. Their passage of the brook Zered, Deu 2:13. The time they spent between Kadesh-barnea and Zered, Deu 2:14; during which all the men of war that came out of Egypt were consumed, Deu 2:15, Deu 2:16. The command not to distress the Ammonites, Deu 2:17-19. Of the Zamzummims, Deu 2:20, the Anakims, Deu 2:21, the Horims, Deu 2:22, the Avims and Caphtorims, all destroyed by the Ammonites, Deu 2:23. They are commanded to cross the river Arnon, and are promised the land of Sihon, king of the Amorites, Deu 2:24, Deu 2:25. Of the message sent to Sihon, to request a passage through his territories, Deu 2:26-29. His refusal, Deu 2:30.The consequent war, Deu 2:31, Deu 2:32. His total overthrow, Deu 2:33; and extermination of his people, Deu 2:34. The spoils that were taken, Deu 2:35. And his land possessed from Aroer to Arnon by the Israelites, Deu 2:36; who took care, according to the command of God, not to invade any part of the territories of the Ammonites, Deu 2:37.

THE ORDER OF THE TRIBES IN THEIR TENTS. (Num. 2:1-34) Every man . . . shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign of their father's house--Standards were visible signs of a certain recognized form for directing the movements of large bodies of people. As the Israelites were commanded to encamp "each by his own standard, with the ensign of their father's house," the direction has been considered as implying that they possessed three varieties: (1) the great tribal standards, which served as rallying points for the twelve large clans of the people; (2) the standards of the subdivided portions; and, (3) those of families or houses. The latter must have been absolutely necessary, as one ensign only for a tribe would not have been visible at the extremities of so large a body. We possess no authentic information as to their forms, material, colors, and devices. But it is probable that they might bear some resemblance to those of Egypt, only stripped of any idolatrous symbols. These were of an umbrella or a fanlike form, made of ostrich feathers, shawls, &c., lifted on the points of long poles, which were borne, either like the sacred central one, on a car, or on men's shoulders, while others might be like the beacon lights which are set on poles by Eastern pilgrims at night. Jewish writers say that the standards of the Hebrew tribes were symbols borrowed from the prophetic blessing of Jacob--Judah's being a lion, Benjamin's a wolf, &c. [Gen. 49:3-24]; and that the ensigns or banners were distinguished by their colors--the colors of each tribe being the same as that of the precious stone representing that tribe in the breastplate of the high priest [Exo 28:17-21]. far off about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch--that is, "over against," at a reverential distance. The place of every tribe is successively and specifically described because each had a certain part assigned both in the order of march and the disposition of the encampment.