Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents

2:1-34 Israel in Camp and on the March. This chapter prescribes how the camp was to be arranged and the order in which the tribes were to march. At the center of the camp was the tabernacle. (Rameses II, in his campaigns in Syria [1275-1270 b.c.], employed a similar strategic layout. The pharaoh, who claimed to be divine, had his large tent pitched in the center of his military encampment.) Surrounding the tabernacle are the Levites: their arrangement is more closely described in ch. 3. They guarded the sanctuary from intrusions by unauthorized laypeople. Beyond the Levites the lay tribes are encamped. The 12 tribes were divided into four groups of three. In premier position, east of the tabernacle camp, were Judah with Issachar and Zebulun (2:2-9). Next in rank came the tribes camping to the south of the tabernacle, Reuben with Gad and Simeon (vv. 10-16). After them on the west came Ephraim with Benjamin and Manasseh (vv. 18-24). Finally, on the northern side of the tabernacle camp were Dan with Asher and Naphtali (vv. 25-34). The same sequence was to be maintained on the march. The Judah group headed the march, followed by the Reuben group. Then followed the Levites carrying the tabernacle. After them came the Ephraim group of tribes, and the Dan group brought up the rear (v. 31). See diagram.