Order of the Camps

1Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron: 2“The Israelites are to camp around the Tent of Meeting at a distance from it, each man under his standard, with the banners of his family. 3On the east side, toward the sunrise, the divisions of Judah are to camp under their standard: The leader of the descendants of Judah is Nahshon son of Amminadab, 4and his division numbers 74,600 5The tribe of Issachar will camp next to it. The leader of the Issacharites is Nethanel son of Zuar, 6and his division numbers 54,400 7Next will be the tribe of Zebulun. The leader of the Zebulunites is Eliab son of Helon, 8and his division numbers 57,400 9The total number of men in the divisions of the camp of Judah is 186,400; they shall set out first.

10On the south side, the divisions of Reuben are to camp under their standard: The leader of the Reubenites is Elizur son of Shedeur, 11and his division numbers 46,500 12The tribe of Simeon will camp next to it. The leader of the Simeonites is Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai, 13and his division numbers 59,300 14Next will be the tribe of Gad. The leader of the Gadites is Eliasaph son of Deuel, 15and his division numbers 45,650 16The total number of men in the divisions of the camp of Reuben is 151,450; they shall set out second.

17In the middle of the camps, the Tent of Meeting is to travel with the camp of the Levites. They are to set out in the order they encamped, each in his own place under his standard.

18On the west side, the divisions of Ephraim are to camp under their standard: The leader of the Ephraimites is Elishama son of Ammihud, 19and his division numbers 40,500 20The tribe of Manasseh will be next to it. The leader of the Manassites is Gamaliel son of Pedahzur, 21and his division numbers 32,200 22Next will be the tribe of Benjamin. The leader of the Benjamites is Abidan son of Gideoni, 23and his division numbers 35,400 24The total number of men in the divisions of the camp of Ephraim is 108,100; they shall set out third.

25On the north side, the divisions of Dan are to camp under their standard: The leader of the Danites is Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai, 26and his division numbers 62,700 27The tribe of Asher will camp next to it. The leader of the Asherites is Pagiel son of Ocran, 28and his division numbers 41,500 29Next will be the tribe of Naphtali. The leader of the Naphtalites is Ahira son of Enan, 30and his division numbers 53,400 31The total number of men in the camp of Dan is 157,600; they shall set out last, under their standards.”

32These are the Israelites, numbered according to their families. The total of those counted in the camps, by their divisions, was 603,550. 33But the Levites were not counted among the other Israelites, as the LORD had commanded Moses. 34So the Israelites did everything the LORD commanded Moses; they camped under their standards in this way and set out in the same way, each man with his clan and his family.