The tribes around the tabernacle
Notes
Transcript
Numbers 2
Each side of the tabernacle would have three tribes.
On the east, would be Judah and on each side of Judah is the tribe of Issachar and Zebulun.
On the south, would be Rueban and on each side of him Simeon and Gad
On the west side, would be Ephriam and on each side of him would be Manasseh and Benjamin
On the north side, would be Dan, and on each side of him, Asher and Naphtali.
The tribe of Levi would camp between the tribes and the tabernacle. They would be on the north, south and west sides of the tabernacle. On the east side would be Aaron and his sons.
One key point to remember is each of these 12 tribes would have a leader. Someone who would take charge and ensure things were done correctly.
Tribe Leader People
Judah Nahshon 74,600 First Rank
Issachar Nethaneel 54,400
Zebulun Eliab 57,400
Total for Camp of Judah 186,400
Tribe Leader People
Reuben Elizur 46,500 Second Rank
Simeon Shelumiel 59,300
Gad Eliasaph 45,650
Total for Camp of Reuben 151,450
Tribe Leader People
Ephriam Elishama 40,500 Third Rank
Manasseh Gamaliel 32,200
Benjamin Abidan 35,400
Total for Camp of Ephriam 108,100
Tribe Leader People Fourth Rank
Dan Ahiezer 62,700
Asher Pagiel 41,500
Naphtali Ahira 53,400
Total for Camp of Dan 157,600
Total for children of Israel 603,550
Two interesting fact about this total
Does not include the tribe of Levi. Numbers 1:47–49 “But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them. For the Lord had spoken unto Moses, saying, Only thou shalt not number the tribe of Levi, neither take the sum of them among the children of Israel:”
Only includes men 20 years old and upward, who were able to go to war. Numbers 1:45 “So were all those that were numbered of the children of Israel, by the house of their fathers, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war in Israel;”
So one is safe to say that the whole house of Israel was at least 2 million people who were set out in the wilderness to follow God. God would feed them manna from heaven, their clothes wouldn’t wear out and all he wanted was a people to praise and worship him.
The Levites were to camp around the tabernacle. They were to be the ones who would stand between God and the people. They were to attend to the work of the tabernacle. By no means were they slothful or lazy, as there were always activity going on. They were to be the ones who would take the tabernacle down and set it back up again. Numbers 1:51 “And when the tabernacle setteth forward, the Levites shall take it down: and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.”
Each of these tribes had a chief who was told to Moses by God Numbers 1:4-16
Numbers 1:44 “These are those that were numbered, which Moses and Aaron numbered, and the princes of Israel, being twelve men: each one was for the house of his fathers.” You will find that even the tribe of Levi, who was to take care of the tabernacle had a leader: Aaron.
Hebrews 13:17 “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.”
So the order of movement would be the tribe of Judah would lead and then it would go in a clock wise motion
Genesis 49:1–28 gives us the blessings of Jacob that he placed on his 12 sons.
Judah was to lead when transporting the tabernacle and when it was set up, he was to camp at the east side where the door into the tabernacle was.
Genesis 49:8 “Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: Thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; Thy father’s children shall bow down before thee.”
Judah was the tribe that Jesus, the lion of the tribe of Judah, would come through
Matthew 1 gives us the geneology of Christ , coming through the line of Judah
If you continue into verses 9, you will find that Jacob mentions that Judah is like a lion.
Genesis 49:9 “Judah is a lion’s whelp: From the prey, my son, thou art gone up: He stooped down, he couched as a lion, And as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?”
Revelation 5:5 “And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.”
Reuben’s sin is why he, being the eldest, did not get the place at the door of the tabernacle.
Genesis 35:22 “And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine: and Israel heard it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve:”
1 Chronicles 5:1–2 “Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel, (for he was the firstborn; but, forasmuch as he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel: and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright. For Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him came the chief ruler; but the birthright was Joseph’s:)”
Genesis 49:3–4 “Reuben, thou art my firstborn, My might, and the beginning of my strength, The excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power: Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; Because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; Then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.”
Genesis 48:5 “And now thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine.”
They would end up replacing Joseph and Levi to make up the 12 tribes of Israel.
So because of this, Judah would be the one to lead the camp of Israel.
The tribe of Levi would be between the tribe of Reuben and Ephriam when they were in travels. This would be the safest most secure place to be in case battle would break out.
An important fact to think about here is when battle breaks out in our lives, where is the safest place to be . Think back when you were a child and a summer thunderstorm was erupting at night, you wanted to be as close to your parents as you could get. You knew safety was there. When storms come, look at
Psalm 61:2 “From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.”
John 6:66–69 “From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.”
