Topical Bible: Encamping

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Topical Encyclopedia

Encamping in the biblical context refers to the act of setting up temporary dwellings or tents, often for the purpose of rest, protection, or preparation for a journey or battle. This practice is frequently mentioned throughout the Old Testament, reflecting the nomadic lifestyle of the Israelites and their reliance on God's guidance and provision.

Old Testament Context

1. The Patriarchs: The early patriarchs, such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, were nomadic herdsmen who frequently encamped as they moved through the land. Genesis 12:8 describes Abraham's journey: "From there Abram moved on to the hill country east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD."

2. The Exodus: The Israelites' exodus from Egypt is a significant period of encamping. As they journeyed through the wilderness, they set up camp at various locations as directed by God. Exodus 13:20 states, "They set out from Succoth and camped at Etham on the edge of the wilderness." The encampments were marked by the presence of the Tabernacle, around which the tribes of Israel arranged their tents.

3. The Wilderness Wanderings: During the 40 years in the wilderness, the Israelites encamped at numerous sites. Numbers 9:17-18 describes the process: "Whenever the cloud was lifted from above the tent, the Israelites would set out; wherever the cloud settled, there the Israelites would camp. At the LORD’s command the Israelites set out, and at the LORD’s command they camped."

4. Military Encampments: Encamping also played a crucial role in military contexts. The Israelites often encamped before engaging in battle. In 1 Samuel 17:1, the Philistines and Israelites encamped on opposite sides of the Valley of Elah before the encounter between David and Goliath: "Now the Philistines gathered their forces for war and assembled at Socoh in Judah. They pitched camp at Ephes-dammim, between Socoh and Azekah."

Symbolism and Spiritual Lessons

1. Dependence on God: Encamping symbolizes the Israelites' dependence on God's guidance and provision. The cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night (Exodus 13:21) were constant reminders of God's presence and direction.

2. Community and Order: The arrangement of the Israelite camp around the Tabernacle (Numbers 2) reflects the importance of community and order, with God at the center of their lives.

3. Temporary Nature of Life: The transient nature of encamping serves as a metaphor for the temporary nature of earthly life, pointing believers to the eternal home promised by God.

4. Preparation and Readiness: Encamping before battle or a significant event underscores the need for preparation and readiness, both physically and spiritually.

New Testament References

While the New Testament does not focus on encamping in the same way as the Old Testament, the concept of temporary dwelling is echoed in the life of Jesus and His followers. Hebrews 11:9-10 speaks of Abraham living in tents as a foreigner in the promised land, looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

Encamping, therefore, is a multifaceted concept in the Bible, rich with historical, spiritual, and symbolic significance, illustrating the journey of faith and reliance on God's provision and guidance.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

(p. pr. & vb. n.) of Encamp.

Greek

2682. kataskenosis -- a lodging
... nest. From kataskenoo; an encamping, ie (figuratively) a perch -- nest. see GREEK
kataskenoo. (kataskenoseis) -- 2 Occurrences. 2681, 2682. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2682.htm - 6k

Strong's Hebrew

8466. tachanah -- an encamping, encampment
... 8465, 8466. tachanah. 8467 . an encamping, encampment. Transliteration: tachanah
Phonetic Spelling: (takh-an-aw') Short Definition: camp. ...
/hebrew/8466.htm - 6k

Library

The Encamping Angel
... VOLUME I: PSALMS I to XLIX THE ENCAMPING ANGEL. 'The Angel of ... love Him. It
is the certain issue of His encamping round about us. Always ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture j/the encamping angel.htm

Some Miscellaneous Matters Belonging to the Country About Jericho.
... So the Targum of Jonathan, upon Number 2:2; "The encamping of Israel was twelve
miles in length, and twelve miles in breadth." And the Gemarists say, "It is ...
/.../from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 48 some miscellaneous matters.htm

Scenes in the Lives of the Patriarchs.
... With Sarai he journeyed on among the hills, encamping at night beside a mountain
spring, and beneath the unclouded heavens arching their path, changeless and ...
/.../headley/half hours in bible lands volume 2/scenes in the lives of.htm

Contents
... HID IN LIGHT (Psalm 31:20). A THREEFOLD THOUGHT OF SIN AND FORGIVENESS (Psalm
32:1, 2). THE ENCAMPING ANGEL (Psalm 34:7). STRUGGLING AND SEEKING (Psalm 34:10). ...
//christianbookshelf.org/maclaren/expositions of holy scripture j/contents.htm

Cana
... He makes mention, also, of Cana, in the same book of his own Life, in these words;
"Sylla, king Agrippa's general, encamping five furlongs from Julias, blocked ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 90 cana.htm

The Captain of the Lord's Host
... the altar. A psalm speaks of 'the Angel of the Lord' as encamping round
about them that fear him, and delivering them. Isaiah tells ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/the captain of the lords.htm

Hebrews ix. 5-Jan
... was a veil without also) "the tabernacle, which is called holy of holies." Observe
how everywhere he calls it a tabernacle in regard of [God's] encamping there ...
/.../homilies on the gospel of st john and hebrews/homily xv hebrews ix 5-jan.htm

CM Furness. The Penitent Son.
... of faith,". 6 Faith that, like armor to my soul, Shall keep all evil out,
More mighty than an angel host, Encamping round about. ...
/.../various/book of hymns for public and private devotion/203 c m furness the.htm

The Wail of a Broken Heart
... an omen from the name, which commemorated how another anxious heart had camped there,
and been comforted, when it saw the vision of the encamping angels above ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/the wail of a broken.htm

A Discourse of the Building, Nature, Excellency, and Government of ...
... Here's God the Lord encamping round about His dwelling place; nor ought we once
to doubt But that he as a watchman succour will Those that do dwell upon his ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/a discourse of the building.htm

Thesaurus

Encamping (24 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Encamp. Multi-Version
Concordance Encamping (24 Occurrences). Luke 21:20 "But when ...
/e/encamping.htm - 14k

Camping (7 Occurrences)
... Exodus 14:9 The Egyptians pursued after them: all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh,
his horsemen, and his army; and overtook them encamping by the sea ...
/c/camping.htm - 8k

Encampment (8 Occurrences)
... and David seeth the place where Saul hath lain, and Abner son of Ner, head of his
host, and Saul is lying in the path, and the people are encamping round about ...
/e/encampment.htm - 9k

Blown (30 Occurrences)
... thee. (See NAS). Numbers 10:5 And ye have blown -- a shout, and the camps
which are encamping eastward have journeyed. (YLT). Numbers ...
/b/blown.htm - 16k

Shout (114 Occurrences)
... DBY WBS RSV). Numbers 10:5 And ye have blown -- a shout, and the camps which
are encamping eastward have journeyed. (YLT). Numbers 10 ...
/s/shout.htm - 35k

Journeyed (111 Occurrences)
... (KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS). Numbers 10:5 And ye have blown -- a shout, and the
camps which are encamping eastward have journeyed. (YLT). ...
/j/journeyed.htm - 33k

Encampeth (13 Occurrences)

/e/encampeth.htm - 10k

Zaanaim (1 Occurrence)
... Wanderings; the unloading of tents, so called probably from the fact of nomads in
tents encamping amid the cities and villages of that region, a place in the ...
/z/zaanaim.htm - 7k

Zephon (5 Occurrences)
... Exodus 14:9 The Egyptians pursued after them: all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh,
his horsemen, and his army; and overtook them encamping by the sea ...
/z/zephon.htm - 8k

Overtake (113 Occurrences)
... Exodus 14:9 and the Egyptians pursue after them, and all the chariot horses of Pharaoh,
and his horsemen, and his force, overtake them, encamping by the sea ...
/o/overtake.htm - 40k

Resources

Encamping: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus

Concordance

Encamping (24 Occurrences)

Luke 21:20
"But when you see Jerusalem with armies encamping round her on every side, then be certain that her overthrow is close at hand.
(WEY)

Exodus 14:9
The Egyptians pursued after them: all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen, and his army; and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baal Zephon.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV WBS YLT)

Exodus 18:5
And Jethro, father-in-law of Moses, cometh, and his sons, and his wife, unto Moses, unto the wilderness where he is encamping -- the mount of God;
(YLT)

Numbers 1:51
And in the journeying of the tabernacle, the Levites take it down, and in the encamping of the tabernacle, the Levites raise it up; and the stranger who is coming near is put to death.'
(YLT)

Numbers 2:3
And for those encamping eastward toward the sun-rising there shall be the standard of the camp of Judah according to their hosts; and the prince of the sons of Judah shall be Nahshon the son of Amminadab;
(DBY YLT)

Numbers 2:5
And those encamping by him 'are of' the tribe of Issachar; and the prince of the sons of Issachar 'is' Nethaneel son of Zuar;
(YLT)

Numbers 2:12
And those encamping by him 'are of' the tribe of Simeon; and the prince of the sons of Simeon 'is' Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai;
(YLT)

Numbers 2:27
And those encamping by him 'are of' the tribe of Asher; and the prince of the sons of Asher 'is' Pagiel son of Ocran;
(YLT)

Numbers 3:38
And those encamping before the tabernacle eastward, before the tent of meeting, at the east, 'are' Moses and Aaron, and his sons, keeping the charge of the sanctuary for the charge of the sons of Israel, and the stranger who cometh near is put to death.
(YLT)

Numbers 10:5
And ye have blown -- a shout, and the camps which are encamping eastward have journeyed.
(YLT)

Numbers 10:6
And ye have blown -- a second shout, and the camps which are encamping southward have journeyed; a shout they blow for their journeys.
(YLT)

Numbers 10:31
And he saith, 'I pray thee, forsake us not, because thou hast known our encamping in the wilderness, and thou hast been to us for eyes;
(YLT)

Numbers 24:2
Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came on him.
(See RSV)

Deuteronomy 1:33
who went in the way before you, to search you out a place for your encamping, in fire by night, to shew you by what way ye should go, and in the cloud by day.
(DBY YLT)

1 Samuel 26:5
and David riseth, and cometh in unto the place where Saul hath encamped, and David seeth the place where Saul hath lain, and Abner son of Ner, head of his host, and Saul is lying in the path, and the people are encamping round about him.
(YLT)

1 Samuel 29:1
And the Philistines gather all their camps to Aphek, and the Israelites are encamping at a fountain which 'is' in Jezreel,
(YLT)

2 Samuel 11:11
And Uriah saith unto David, 'The ark, and Israel, and Judah, are abiding in booths, and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, on the face of the field are encamping; and I -- I go in unto my house to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife! -- thy life, and the life of thy soul -- if I do this thing.'
(YLT)

2 Samuel 23:13
And three of the thirty heads go down and come unto the harvest, unto David, unto the cave of Adullam, and the company of the Philistines are encamping in the valley of Rephaim,
(YLT)

1 Kings 16:15
In the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah, reigned hath Zimri seven days in Tirzah; and the people are encamping against Gibbethon, which 'is' to the Philistines;
(YLT)

1 Kings 16:16
and the people who are encamping hear, saying, 'Zimri hath conspired, and also hath smitten the king;' and all Israel cause Omri head of the host to reign over Israel on that day in the camp.
(YLT)

2 Kings 6:8
And the king of Aram hath been fighting against Israel, and taketh counsel with his servants, saying, 'At such and such a place 'is' my encamping.'
(YLT)

1 Chronicles 11:15
And three of the thirty heads go down on the rock unto David, unto the cave of Adullam, and the host of the Philistines is encamping in the valley of Rephaim,
(YLT)

Psalms 34:7
A messenger of Jehovah is encamping, Round about those who fear Him, And He armeth them.
(YLT)

Psalms 53:5
There they feared a fear -- there was no fear, For God hath scattered the bones of him Who is encamping against thee, Thou hast put to shame, For God hath despised them.
(YLT)

Subtopics

Encamping

Related Terms

Sinai (38 Occurrences)

Hazeroth (5 Occurrences)

Quarter (33 Occurrences)

Kibroth-hattaavah (5 Occurrences)

Kibrothhattaavah (5 Occurrences)

Encamp (108 Occurrences)

Encamping (24 Occurrences)

Kohathites (18 Occurrences)

Nicopolis (1 Occurrence)