Numbers 2:2

Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard,.... Or banner, of which there were four, as appears from the following account, under each of which were placed three tribes; and

Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign of their father's house: far off about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch. Every man ... shall pitch by his own standard.

By his own standard, or ensign, by that to which he is allotted by the following order. It is manifest that there were four great standards or ensigns, which here follow, distinguished by their colours or figures, or otherwise; also that there were other particular ensigns belonging to each of their father’ s houses or families, as is here said. Far off; partly out of reverence to God and his worship, and the portion allotted to it, and partly for caution, lest their vicinity to it might tempt them to make too near approaches to it. It is supposed they were at two thousand cubits distance from it, which was the space between the people and the ark, , and it is not improbable, because the Levites encamped round about it between them and the tabernacle.

Numbers 2:2 Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign of their father’ s house: far off about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch.Ver. 2. Far off about the tabernacle.] About it: the emperor’ s tent is among his soldiers. Xerxes pitched his tent not only among, but above his soldiers, that he might look on them, when in fight, for their encouragement. So the Lord, who, as he "is round about his people": so they are "round about the Lord." "A people near unto him." Yet not so near, but they must know, and keep their just distance; as here they pitched far off, about the tabernacle, a mile off, as is gathered from Joshua 3:4. God, though he loves to be acquainted with men in the walks of their obedience, yet he takes state upon him in his ordinances, and will be trembled at in our addresses to his Majesty.

Verse 2. Every man-shall pitch by his own standard] Commentators, critics, philosophers, and professional men, have taken a great deal of pains to illustrate this chapter by showing the best method of encampment for such a vast number of men, and the manner in which they conceive the Israelites formed their camp in the wilderness. As God gave them the plan, it was doubtless in every respect perfect; and fully answered the double purpose of convenience and security. Scheuchzer has entered into this subject with his usual ability, and in very considerable detail. Following the plan of Reyher, as in the preceding chapter, he endeavours to ascertain the precise order in which the several tribes were disposed; and as his work is both scarce and dear, the reader will not be displeased-to meet here with a translation of all that refers to the subject. SCHEUCHZER'S DESCRIPTION AND PLAN OF THE ENCAMPMENTS OF THE ISRAELITES IN THE WILDERNESS See graphic at end of chapter "If we form a proper idea of God, of his essence and his attributes, we shall easily perceive that this infinite and supreme Being wills and executes what his Divine wisdom appoints; in a word, we shall see that he is the God of order. This order displays itself in the perfection, arrangement, and assemblage of all created beings; in the construction of the earth which we inhabit, where every thing is formed in order, number, weight, and measure; and in all bodies, great and small. It is certain that Noah's ark is a perfect model of naval architecture. The temple of Solomon, and that of Ezekiel were likewise masterpieces in their kind. But at present we are to consider the Divine arrangement of the Israelitish camp, and the manner in which it was formed. "The Israelitish army was divided Into three principal divisions. The first, which was the least in extent, but the strongest and the most powerful, occupied the centre of the army: this was the throne of God, i. e., the TABERNACLE. The second, which was composed of the priests and Levites, surrounded the first. The third, and the farthest from the centre, took in all the other tribes of Israel, who were at least about a mile from the tabernacle. For it appears from Josephus, iii. 4, that the nearest approach they dared make to the ark, except during the time of worship, was a distance of 2,000 cubits. The reverence due to the Divine Majesty, the numerous army of the Israelites, composed of 600,000 soldiers, with their families, which made about 3,000,000 souls, naturally demanded a considerable extent of ground. We are not to imagine that all these families pitched their tents pellmell, without order, like beasts, or as the troops of Tartary, and the eastern armies; on the contrary, their camp was divided according to the most exact rules.

2. Each tribe has a (?) standard; and each family has an ensign, or more strictly a sign, which may imply any kind of mark, such as a pole or spear or other object. Doughty (Arabia Deserta, i. 221) describes a Bedawin chief as striking his lance into the ground as a sign round which his people encamped. The meaning of the word deghel, rendered ‘standard,’ is doubtful. It perhaps denotes something looked at or conspicuous (cf. Son 5:10, R.V. ‘chiefest’); and an Assyr. root formed of the same consonants has that meaning. And hence might be derived ‘banner’ (Son 2:4)1 [Note: The verb in Psalms 20:6 [Eng. 5] cannot be safely used as evidence; many think that the passage is corrupt.] . In the present passage some would render it ‘company’ or ‘battalion,’ and so in Numbers 2:3; Numbers 2:10; Numbers 2:18; Numbers 2:25. This would certainly be more suitable in Numbers 2:3, where the literal rendering of the Heb. is ‘those that pitch … shall be the deghel of the camp of Judah,’ and it is supported by the LXX. (τάγμα), Syriac, and Targum. If this is right, deghel is used with a secondary meaning. Cf. the words maṭ ?ṭ ?eh and shηbheṭ ?, each of which can denote both a ‘staff’ and a ‘tribe.’ Cf. also the Lat. vexillum, a ‘standard’ (Tac. Hist. i. 32) and a ‘company’ belonging to a vexillum (id. i. 70).

standard ... ensign - The “standard” marked the division, or camp (cf. Numbers 1:9, Numbers 1:16, Numbers 1:24, Numbers 1:31); the “ensign” the family.

2. Every man… standard — See Numbers 1:52, note. Ensign — There were banners for the subdivisions of the tribes as well as for the tribe.