Numbers 10:14

Num_10:14-28

The standard of the camp.

The Divine standard to be maintained

There are few things in which we are more prone to fail than in the maintenance of the Divine standard when human failure has set in. Like David, when the Lord made a breach upon Uzza, because of his failure in putting his hand to the ark, He was afraid of God that day, saying, How shall I bring the ark of God home to me? (1Ch_13:12). It is exceedingly difficult to bow to the Divine judgment, and, at the same time, to hold fast the Divine ground. The temptation is to lower the standard, to come down from the lofty elevation, to take human ground. We must ever carefully guard against this evil, which is all the more dangerous as wearing the garb of modesty, self-distrust, and humility. Aaron and his sons, notwithstanding all that had occurred, were to eat the meat offering in the holy place. They were to do so, not because all had gone on in perfect order, but because it is thy due, and so I am commanded. Though there had been failure, yet their place was in the tabernacle; and those who were there had certain dues founded upon the Divine commandment. Though man had failed ten thousand times over, the word of the Lord cannot fail: and that word had secured certain privileges for all true priests, which it was their place to enjoy. Were Gods priests to have nothing to eat, no priestly food, because failure had set in? Were those that were left to be allowed to starve, because Nadab and Abihu had offered strange fire? This would never do. God is faithful, and He can never allow any one to be empty in His blessed presence. The prodigal may wander, and squander, and come to poverty; but it must ever hold good that in my Fathers house is bread enough and to spare. (C. H. Mackintosh.)

God would have order observed among His people at all times

When Christ our Saviour intended to feed the multitude that had continued with Him to hear His word, He commanded His disciples to make all sit down in ranks by hundreds and fifties (Mar_6:40), so that He would have all things, even the most common, done in order. For all disorder came into the world by Satan, and his chief employment is to make a breach into that order which God hath established. He shuffleth and mingleth all together, and seeketh to disturb and destroy what he can, and how he can. Again, order is a means to preserve every society; the want of it threateneth ruin to every society. This serveth, first, to reprove such as keep not their places, but break out of order, and will not be held within the compass that God hath set them. Every man hath his bounds set him, and is enclosed in them as in a circle, which he may not pass. No man hath any promise of blessing when he keepeth not the order God hath set him. Secondly, acknowledge from hence that the Church is a blessed company, it is the very school of good order, wherein all things are done in number, weight, and measure. When Balaam had seen the goodly order of this host of God, as the valleys that were spread forth, as gardens by the rivers side, as the trees which the Lord had planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters, he cried out in admiration of this comely, decent, and seemly order, How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob! and thy tabernacles, O Israel! For who is it that ruleth in the Church? and who is it by whom it is guided? Is it not God, who is the God of order? No confusion cleaveth or can cleave to Him, He is not the God of confusion, He is light, and in Him is no darkness at all (1Jn_1:5). He hath set an order among all His works. Thirdly, when we see this order interrupted in the works of God, know that it cometh not of God. Acknowledge therein the corruption of man and the work of Satan. Fourthly, whensoever we cannot sound the depth of Gods works nor judge of them as we ought, when we see to our appearance much out of square, as soldiers out of their squadrons, we must not condemn the works of God, but accuse our own blindness and ignorance, Forasmuch as God hath made all beautiful in his season (Ecc_3:11). When we behold how the wicked prosper for the most part, and are of great power (Psa_37:35), and on the other side the godly all the day long plagued and chastened every morning (Psa_73:14), we are ready to misjudge and misdeem of these works of God. Howbeit, the ways of God are not as our ways. This is therefore our weakness in judgment. Thus also was Jeremy troubled (Jer_12:1-2), and no less the prophet Habbakuk (Hab_1:13). This which we esteem to be a confusion is indeed no confusion; and that is in order which we suppose to be out of order. For God is a God of long suffering, who Will take vengeance on His adversaries, and He reserveth wrath for His enemies (Nah_1:2), and therefore is the prophet (much perplexed in spirit) willed to wait by faith the issue that God will make, For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry (Hab_2:3). Lastly, from hence every man must learn to do the duties of his own calling. God hath set every man in a certain calling. We are apt, indeed, to break out into the callings of other men, as if we were pinned up in too narrow a room. This made Solomon to say, I have seen servants on horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth. And as God hath set every man in a calling, so must every man wait and attend upon that calling, whether it be in the Church, or in the family, or in the commonwealth. (W. Attersoll.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Verse 14. The standard - of Judah] See this order of marching explained at large on Nu 2:1-31. The following is the order in which this vast company proceeded in their march: -

JUDAH

Issachar

Zebulun

Gershonites, and

Merarites carrying the tabernacle.

REUBEN

Simeon

Gad

The Kohathites with the sanctuary.

EPHRAIM

Manasseh

Benjamin

DAN

Asher

Naphtali.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

14–27. The group of tribes on the east of the Tabernacle having marched first, the hangings and structure of the Tent and the court were then carried by the Gershonites and Merarites. They were followed by the tribes on the south side; and then the sacred furniture and utensils were carried by the Kohathites. Next came the tribes on the west side, and those on the north side brought up the rear.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

In the first place went the standard of the camp of the children of Judah,.... Which tribe had the honour to go foremost and lead the van, the chief ruler, the Messiah being to come of it, as he did; who is King of Israel, and has gone forth at the head of them, fighting their battles for them:

according to their armies: having, besides the army of the tribe of Judah, the armies of the tribes of Issachar and Zebulun under his standard:

and over his host was Nahshon the son of Amminadab; he was captain general of the army of the tribe of Judah, as Nethaneel was over the host of the tribe of Issachar, Num 10:15; and Eliab over the host of the tribe of Zebulun, Num 10:16; the same commanders as were fixed at the time of settling the order of their encampment, Num 2:3.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

According to their armies - Compare Num 1:3. There were three tribal hosts in each camp; and each tribe had of course its subdivisions.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

14. In the first place — The following is the order in which the tribes marched:

FIRST DIVISION.

Judah,

Issachar, Zebulun,

Gershonites and Merarites bearing the Tabernacle.

SECOND DIVISION.

Reuben,

Simeon,

Gad,

Kohathites with the Sanctuary.

THIRD DIVISION.

Ephraim,

Manasseh,

Benjamin.

FOURTH DIVISION.

Dan,

Ashur,

Naphtali.

For military reasons the advance and rear guards were stronger than the centre. See Num_2:4, note.

Standard — See Num_1:52, note.

Nahshon — See Num_1:1-15, note.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

According to their armies. In each camp, and under each of the four standards, there were three tribal hosts, each an army in itself.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The camp under the banner of Judah's descendants

This camp includes the three tribes under the division of Judah: Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.

went out first

They packed up their camp and they left that place before all the others left. (See: Ordinal Numbers)

Nahshon son of Amminadab

See how you translated this man's name in Numbers 1:7.

Nethanel son of Zuar

See how you translated this man's name in Numbers 1:8.

Eliab son of Helon

See how you translated this man's name in Numbers 1:9.

translationWords

Judah

descend

son

Issachar

tribe

Zebulun

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

AND OVER HIS HOST WAS NACHSHON THE SON OF AMMINADAB. I do not know why He mentioned here the names of the princes of the standards, since He has already mentioned them. And if you answer that this was to hint that [on the twentieth of Iyar when they set out on the first journey from the wilderness] these princes were alive — this has already been alluded to in the section of the standards, since from the day of the census [on the first of Iyar] till the time of the journey [on the twentieth of that month] not one of all those who were counted died. Perhaps the verse comes to tell us that even when they travel on the way the prince is to go at the head of his host, who are to follow his command, and he is to dwell as a king in the army, and they are not to travel as sheep which have no shepherd, nor are they to appoint someone else for this purpose, as they do in the case of the priest who was anointed for war purposes.

Ramban (Nachmanides) on the Tanakh — English translation: “Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.