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Isra´el in Camp
– NUMBERED ACCORDING TO THEIR ORDER OF MARCH –
– N –
 
BATTALION OF DAN
(15) NAPHTALI
(14) ASHER
(13) DAN
BATTALION OF EPHRAIM
(12) BENJAMIN
(11) MANASSEH
(10) EPHRAIM
 
(5) Camp of MERARI
(4) Camp of GERSHON
 Tent of Testimony 
       PRIESTS' Camp
BATTALION OF JUDAH
(1) JUDAH
(2) ISSACHAR
(3) ZEBULUN
 
(9) Camp of KOHATH
 
(8) GAD
(7) SIMEON
(6) REUBEN
BATTALION OF REUBEN
 
  – S –  
 
Israel-in-camp is grouped clock-wise, under their flags, around the Tent of God,
in four Battalions (of three tribes each), with Judah's Battalion before the Sanctuary entrance to its East.
 
 
From Mount Sinai the order of Israel's march is led by –
1. 
Hobab of Midian (a Gentile) with Moses, his brother-in-law (Num.10:31),
2. 
Followed by the holy blue-covered Ark of the Covenant (Num.10:33), carried on the shoulders of the Levites.
Successively, the Battalions break camp, at each silver-trumpet fanfare, and then move out in the following march order (Num.10:5-6,13-28) to follow the Ark.
Four Marching Battalions
3.1 
Judah's (Issachar, Zebulun)
followed by Gershom and Merari (the two Levite Clans with the disassembled Tent of God on wagons),
3.2  Reuben's (Simeon, Gad)
followed by Kohath (the Levite Clan carrying the covered sacred furniture);
3.3  Ephraim's (Manasseh, Benjamin)
3.4  Dan's (Asher, Naphtali) as the rear-guard.
The signal to setup-camp is –
Descent of the Cloud over the Ark.
And Moses cries out –
"Return, Lord, to the thousands of families of Israel"
(Numbers 10:36)
The signal to break-camp is –
Lifting of the Cloud from over the Ark.
And Moses cries out –
"Arise, Lord: scatter Your enemies, and put to flight those who hate You!"
(Numbers 9:15-23;10:35)
Moses is commanded by God to keep a Journal of his nation's unique migration.
 
Author: Lloyd Thomas

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