A Help for the Understanding of the Holy Scriptures, Numbers · Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
Verſ. 1. ANd the Lord ſpake to Moſes and Aaron, ſaying.]
The people being all numbred as God had appointed in the former chapter, in this chapter the Lord gives direction for the ordering of every tribe when they pitched their tents, and when they marched forward; for to prevent confuſion in their marching ſome order was neceſſary, and to cut off all matters of contention, the Lord himſelf appoints unto every tribe their ſeverall place.
Verſ. 2. Every man of the children of Iſrael ſhall pitch by his own standard with the enſigne, &c.]
For the underſtanding of this we muſt know 1. that every tribe was to have a particular enſigne, or banner, called here the enſigne of their fathers houſe, and ſo where that was diſplayed all of that tribe were to pitch their tents together, as in one bodie: 2. that the camp being divided into foure quarters, in each quarter there was to be three tribes, who beſides their ſeverall enſignes had one ſtandard in common for them all, which the chief of the three tribes carried, and ſo every man of the children of Iſrael was ordered to pitch by his own ſtandard: 3. that being thus divided orderly into foure quarters, they were appointed to pitch their tents about the tabernacle of the congregation, to wit, three tribes in one quarter in the Eaſt, and three tribes in another quarter in the Weſt, and ſo three likewiſe on the South, and three on the North, and then the tabernacle was in the middeſt of them. So hereby they were taught that God would dwell amongſt them as his people, to provide for them▪ to protect and defend them, &c. and withall they were taught to have God ſtill in their mind, and ſo to fear him alwayes and worſhip him as they ought to do: and 4. that though the tribes did thus pitch their tents round about the tabernacle, yet it was, as the text ſaith, a farre off, that is, there was a good diſtance betwixt them and the tabernacle: how farre off it was we cannot ſay, yet it may be probably gheſſed, that it was two thouſand cubits, which is an Engliſh mile, becauſe we find that ſuch a diſtance was between the ark and the people when they paſſed over Jordan, Joſh. 3. 4. And thus we may conceive what a glorious ſight it was to behold the tribes thus orderly ranked in their ſeverall places, and that it was no wonder though Balaam was ſtricken with admiration to behold it, Numb. 24. 5, 6. How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob' and thy tabernacl…s, O Iſrael! as the valleys are they ſpread forth by the rivers ſide, &c.
Verſ. 3. And on the East-ſide toward the riſing of the ſunne ſhall the standard of Judah pitch, &c.]
Thus the tribe of Judah, out of which Chriſt was to come, hath the preheminence and goes foremoſt as Captain of the reſt; and is therein a type of Chriſt, the lion of the tribe of Judah, who alſo is Michael, that with his Angels fighteth againſt the Dragon and goeth before his heavenly armies, Rev. 12. 7. Thus Judah hath the dignity of the firſt-born, which was taken from Reuben; neither can Reuben wi…hſtand it, becauſe God hath ſo ordered it.
Verſ. 5. And thoſe that do pitch next unto him ſhall be the tribe of Iſſachar.]
And with him Zebulun, ver. 7. both younger brothers to Judah, that they might the more willingly be under his regiment.
Verſ. 9. And all that were numbred in the camp of Judah were a hundred, &c.]
Thus the greateſt number were in the firſt quarter, for the more ſafety of the Sanctuary, and all Iſrael, almoſt thirty thouſand mo… then in any other quarter.
Theſe ſhall firſt ſet forth.]
That is, when the camp removes, theſe tribes before mentioned, to wit, Judah a…d Iſſachar and Zebulun, which went together in one regiment under Judahs ſtandard, were to advance forward in the firſt place: whereby it is evident that when they journeyed from one place to another they did not march in that order as their tents were pitched about the tabernacle when they ſtayed in any place; but firſt thoſe of Judahs ſtandard advanced forward in the forefront, then immediately behind followed thoſe of Reubens ſtandard, ver. 16. then next behind them came the regiment under the ſtandard of Ephraim, ver. 24. and then in the laſt place came thoſe that belonged to the ſtandard of Dan, ver. 31. onelyonly the Levites went ſome of them betwixt the regiment of Judah and the regiment of Reuben, as is expreſſed, chap. 10. 17. and other next after Reubens regiment juſt in the midſt of their armies, having ſix tribes before them and ſix behind them.
Verſ. 10. On the South-ſide ſhall be the ſtandard of the camp of Reuben.]
The South was to them that were ranked now with their faces Eaſtward on their right hand, and ſo the right wing is given unto Reuben, becauſe he was the firſtborn though he loſt his birthright, Gen 49. which Judah and Joſeph had ſhared between them.
Verſ. 12. And thoſe which pitch by him ſhall be the tribe of Simeon, &c.]
Who was his next brother, and that by Leah his mother. Now his other brother by Leah being already diſpoſed of, who was fitter to be joyned with him then Gad, the firſt-born of Zilpah Leahs handmaid?
Verſ. 14. Then the tribe of Gad, &c.]
See chap. 1. 14.
Verſ. 17. Then the tabernacle of the congregation ſhall ſet forward with the camp of the Levites in the middeſt of the camp, &c.]
It is expreſſely ſaid, chap. 10. 17. that in their journeyings, when the camp removed from one place to another, the ſonnes of Gerſhon and the ſo…nes of Merari ſet forward, bearing the tabernacle, that is, the boards and coverings of the tabernacle, next after Judahs regiment, between Judahs and Reubens regiment, and then afterwards the Kohathites, onelyonly bearing the Sanctuary, went juſt in the midſt of the camp, having ſix tribes before them, and ſix behind them. This therefore that is ſaid here, that the tabernacle of the congregation ſhall ſet forward with the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camp, muſt either be underſtood onelyonly of the Kohathites, who carried the Sanctuary, even all the holy things, juſt in the midſt of the camp; or elſe by the midſt of the camp, muſt not be meant preciſely the juſt midſt of the camp, but onelyonly that they went between the regiments of the other tribes, ſome immediately after the regiment of Judah, and the reſt next after the regiment of Reuben, and ſo theſe laſt onelyonly were preciſely in the midſt of the camp.
Verſ. 18. On the Weſt-ſide ſhall be the ſtandard of the camp of Ephraim, &c.]
Unto Joſephs ſonnes a double priviledge is here given, becauſe he was to have a part of Reubens birthright, as it is expreſſely ſaid 1. Chron. 5. 1, 2. for firſt the poſterity of his two ſonnes are made two ſeverall tribes, which might have been an occaſion of much contention, had not God thus expreſſely ordered it; and 2. unto them the Weſt quarter is given for their pitching of their tents, and that I conceiv… as the ſecond place of honour in the camp: for in the ſame regard is the Weſt quarter amongſt the Levites given to the poſterity of Gerſhon the eldeſt ſonne of Levi, chap. 3. 23. and ſo as amongſt them Moſes and Aaron and the prieſts pitched immediately before the tabernacle, and then the Gerſhonites, that were of Levies eldeſt ſonne, juſt behind the tabernacle, ſo in the ordering of the other tribes, Judahs regiment pitched before the tabernacle, and the ſonnes of Joſeph behind it. And beſides, when they journeyed, they went in the forefront of thoſe tribes that followed the tabernacle, and ſo both when they marched, and when they pitched their tents, they had the tabernacle ſtill in their faces, as if appointed to take ſpeciall care of it; whereto ſome Expoſitours conceive the Pſalmiſt alludes in that expreſſion, Pſal. 80. 2. Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Man…ſſeh ſtirre up thy ſtrength and come and ſave us. For with the tribes of Ephraim and Manaſſeh in this regigiment and quarter Benjamin is here joyned, ver. 22. and ſo all Rachels poſterity encamped together. But yet Ephraim, Joſephs younger ſonne, is appointed to be ſtandard bearer in the camp before his elder brother Manaſſeh, according to Jacobs prophecy of Ephraims ſuperiority, Gen. 48. 19, 20. where he ſet Ephraim before Manaſſeh.
Verſ. 24. All that were numbred of the camp of Ephraim, &c.]
This was the ſmalleſt number of all the armies.
Verſ. 25. The standard of the camp of Dan ſhall be on the North-ſide by their armies.]
He was the firſt-born of the handmaids children, and Jacobs fifth ſonne, Gen. 30. 6. and by prophecy he was to judg… his people as one of the tribes of Iſrael, Gen. 49. 16. So God appointed him the ſtandard in the left wing: with him are joyned the other two remaining ſonnes of the handmaids, to wit, Aſher, ver. 27. and Naphtaly, ver. 29.