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

10:11-12:16 Marching from Sinai to Kadesh. As pointed out above, the book of Numbers alternates static sections devoted to law-giving and organization with travelogue. In chs. 10-12 Israel moves from the foot of Mount Sinai to Kadesh-barnea, an oasis on the southern border of Canaan. Initially all runs smoothly. "The cloud lifted . . . and the people of Israel set out" (10:11-12), just as 9:15-23 said they should. On the move, the people proceeded in the formation specified in ch. 2. The Judahite group of tribes headed the procession (10:13-16; cf. 2:1-9). They were followed by the Gershonite Levites with their two wagons loaded with the tabernacle curtains, and the Merarite Levites with four wagons loaded with poles and pegs (10:17; cf. 3:21-26, 33-37). These Levites preceded the Kohathites so that they could erect the tabernacle before the Kohathites arrived. Then the sacred furniture carried by the Kohathites could be installed immediately in the tabernacle (10:21). The Gershonites and Merarites were followed by the Reubenite tribes (10:18-20; cf. 2:10-16). Then right at the center of the procession came the most sacred items of tabernacle furniture, carried by the Kohathites (10:21; cf. 3:27-32). However, it appears that the ark itself went out in front of the whole procession (10:33); like the cloud, it symbolized and conveyed God's presence and his guidance of his people. The rear of the procession was brought up by the Ephraimite and Danite groups of tribes (10:22-28; cf. 2:18-31).

10:11-28 Israel Strikes Camp at Sinai. The people of Israel have been at Sinai for almost a full year (see Ex. 19:1). Israel now leaves Sinai to begin its journey to the Promised Land under the guidance and direction of the shekinah glory (i.e., the dwelling glory cloud). This text describes the striking of the Israelite camp and the order of march of the tribes.