Order of the Encampment and March of the Tribes of Israel, Part 2

Continuing a chronological Bible study, the second chapter of Numbers being continued from:

Order of the Encampment and March of the Tribes of Israel, Part 1

(Numbers 2:18) "On the west side shall be the standard of the camp of Ephraim according to their armies; and the captain of the sons of Ephraim shall be Elishama the son of Ammihud."

In the last post, God began giving instructions to Moses on how the Israelites were to camp and the order in which they would march.  The twelve tribes or armies were grouped in four standards of three tribes each.  In the east was to camp the standard of Judah, with the tribes of Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun under that standard.  In the south was the standard of Reuben, with the tribes of Reuben, Simeon, and Gad making up that squadron.  On the west side was to be the standard of Ephraim, including, of course, the tribe of Ephraim, whose captain was Elishama, the son of Ammihud.

(19) "And his host, and those who were numbered of them, were forty thousand five hundred."

There were 40,500 able-bodied men of war in the army of Ephraim.

(20) "And by him shall be the tribe of Manasseh; and the captain of the children of Manasseh shall be Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. (21) And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were thirty-two thousand two hundred."

Camped next to Ephraim was to be the tribe of Manasseh, whose captain was Gamaliel, the son of Pedahzur.  The army of Manasseh numbered 32,200.

(22) "Then the tribe of Benjamin; and the captain of the sons of Benjamin shall be Abidan the son of Gideoni. (23) And his host, and those who were numbered of them, were thirty-five thousand four hundred."

The third tribe to be camped under the standard of Ephraim was the tribe of Benjamin; and Abidan, the son of Gideoni, was the captain of the tribe of Benjamin.  The tribe of Benjamin numbered 35,400 men.  It was discussed in the last post how the standards seemed to be made up of the tribes that were nearest of kin to each other.  In the case of the standard of Ephraim, the three tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin, were all descended from Jacob's beloved wife, Rachel.

(24) "All who were numbered of the camp of Ephraim were one hundred and eight thousand one hundred, throughout their armies. And they shall go forward in the third rank."

All the able-bodied men of war who were numbered of the standard of the camp of Ephraim totaled 108,100.  They were to be the third group to move, that is, after the tribe of Levi.  In the last post, we learned that the tribe of Levi made up of the priests who took care of the tabernacle, and the tribe who camped closest to the tabernacle, were to move in the midst of the other tribes when the Israelites were called to move.  First went the standard of Judah, then Reuben, then Levi, and the standard of Ephraim moved third among the standards of armies of war.

(25) "The standard of the camp of Dan shall be on the north side by their armies; and the captain of the children of Dan shall be Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. (26) And his host, and those who were numbered of them, were sixty-two thousand seven hundred."

The fourth and last standard was the camp of Dan that was to camp on the north side.  The captain of the camp of Dan was Ahiezer, the son of Ammishaddai; and his army totaled 62,700 men.

(27) "And those who encamp by him shall be the tribe of Asher; and the captain of the children of Asher shall be Pagiel the son of Ocran. (28) And his host, and those who were numbered of them, were forty-one thousand five hundred."

The tribe of Asher was to camp next to the tribe of Dan under the standard of Dan.  The captain of the tribe of Asher was Pagiel, the son of Ocran, and his army totaled 41,500.

(29) "Then the tribe of Naphtali; and the captain of the children of Naphtali shall be Ahira the son of Enan. (30) And his host, and those who were numbered of them, were fifty-three thousand four hundred."

Finally, under the standard of Dan, was to camp the tribe of Asher, with 53,400 men, under Ahira, the son of Enan, as captain.

(31) "All they who were numbered in the camp of Dan were one hundred and fifty-seven thousand six hundred. They shall go last with their standards."

The three tribes under the standard of Dan totaled 157,600; they were to move last when marching.

(32) These are those who were numbered of the children of Israel by the house of their fathers; all those who were numbered of the camps throughout their hosts were six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty.

These standards of tribal armies were of those men who had been numbered by Moses and Aaron, assisted by the twelve princes of each tribe.  They had now been assigned to standards and instructed on where to camp.  The total number of able-bodied men of war twenty years and older throughout all the camps was 603,550, which was the same number recorded in Numbers 1:46.

(33) But the Levites were not numbered among the children of Israel, as the LORD commanded Moses.

This number did not include the Levites, as the Lord had instructed Moses not to count them (Numbers 1:47-49).

(34) And the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses; so they pitched by their standards, and so they set forward, every one after their families, according to the house of their fathers.

The children of Israel did exactly what the Lord had commanded Moses they do; they pitched camp by their appointed standards, and that is how they would move forward when instructed to do so, in regular order according to their tribes.

Matthew Henry, in his Commentary on the Whole Bible, summed up the chapter this way:

"They put themselves in the posts assigned them, without murmuring or disputing, and, as it was their safety, so it was their beauty; Balaam was charmed with the sight of it: How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob! Num 24:5. Thus the gospel church, called the camp of saints, ought to be compact according to the scripture model, every one knowing and keeping his place, and then all that wish well to the church rejoice, beholding their order, Col 2:5."

Order of the Encampment and March of the Tribes of Israel, Part 1

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(Numbers 2:1) And the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, (2) "Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign of their father's house; they shall pitch far off around the tabernacle of the congregation."

In the last chapter, Moses and Aaron had taken a census of the able-bodied men from age twenty and upward who were able to go to war, as the Lord had instructed they do.  They were counted according to their tribes.  The Lord resumed speaking with Moses and Aaron giving them more instructions.  The children of Israel were to camp in their own groups, their own tribes, with their tribe's banner with the sign or distinguishing mark of the father of their particular tribe.  They were to pitch their tents a distance away from the tabernacle probably in a circle so that each tribe was the same distance from the tabernacle.  In a later scripture (Joshua 3:4), the distance was described as two thousand cubits, which was a little more than half a mile, so we might assume that is how far off they were to camp at this time.

(3) "And on the east side toward the rising of the sun shall they of the standard of the camp of Judah pitch throughout their armies; and Nahshon the son of Amminadab shall be captain of the children of Judah."

On the east side toward the rising sun, the entire tribe of Judah, 74,600 men of war, not including the rest of the women and children and men not able to go to war, was to camp; and Nahshon, the son Amminadab, was to be the captain or head of the tribe of Judah.

(4) "And his host, and those who were numbered of them, were seventy-four thousand six hundred."

As already recalled, Judah's company or army totaled 74,600 men.

(5) "And those who pitch next to him shall be the tribe of Issachar, and Nethanel the son of Zuar shall be captain of the children of Issachar. (6) And his host, and those who were numbered of it were fifty-four thousand four hundred."

Next to the tribe of Judah was the tribe of Issachar to camp; and Nethanel, the son of Zuar was to be the captain of the tribe of Issachar.  The tribe of Issachar amounted to 54,400 able-bodied men of war.

(7) "Then the tribe of Zebulun; and Eliab the son of Helon shall be captain of the children of Zebulun. (8) And his host, and those who were numbered of it were fifty-seven thousand four hundred."

According to the early Jewish scholar, Aben Ezra, said Dr. John Gill in his Exposition of the Entire Bible, the tribe of Zebulun was camped on the opposite side of Judah than was the tribe of Issachar, with Judah in the middle.  Zebulun's camp included 57,400 men able to go to war, and Eliab was the captain of that tribe.

(9) “All who were numbered in the camp of Judah were one hundred and eighty-six thousand four hundred throughout their armies. These shall first set forth."

It would appear that "they of the standard of the camp of Judah" from verse 3 included the tribes of Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun, and they totaled 186,400 men in their armies.  These tribes that were camped on the east side were to be the first ones to move in a march or when about to journey.  Matthew Henry, in his Commentary on the Whole Bible, explained, "Those tribes were placed together under the same standard that were nearest of kin to each other; Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun, were the three younger sons of Leah, and they were put together; and Issachar and Zebulun would not grudge to be under Judah, since they were his younger brethren."

(10) "On the south side shall be the standard of the camp of Reuben according to their armies; and the captain of the children of Reuben shall be Elizur the son of Shedeur."

On the south side was to be camped the standard of the camp of Reuben, beginning with the tribe of Reuben, whose captain was Elizur, the son of Shedeur.

(11) "And his host, and those who were numbered of it, were forty-six thousand five hundred."

Reuben's company or army numbered 46,500 able-bodied men of war.

(12) "And those who pitch by him shall be the tribe of Simeon; and the captain of the children of Simeon shall be Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. (13) And his host, and those who were numbered of them, were fifty-nine thousand three hundred."

The tribe of Simeon was to camp next to the tribe of Reuben under the standard of the camp of Reuben, and Shelumiel, the son of Zurishaddai, was the captain of the tribe of Simeon.  Simeon's company totaled 59,300.

(14) "Then the tribe of Gad; and the captain of the sons of Gad shall be Eliasaph the son of Reuel. (15) And his host, and those who were numbered of them, were forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty."

Then camped under the standard of Reuben was the tribe of Gad, whose captain was Eliasaph, the son of Reuel, or Deuel, as in Numbers 1:14 and elsewhere.  The army of Gad totaled 45,650.

(16) "All who were numbered in the camp of Reuben were one hundred and fifty-one thousand four hundred and fifty throughout their armies. And they shall set forth in the second rank."

Reuben, Jacob's oldest son, was made chief of the next standard.  Simeon, also a son of Leah, and Gad, the son of Zilpah her maid, were of this standard.  They totaled 151,450 men.  This standard would be the second in line when marching or moving.

(17) "Then the tabernacle of the congregation shall set forward with the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camps; as they encamp, so shall they set forward, every man in his place by their standards."

The tabernacle with the camp of the Levites was to move next, so that it was in the middle of all the camps.  The six tribes under the standards of Judah and Reuben were to move out first, then moved the tribe of Levi, followed by the other six tribes, as described in the next post.  As they camped, beginning with Judah in the east, so they would move, with Levi in the middle.

Because Blogger limits the number of labels on each post, and there are so many important names in Numbers 2, I have continued the study of this chapter in the next post:

Order of the Encampment and March of the Tribes of Israel, Part 2

The Numbering of the Israelites, Part 3

Because Blogger limits the number of labels on each post, and I believe the names in chapter 1 of Numbers all to be of significance, I have had to chop the study of Numbers 1 into small posts.  This is the third of three posts on Numbers 1.  The previous posts can be found here:

The Numbering of the Israelites, Part 1

The Numbering of the Israelites, Part 2

The current heads of each tribe had just been named and pulled aside, and after giving their pedigrees, the children of Israel were numbered as follows, as we continue the chronological Bible study in Numbers 1:

(20) And the children of Reuben, Israel's eldest son, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, by their polls, every male from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war, (21) Those who were numbered of the tribe of Reuben were forty-six thousand five hundred.

Reuben was the oldest son of Jacob, known as Israel.  Those of his tribe, "by their generations", probably meaning by their descent in their pedigrees, and according to the families and houses to which they belonged, were counted and their names recorded, that is, every male from twenty years of age and upward who was able to go to war.  Those numbered of the tribe of Reuben were 46,500 men.

(22) Of the children of Simeon, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, those that were numbered of them, according to the number of the names, by their polls, every male from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war, (23) Those who were numbered of the tribe of Simeon were fifty-nine thousand three hundred.

Of the tribe of Simeon, likewise according to their generations in their line of descent, and according to the families and houses to which they belonged, there were numbered 59,300 men from age twenty and upward who were able to go to war.

(24) Of the children of Gad, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war, (25) Those who were numbered of the tribe of Gad were forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty.

From the tribe of Gad were counted 45,650 able-bodied men for war from age twenty and upward.

(26) Of the children of Judah, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war, (27) Those who were numbered of the tribe of Judah were seventy-four thousand six hundred.

From the tribe of Judah, there were 74,600 men twenty years and older who were able to go to war.

(28) Of the children of Issachar, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war, (29) Those who were numbered of the tribe of Issachar were fifty-four thousand four hundred.

From the tribe of Issachar there were 54,400.

(30) Of the children of Zebulun, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war, (31) Those who were numbered of the tribe of Zebulun were fifty-seven thousand four hundred.

From the tribe of Zebulun, 57,400.

(32) Of the children of Joseph, namely, of the children of Ephraim, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war, (33) Those who were numbered of the tribe of Ephraim were forty thousand five hundred.

From the children of Joseph, first from the tribe of Ephraim, there were 40,500 men.

(34) Of the children of Manasseh, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war, (35) Those who were numbered of the tribe of Manasseh were thirty-two thousand two hundred.

From the tribe of Manasseh, Joseph's other son, there were counted 32,200 men.

(36) Of the children of Benjamin, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war, (37) Those who were numbered of the tribe of Benjamin were thirty-five thousand four hundred.

From the tribe of Benjamin were 35,400 men.

(38) Of the children of Dan, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war, (39) Those who were numbered of the tribe of Dan were sixty-two thousand seven hundred.

From the tribe of Dan, 62,700.

(40) Of the children of Asher, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war, (41) Those who were numbered of the tribe of Asher were forty-one thousand five hundred.

From the tribe of Asher, 41,500.

(42) Of the children of Naphtali, throughout their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war, (43) Those who were numbered of the tribe of Naphtali were fifty-three thousand four hundred.

From Naphtali, 53,400.

(44) These are those who were numbered, whom Moses and Aaron numbered, and the princes of Israel, twelve men, each one for the house of his fathers.

These aforementioned tribes were those whom Moses and Aaron, along with the head of each tribe, as named in the first and second posts on Numbers 1, numbered in this census of able-bodied men for war from twenty years and older.

(45) So all who were numbered of the children of Israel, by the house of their fathers, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go to war in Israel, (46) All who were numbered were six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty.

All who were numbered of the children of Israel, the twelve tribes excepting Levi, with the tribe of Joseph being actually two tribes, all the men of those tribes twenty years of age and older who were able to go to war, totaled 603,550.  Adam Clarke, in his Commentary on the Bible, pointed out "what an astonishing increase from seventy souls that went down into Egypt (Gen. 46:27), about 215 years before, where latterly they had endured the greatest hardships!"

(47) But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them.

The tribe of Levi, being made up of a different type of warrior, one appointed to the use of the tabernacle, was not counted among the rest of the tribes who were able to go to war.

(48) For the LORD had spoken to Moses, saying, (49) "Only you shall not number the tribe of Levi, nor take the sum of them among the children of Israel."

The Levites were not counted because the Lord had told Moses not to number them, nor include them with the rest of the census taken of the children of Israel.

(50) "But you shall appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the Testimony, over all its vessels, and over all things that belong to it; they shall carry the tabernacle and all its vessels, and they shall minister to it, and shall encamp around the tabernacle."

A continuation of what God had told Moses, the Levites, not being counted as able-bodied men of war, were instead to be appointed to the care of the tabernacle and the Ark of the Testimony within it, and over all the vessels and furnishings belonging to it.  When the children of Israel moved, the Levites were the ones appointed to take down the tabernacle, carry it and all that belonged to it, and then set it up again in the place appointed.  They were to encamp around the tabernacle, ever ready to attend to it.

(51) “And when the tabernacle goes forward, the Levites shall take it down, and when the tabernacle is to be set up, the Levites shall set it up; and the stranger who comes near shall be put to death."

As already noted as implied by verse 50, whenever the tabernacle was to be moved, it was the duty of the Levites only to take it down, carry it and all its belongings, and set it up again.  All the early commentators agree, that what is meant by a "stranger" is one of another tribe other than the Levites.  If any Israelite from another tribe touched these holy things of God's tabernacle, he was to be put to death.  Matthew Henry, in his Commentary on the Whole Bible, pointed out this was symbolic of all of us who are unfit and unworthy to approach God "until we are first called by his grace into the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, and so, being the spiritual seed of that great high priest, are made priests to our God; and it is promised that God would take Levites to himself, even from the Gentiles":  “And I will also take of them for priests and Levites,” says the LORD (Isaiah 66:21).

(52) "And the children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, throughout their hosts."

The children of Israel were to pitch their tents, every man with his own camp and by his own standard or banner, throughout their armies.  Dr. John Gill, in his Exposition of the Entire Bible, explained that "there were four standards, and three tribes to each standard, which were placed east, west, north, and south of the tabernacle, as is at large described in the following chapter."

(53) "But the Levites shall pitch around the tabernacle of the Testimony, that there may be no wrath on the congregation of the children of Israel; and the Levites shall keep charge of the tabernacle of the Testimony.”

However, the Levites were to pitch their tents around the tabernacle, preventing access of the other tribes that might come too close to the tabernacle and bring the wrath of God.  The Levites would keep charge of the tabernacle.

(54) And the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so they did.

The children of Israel did just as the Lord had commanded they do per the instructions He gave Moses.  Shouldn't every believer always seek to do what the Lord has commanded?

The Numbering of the Israelites, Part 2

Because Blogger limits the number of labels each post can have, I have separated the post on Numbers 1 into three posts so that all the heads of tribes may be noted in labels. Part 1 of Numbers 1 can be found at this link:

The Numbering of the Israelites, Part 1

In the last post (part 1) God was instructing Moses and Aaron to take a census of the able-bodied men from twenty years and older who would be able to go to war.  They were to take each head of the twelve tribes to assist them in this census, and the instructions continued from the last post as follows:

(10) "Of the children of Joseph: of Ephraim, Elishama the son of Ammihud; of Manasseh, Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur;"

Previously noted was that the tribe of Levi was not counted among the twelve tribes fit for armies as the Levites were the priests.  However, there were still twelve tribes as the two sons of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh, each became heads of their tribes.  In Genesis 48:5, Jacob or Israel, adopted, so to speak, Ephraim and Manasseh, as his own children, making them heads of tribes as his own sons would be, having a distinct portion of the promised land.  At the time of the census, Elishama, the son of Ammihud, was the head of the tribe of Ephraim; and Gamaliel, the son of Pedahzur, was the head of the tribe of Manasseh. "Elishama" meant "my God has heard"; "Gamaliel" meant "reward of God". To be noted is that the insertion of Joseph here is not in birth order.  Dr. John Gill, in his Exposition of the Entire Bible, sometimes referencing the Jewish biblical scholar, Aben Ezra, explained it this way:

"...first the children of Leah, beginning with Reuben, the firstborn; and the rest, Simeon and Judah, are ranked according to their birth; Levi being omitted, because that tribe was not now numbered...and then Issachar and Zebulun; after those the children of Rachel, because of her honour and glory above the handmaids, as Aben Ezra remarks; who further observes, that it begins with Ephraim, following Jacob our father, that is, because of the blessing of Jacob, who preferred Ephraim the younger to Manasseh the elder; and here Ephraim and Manasseh are set before Benjamin, because they were in the place of Joseph; and after that the account goes on with Dan, because, he was the firstborn of the handmaids; and after him Asher, though the second son of Zilpah, is placed before Gad, the first son, because, says the same Aben Ezra, the Lord knew that he would be the head of those that encamped by the standard of Dan, and so is placed next to him; and after him Gad, who was the firstborn of Leah's handmaid; and Naphtali last of all, the second son of Bilhah: this order seems to be designed to suit with their encampments, and the form of them."

(11) "Of Benjamin, Abidan the son of Gideoni;"

From the tribe of Benjamin, Abidan, the son of Gideoni, was the head.  "Abidan" meant "my father is judge".

(12) "Of Dan, Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai;"

From the tribe of Dan, Ahiezer, the son of Ammishaddai, was the head.  "Ahiezer" meant "my brother is help".

(13) "Of Asher, Pagiel the son of Ocran;"

From the tribe of Asher, Pagiel, the son of Ocran, was the head, "Pagiel" meaning "event of God" or "accident of God".

(14) "Of Gad, Eliasaph the son of Deuel;"

From the tribe of Gad, Eliasaph, the son of Deuel, was head.  "Eliasaph" meant "God is gatherer" or "God has added".

(15) "Of Naphtali, Ahira the son of Enan."

Finally, from the tribe of Naphtali, Ahira, the son of Enan, was head.  Interestingly, "Ahira" meant "brother of wrong" or "my brother is evil"; however, I can find no reference for the reason for his name.

(16) These were the renowned of the congregation, princes of the tribes of their fathers, heads of thousands in Israel.

The preceding list of heads of tribes named the most eminent among the children of Israel, princes of their father's tribes.  The congregation of Israel being divided into thousands according to tribes, each prince was head of thousands of people.

(17) And Moses and Aaron took these men who had been expressed by name, (18) And they assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second month, and they declared their pedigrees after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, by their polls.

As instructed by God, Moses and Aaron took the heads of each tribe and assembled all of the congregation together on that first day of the second month.  The people declared their pedigrees, of what tribe, family, and house they were, and each "poll" (head) was counted and listed by name, that was twenty years and older, and I assume, also able-bodied enough for war.

(19) As the LORD commanded Moses, so he numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai.

Moses did as the Lord had commanded him, and he numbered the armies of the Lord as instructed there in the wilderness of Sinai.

Once again I have reached the total number of labels allowed and will continue this chapter in the next post:

The Numbering of the Israelites, Part 3

The Numbering of the Israelites, Part 1

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(Numbers 1:1) And the LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of the congregation, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying,

The entire book of Leviticus which preceded this was almost entirely devoted to laws which God gave to the children of Israel through Moses.  The historical event that preceded that was the erecting of the tabernacle which was done on the first day of the first month of the second year after the Israelites had come out of Egypt (Exo. 40:17).  The book of Numbers begins with God speaking to Moses again in the wilderness of Sinai, specifically in the tabernacle, exactly one month after it had been erected.

(2) "Take a sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, by their families, by the house of their fathers, with the number of their names, every male by their polls; (3) From twenty years old and upward, all who are able to go forth to war in Israel; you and Aaron shall number them by their armies."

Gold told Moses to take a census of the children of Israel by their tribes, with the exception of the Levites as we'll find in following verses.  It was to be according to the house of their fathers.  I'm not sure if this means each father as head of household within each tribe, or if it's the case as Dr. John Gill suggested in his Exposition of the Entire Bible, "if the mother was of one tribe, and the father of another, the family was according to the tribe of the father."  They were to be numbered with their names, every male by their "polls" meaning "heads" in this case.  Only the males were to be counted, every male who was twenty years and older, and only those fit for war; Moses and Aaron were both instructed to number them by their armies, that is, by each tribe.  Thus this would seem to be a census of military armies.

(4) “And with you there shall be a man from every tribe, each one the head of the house of his fathers."

Again, excepting the tribe of Levi, who made up the priesthood, Moses and Aaron were to call out the head of each tribe as follows:

(5) "And these are the names of the men who shall stand with you: of Reuben, Elizur the son of Shedeur;

It seems each head of a tribe was to stand with Moses and Aaron as they numbered their armies.  First from the tribe of Reuben was Elizur, said to be the son of Shedeur.  It's interesting to note the Godly names of most of these heads of tribes.  Elizur meant "God of rock" or "my God, the rock".

(6) "Of Simeon, Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai;"

From the tribe of Simeon, the head was Shelumiel, the son of Zurishaddai.  Shelumiel meant "peace of God". 

(7) "Of Judah, Nahshon the son of Amminadab;"

From the tribe of Judah was Nahshon, the son of Amminadab.  Nahshon, also spelled Naashon, meant "enchanter".  From Exodus 6:23 we learned that Aaron took as his wife Elisheba, Nahshon's sister, daughter of Amminadab.

(8) "Of Issachar, Nethanel the son of Zuar;"

From the tribe of Issachar the head was Nethanel, the son of Zuar.  Nethanel meant "given of God".

(9) "Of Zebulun, Eliab the son of Helon;"

From the tribe of Zebulun was Eliab, the son of Helon.  Eliab meant "God is father".

Because Blogger limits the number of labels each post can have, and I want all the heads of the tribes noted, Numbers 1 is continued in the following posts:

The Numbering of the Israelites, Part 2

The Numbering of the Israelites, Part 3