Numbers-Chap-2-17-34
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Remember the following truth from our beloved Torah!
“Ye shall NOT ADD TO THE WORD which
I command you, NEITHER SHALL YE DIMINISH FROM
IT, that ye may keep the commandments of יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloleichem,
which I command you”. Davarim - Deuteronomy 4:2. (JPS-1917).
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Part Two..
With
Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
Introduction:
The Heart of the Camp.
In this second half of the chapter, we see
the completion of the “Great Camp”. The focus shifts from the outer boundaries
to the spiritual centre. The encampment is not
just a military formation; it is a living organism where the Tabernacle
(Mishkan) sits at the heart. Just as the heart sustains
the body, the presence of the Almighty in the centrer sustains the people.
Here, we see the beauty of order every tribe has its place, yet all are
oriented toward a single, holy point.
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Let us read Numbers, verses 17 to 34: (JPS-1917 version f the Torah).
17. “Then
the tent of meeting, with the camp of the Levites, shall set forward in the
midst of the camps; as they encamp, so shall they set forward, every man in his
place, by their standards. 18. On the west side shall
be the standard of the camp of Ephraim according to their hosts; the prince of
the children of Ephraim being Elishama the son of Ammihud, 19. and
his host, and those that were numbered of them, forty thousand and five hundred; 20. and next unto him shall be the
tribe of Manasseh; the prince of the children of Manasseh being Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur, 21. and his host, and those that were
numbered of them, thirty and two thousand and two hundred; 22. and the tribe of Benjamin; the prince of the children of
Benjamin being Abidan the son of Gideoni, 23. and his host, and those that were
numbered of them, thirty and five thousand and four hundred; 24. all that were numbered of the camp of Ephraim being a
hundred thousand and eight thousand and a hundred, according to their hosts;
and they shall set forth third. 25. On the north side
shall be the standard of the camp of Dan according to their hosts; the prince
of the children of Dan being Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai, 26. and his host, and those that were numbered of them,
threescore and two thousand and seven hundred; 27. and those that pitch next unto him shall be the tribe of
Asher; the prince of the children of Asher being Pagiel
the son of Ochran, 28. and his host, and those that were numbered of them, forty
and one thousand and five hundred; 29. and the tribe of Naphtali; the prince of the children of
Naphtali being Ahira the son of Enan, 30. and his host, and those that were
numbered of them, fifty and three thousand and four hundred;
31. all that were numbered of the camp of Dan
being a hundred thousand and fifty and seven thousand and six hundred; they
shall set forth hindmost by their standards. 32. These are
they that were numbered of the children of
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Below is the Commentary for Numbers Chapter 2, verse 17 to 34:
The West, The North, and the Sacred Centre.
Verse 17: (The Pivot): This is the most crucial verse. It explains that the Levites and
the Tent of Meeting move in the middle. This teaches us that as
we move through the “wilderness” of life, our spiritual priorities must remain
central. We do not leave our faith behind when we travel; we carry it in our
midst.
Verses 18-24: (The West – Ephraim, Manasseh, Benjamin): These three tribes are the descendants of Rachel. There is a profound family unity here. Even in the desert, the Torah respects the bonds of kinship. Ephraim leads this camp, fulfilling Jacob’s blessing that the younger brother would become a great multitude.
Verses 25-31: (The North – Dan, Asher, Naphtali): The Camp of Dan is the “rear guard”. They were known for their strength and were responsible for collecting anything lost by the other tribes. This reminds us that in a community, there must always be those who look out for the stragglers and ensure no one is left behind.
Verses 32-34: (The Grand Summary): The final count of 603,550 (excluding
Levites) is staggering. Yet, the chapter ends by emphasizing that they did “all
that יְהוָה - the LORD commanded”. The miracle
was not just the number of people, but their unity and obedience.
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My Closing Message:
Finding Your Place.
The lesson of Numbers Chapter 2 is that every
soul has a specific “Standard” (Degel).
You do not have to be the lead tribe (Judah) or the Tabernacle guard (Levi) to be essential. Whether you are on the North,
South, East, or West, you are part of the count. When we each occupy our unique
space with dignity and follow the Divine command, the entire “Camp” moves
forward in peace.
May you find your own “Standard” and feel the strength of the Camp surrounding you, even in the quiet of the wilderness!
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