וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה וְאֶל־אַהֲרֹן לֵאמֹר   2:1

Numb. 2:1    And the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron saying,

אִישׁ עַל־דִּגְלֹו בְאֹתֹת לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם יַחֲנוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִנֶּגֶד סָבִיב לְאֹהֶל־מֹועֵד יַחֲנוּ   2:2

Numb. 2:2    “The children of Israel shall camp, each with his standard, by the ensigns for the house of their fathers.  They shall camp away from every side to the tent of meeting.”

וְהַחֹנִים קֵדְמָה מִזְרָחָה דֶּגֶל מַחֲנֵה יְהוּדָה לְצִבְאֹתָם וְנָשִׂיא לִבְנֵי יְהוּדָה נַחְשֹׁון בֶּן־עַמִּינָדָב   2:3

Numb. 2:3    “And they shall be planting the standard of the camp of Judah for their hosts on the east side, and the chief for the children of Judah shall be Nahshon son of Amminadab,

וּצְבָאֹו וּפְקֻדֵיהֶם אַרְבָּעָה וְשִׁבְעִים אֶלֶף וְשֵׁשׁ מֵאֹות   2:4

Numb. 2:4    and his army of which seventy-four thousand and six hundred had been counted.”

וְהַחֹנִים עָלָיו מַטֵּה יִשָּׂשכָר וְנָשִׂיא לִבְנֵי יִשָּׂשכָר נְתַנְאֵל בֶּן־צוּעָר   2:5

Numb. 2:5    “And the tribe of Issachar and the chief of the children of Issachar, Nathaneel son of Zuar, shall be camping beside him,

וּצְבָאֹו וּפְקֻדָיו אַרְבָּעָה וַחֲמִשִּׁים אֶלֶף וְאַרְבַּע מֵאֹות   2:6

Numb. 2:6    and his army of which fifty-four thousand and four hundred had been counted,

מַטֵּה זְבוּלֻן וְנָשִׂיא לִבְנֵי זְבוּלֻן אֱלִיאָב בֶּן־חֵלֹן   2:7

Numb. 2:7    the tribe of Zebulun, and the chief of the children of Zebulun, Eliab son of Helon,

וּצְבָאֹו וּפְקֻדָיו שִׁבְעָה וַחֲמִשִּׁים אֶלֶף וְאַרְבַּע מֵאֹות   2:8

Numb. 2:8    and his army of which fifty-seven thousand and four hundred had been counted.”

כָּל־הַפְּקֻדִים לְמַחֲנֵה יְהוּדָה מְאַת אֶלֶף וּשְׁמֹנִים אֶלֶף וְשֵׁשֶׁת־אֲלָפִים וְאַרְבַּע־מֵאֹות לְצִבְאֹתָם רִאשֹׁנָה   2:9

יִסָּעוּ

Numb. 2:9    “All the numbered of the camp of Judah, one hundred thousand and eighty thousand and six thousand and four hundred belonging to their armies; they shall go forth first.”

דֶּגֶל מַחֲנֵה רְאוּבֵן תֵּימָנָה לְצִבְאֹתָם וְנָשִׂיא לִבְנֵי רְאוּבֵן אֱלִיצוּר בֶּן־שְׁדֵיאוּר   2:10

Numb. 2:10  “The standard of the camp of Reuben and the chief of the children of Reuben for their armies, Elizur son of Shedeur, shall be on the south,

וּצְבָאֹו וּפְקֻדָיו שִׁשָּׁה וְאַרְבָּעִים אֶלֶף וַחֲמֵשׁ מֵאֹות   2:11

Numb. 2:11  and his army of which forty-six thousand and five hundred are its counted.”

 וְהַחֹונִם עָלָיו מַטֵּה שִׁמְעֹון וְנָשִׂיא לִבְנֵי שִׁמְעֹון שְׁלֻמִיאֵל בֶּן־צוּרִי־שַׁדָּי  2:12

Numb. 2:12  “And the tribe of Simeon and the chief of the children of Simeon, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai, shall be camping beside him,

וּצְבָאֹו וּפְקֻדֵיהֶם תִּשְׁעָה וַחֲמִשִּׁים אֶלֶף וּשְׁלֹשׁ מֵאֹות   2:13

Numb. 2:13  and his army of which their number is fifty-nine thousand and three hundred,

וְמַטֵּה גָּד וְנָשִׂיא לִבְנֵי גָד אֶלְיָסָף בֶּן־רְעוּאֵל   2:14

Numb. 2:14  and the tribe of Gad and the chief of the children of Gad, Eliasaph son of Reuel,

וּצְבָאֹו וּפְקֻדֵיהֶם חֲמִשָּׁה וְאַרְבָּעִים אֶלֶף וְשֵׁשׁ מֵאֹות וַחֲמִשִּׁים   2:15

Numb. 2:15  and his army of which their number is forty-five thousand and six hundred and fifty.”

כָּל־הַפְּקֻדִים לְמַחֲנֵה רְאוּבֵן מְאַת אֶלֶף וְאֶחָד וַחֲמִשִּׁים אֶלֶף וְאַרְבַּע־מֵאֹות וַחֲמִשִּׁים לְצִבְאֹתָם   2:16

וּשְׁנִיִּם יִסָּעוּ

Numb. 2:16  “All the numbered of the camp of Reuben, one hundred thousand and fifty-one thousand and four hundred and fifty belonging to their armies; and they shall go forth second.”

וְנָסַע אֹהֶל־מֹועֵד מַחֲנֵה הַלְוִיִּם בְּתֹוךְ הַמַּחֲנֹת כַּאֲשֶׁר יַחֲנוּ כֵּן יִסָּעוּ אִישׁ עַל־יָדֹו לְדִגְלֵיהֶם   2:17

Numb. 2:17  “Then the tent of meeting shall set out, the camp of the Levites being in the midst of the camps.  As they shall camp, so shall they set out, each near their standards.”

דֶּגֶל מַחֲנֵה אֶפְרַיִם לְצִבְאֹתָם יָמָּה וְנָשִׂיא לִבְנֵי אֶפְרַיִם אֱלִישָׁמָע בֶּן־עַמִּיהוּד   2:18

Numb. 2:18  “The standard of the camp of Ephraim and the chief of the children of Ephraim, Elishama son of Ammihud, for their armies, shall be on the west,

וּצְבָאֹו וּפְקֻדֵיהֶם אַרְבָּעִים אֶלֶף וַחֲמֵשׁ מֵאֹות   2:19

Numb. 2:19  and his army of which their numbered are forty thousand and five hundred.”

וְעָלָיו מַטֵּה מְנַשֶּׁה וְנָשִׂיא לִבְנֵי מְנַשֶּׁה גַּמְלִיאֵל בֶּן־פְּדָהצוּר   2:20

Numb. 2:20  “And the tribe of Menasseh shall be beside him, and the chief of the children of Menasseh, Gamaliel son of Pedahzur,

וּצְבָאֹו וּפְקֻדֵיהֶם שְׁנַיִם וּשְׁלֹשִׁים אֶלֶף וּמָאתָיִם   2:21

Numb. 2:21  and his army of which their numbered were thirty-two thousand and two hundred,

וּמַטֵּה בִּנְיָמִן וְנָשִׂיא לִבְנֵי בִנְיָמִן אֲבִידָן בֶּן־גִּדְעֹנִי   2:22

Numb. 2:22  and the tribe of Benjamin and the chief of the children of Benjamin, Abidan son of Gideoni,

וּצְבָאֹו וּפְקֻדֵיהֶם חֲמִשָּׁה וּשְׁלֹשִׁים אֶלֶף וְאַרְבַּע מֵאֹות   2:23

Numb. 2:23  and his army of which their numbered are thirty-five thousand and four hundred.”

כָּל־הַפְּקֻדִים לְמַחֲנֵה אֶפְרַיִם מְאַת אֶלֶף וּשְׁמֹנַת־אֲלָפִים וּמֵאָה לְצִבְאֹתָם וּשְׁלִשִׁים יִסָּעוּ   2:24

Numb. 2:24  “All the numbered of the camp of Ephraim, a hundred thousand and eight thousand and one hundred belonging to their armies; and they set out third.”

דֶּגֶל מַחֲנֵה דָן צָפֹנָה לְצִבְאֹתָם וְנָשִׂיא לִבְנֵי דָן אֲחִיעֶזֶר בֶּן־עַמִּישַׁדָּי   2:25

Numb. 2:25  “The standard of the camp of Dan and their armies and the chief of the children of Dan, Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai, shall be on the north

וּצְבָאֹו וּפְקֻדֵיהֶם שְׁנַיִם וְשִׁשִּׁים אֶלֶף וּשְׁבַע מֵאֹות   2:26

Numb. 2:26  and his army of which their numbered are sixty-two thousand and seven hundred.”

וְהַחֹנִים עָלָיו מַטֵּה אָשֵׁר וְנָשִׂיא לִבְנֵי אָשֵׁר פַּגְעִיאֵל בֶּן־עָכְרָן   2:27

Numb. 2:27  “And the tribe of Asher and the chief of the children of Asher, Pagiel son of Ochran, shall be camping beside him,

וּצְבָאֹו וּפְקֻדֵיהֶם אֶחָד וְאַרְבָּעִים אֶלֶף וַחֲמֵשׁ מֵאֹות   2:28

Numb. 2:28  and his army of which their numbered are forty-one thousand and five hundred,

וּמַטֵּה נַפְתָּלִי וְנָשִׂיא לִבְנֵי נַפְתָּלִי אֲחִירַע בֶּןעֵינָן   2:29

Numb. 2:29  and the tribe of Naphtali and the chief of the children of Naphtali, Ahira son of Enan,

וּצְבָאֹו וּפְקֻדֵיהֶם שְׁלֹשָׁה וַחֲמִשִּׁים אֶלֶף וְאַרְבַּע מֵאֹות   2:30

Numb. 2:30  and his army of which their numbered are fifty-three thousand and four hundred.”

כָּל־הַפְּקֻדִים לְמַחֲנֵה דָן מְאַת אֶלֶף וְשִׁבְעָה וַחֲמִשִּׁים אֶלֶף וְשֵׁשׁ מֵאֹות לָאַחֲרֹנָה יִסְעוּ לְדִגְלֵיהֶם   2:31

Numb. 2:31  “All the numbered of the camp of Dan, one hundred thousand and fifty-seven thousand and six hundred; they shall set out at the rear according to their standards.”

אֵלֶּה פְּקוּדֵי בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם כָּל־פְּקוּדֵי הַמַּחֲנֹת לְצִבְאֹתָם שֵׁשׁ־מֵאֹות אֶלֶף וּשְׁלֹשֶׁת   2:32

אֲלָפִים וַחֲמֵשׁ מֵאֹות וַחֲמִשִּׁים

Numb. 2:32  These were the numbers of the children of Israel according to the houses of their fathers, all the numbered of the camps for their armies:  Six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty.

וְהַלְוִיִּם לֹא הָתְפָּקְדוּ בְּתֹוךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה אֶת־מֹשֶׁה   2:33

Numb. 2:33  And the Levites were not numbered among the children of Israel, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

וַיַּעֲשׂוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּה יְהוָה אֶת־מֹשֶׁה כֵּן־חָנוּ לְדִגְלֵיהֶם וְכֵן נָסָעוּ אִישׁ לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָיו   2:34

עַל־בֵּית אֲבֹתָיו

Numb. 2:34  And the children of Israel did according to all that the Lord had commanded Moses.  So they camped according to their standards, and so they set out, each according to his families for the house of his fathers.

This must have been quite an impressive camp.  We have over 600,000 men of the twelve tribes, and perhaps at least another 1,000,000 women, children, and elders, all surrounding the tent of meeting on the east (Judah, Issachar, Zebulin), south (Reuben, Simeon, Gad), west (Ephraim, Menasseh, Benjamin), and north (Dan, Asher, Naphtali). 

Let’s take a bird’s eye view of this camp.  I will assume the following:  (1) most of the women, children, and elders each lived with one of the warriors, (2) The Levites and their families numbered about 35,000 (see Numb. 3:39). (3) I am ignoring the likelihood that among the warriors, there were some who were brothers, and that they dwelled in one tent, and (4) the animals were mostly kept outside the camp.

As a result, we’re looking at about 620,000 tents in all.  Now I will assume that each tent and the area around it averaged about 400 sq. ft. (20 feet by 20 feet).  I will ignore perhaps about 48 or more foot paths that might have been needed throughout the camp, each perhaps six feet wide, as they add only a small additional area.  I am also ignoring the possibility that some of the animals were kept close around individual tents.  With these simplifying assumptions, the tents alone would have comprised a space of about ten sq. mi.  Assuming a square configuration, we have a space of about three miles by three miles, with the tent of meeting in the center, 1¹/2 miles from every side of the camp.

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