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Numbers 10:11-2811 In the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, the cloud lifted from over the tabernacle of the testimony,
12and the people of Israel set out by stages from the wilderness of Sinai. And the cloud settled down in the wilderness of Paran.
13They set out for the first time at the command of the Lord by Moses.
14The standard of the camp of the people of Judah set out first by their companies, and over their company was Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
15And over the company of the tribe of the people of Issachar was Nethanel the son of Zuar.
16And over the company of the tribe of the people of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon.
17 And when the tabernacle was taken down, the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, who carried the tabernacle, set out.
18And the standard of the camp of Reuben set out by their companies, and over their company was Elizur the son of Shedeur.
19And over the company of the tribe of the people of Simeon was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.
20And over the company of the tribe of the people of Gad was Eliasaph the son of Deuel.
21 Then the Kohathites set out, carrying the holy things, and the tabernacle was set up before their arrival.
22And the standard of the camp of the people of Ephraim set out by their companies, and over their company was Elishama the son of Ammihud.
23And over the company of the tribe of the people of Manasseh was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.
24And over the company of the tribe of the people of Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gideoni.
25 Then the standard of the camp of the people of Dan, acting as the rear guard of all the camps, set out by their companies, and over their company was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.
26And over the company of the tribe of the people of Asher was Pagiel the son of Ochran.
27And over the company of the tribe of the people of Naphtali was Ahira the son of Enan.
28 This was the order of march of the people of Israel by their companies, when they set out.
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At this point the account of the
journeyings of Israel. from Sinai to the borders of the Promised Land begins.
The whole journey from Sinai to Kadesh, in the desert of. Paran is given
summarily in 11 and 12. and what follows in 10:13-12:16 is an expansion and
elaboration of that summary. From Sinai to Kadesh was in point of fact a
journey of only eleven days (cf. Deut 1:2). Thus speedily did the people of God
reach the borders of their inheritance. Clearly, therefore, the long and
protracted period of some thirty-eight years' wandering in the wilderness
(which a. considerable part of the, remaining chapters of Numbers is devoted to
describing) calls for some explanation. This is given in the chapters which
follow this and particularly in the story of the spies' expedition and its
tragic sequel (chs 13/14). In 13 ff the order of Israel's march is more fully
described in terms of the detailed-layout of the camp given in 2:1-31, the only
difference being the additional note in 17, 21 about the order in which the
different houses of the Levites bore the Ark and its furniture. The Gershonites
and Merarites followed the tribes of Judah. Issachar and Zebulon: and were
followed by Reuben, Simeon and Gad. They would thus be in a position to set up
the framework of the Tabernacle at the chosen place for the next encampment and
have it ready for the Kohathites who would follow, with Ephraim, Manasseh,
Benjamin, Dan, Asher and Naphtali bringing up the rear.
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