Rand McMoses

Numbers 2

Lots of recapping from last chapter. As exciting as it was the first time, it was even less so this time.

What's added here is the blueprint of camping for the tribes. East part of the camp is for Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. They set out first.

On the south is Reuben, Simeon, and Gad. They're second.

On the west, Manasseh, Benjamin, and Ephraim. They go third.

On the north, Dan, Asher and Naphtali. They go fourth.

In the middle is the Tent of Meeting and all of the Levites.

The chapter also points out who is in charge of each tribe. I'll spare you that list.

That's it. Chapter two is action packed!

I am curious, though, as to the mindset behind who went where. Was it an attempt to balance the population? Looking at the numbers, they're kind of balanced- although the western flank has fewer people.

Did God try to group people who would get along? Joesph and Benjamin's offspring are together, so that could be part of it.

I wonder what the reaction was. It feels kind of like preparation to me. After all the talk of soldiering in chapter one, I would wonder, were I an Israelite youth, if this structure was war preparation.

Or maybe it's just like assigned seats the first day of school.

Either way, it's not too exciting.