The Arrangement of the Tribes

1The Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron: 2“Every one of the Israelites must camp under his standard with the emblems of his family; they must camp at some distance around the tent of meeting.

The Tribes on the East

3“Now those who will be camping on the east, toward the sunrise, are the divisions of the camp of Judah under their standard. The leader of the people of Judah is Nahshon son of Amminadab. 4Those numbered in his division are 74,600. 5Those who will be camping next to them are the tribe of Issachar. The leader of the people of Issachar is Nethanel son of Zuar. 6Those numbered in his division are 54,400. 7Next will be the tribe of Zebulun. The leader of the people of Zebulun is Eliab son of Helon. 8Those numbered in his division are 57,400. 9All those numbered of the camp of Judah, according to their divisions, are 186,400. They will travel at the front.

The Tribes on the South

10“On the south will be the divisions of the camp of Reuben under their standard. The leader of the people of Reuben is Elizur son of Shedeur. 11Those numbered in his division are 46,500. 12Those who will be camping next to them are the tribe of Simeon. The leader of the people of Simeon is Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai. 13Those numbered in his division are 59,300. 14Next will be the tribe of Gad. The leader of the people of Gad is Eliasaph son of Deuel. 15Those numbered in his division are 45,650. 16All those numbered of the camp of Reuben, according to their divisions, are 151,450. They will travel second.

The Tribe in the Center

17“Then the tent of meeting with the camp of the Levites will travel in the middle of the camps. They will travel in the same order as they camped, each in his own place under his standard.

The Tribes on the West

18“On the west will be the divisions of the camp of Ephraim under their standard. The leader of the people of Ephraim is Elishama son of Amihud. 19Those numbered in his division are 40,500. 20Next to them will be the tribe of Manasseh. The leader of the people of Manasseh is Gamaliel son of Pedahzur. 21Those numbered in his division are 32,200. 22Next will be the tribe of Benjamin. The leader of the people of Benjamin is Abidan son of Gideoni. 23Those numbered in his division are 35,400. 24All those numbered of the camp of Ephraim, according to their divisions, are 108,100. They will travel third.

The Tribes on the North

25“On the north will be the divisions of the camp of Dan, under their standards. The leader of the people of Dan is Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai. 26Those numbered in his division are 62,700. 27Those who will be camping next to them are the tribe of Asher. The leader of the people of Asher is Pagiel son of Ocran. 28Those numbered in his division are 41,500. 29Next will be the tribe of Naphtali. The leader of the people of Naphtali is Ahira son of Enan. 30Those numbered in his division are 53,400. 31All those numbered of the camp of Dan are 157,600. They will travel last, under their standards.”

Summary

32These are the Israelites, numbered according to their families. All those numbered in the camps, by their divisions, are 603,550. 33But the Levites were not numbered among the other Israelites, as the Lord commanded Moses.

34So the Israelites did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses; that is the way they camped under their standards, and that is the way they traveled, each with his clan and family.