Numbers 2:18 kjv
On the west side shall be the standard of the camp of Ephraim according to their armies: and the captain of the sons of Ephraim shall be Elishama the son of Ammihud.
Numbers 2:18 nkjv
"On the west side shall be the standard of the forces with Ephraim according to their armies, and the leader of the children of Ephraim shall be Elishama the son of Ammihud."
Numbers 2:18 niv
On the west will be the divisions of the camp of Ephraim under their standard. The leader of the people of Ephraim is Elishama son of Ammihud.
Numbers 2:18 esv
"On the west side shall be the standard of the camp of Ephraim by their companies, the chief of the people of Ephraim being Elishama the son of Ammihud,
Numbers 2:18 nlt
[18-19] "The divisions of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin are to camp on the west side of the Tabernacle, beneath their family banners. These are the names of the tribes, their leaders, and the numbers of their registered troops: Tribe ? Leader ? Number
Ephraim ? Elishama son of Ammihud ? 40,500
Numbers 2 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 48:19 | But his father refused and said, "I know, my son... Ephraim's younger brother, Manasseh... shall be greater..." | Jacob's prophecy on Ephraim's greatness. |
| Num 1:52-53 | The people of Israel shall encamp by their companies, each man by his own camp and his own standard. But the Levites shall encamp around the tabernacle... | General command for ordered camp and Levites' centrality. |
| Num 2:1-2 | The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, "The people of Israel shall encamp each by his own standard, with the emblems of their fathers' houses..." | God's overarching command for camp order. |
| Num 2:3 | On the east side toward the sunrise shall be the standard of the camp of Judah by their companies, and the leader of the people of Judah shall be Nahshon... | Parallel instruction for the camp of Judah (east). |
| Num 2:10 | On the south side shall be the standard of the camp of Reuben by their companies... and the leader of the people of Reuben shall be Elizur... | Parallel instruction for the camp of Reuben (south). |
| Num 2:25 | On the north side shall be the standard of the camp of Dan by their companies... and the leader of the people of Dan shall be Ahiezer... | Parallel instruction for the camp of Dan (north). |
| Num 2:17 | Then the tent of meeting shall set out, with the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camps... | Highlights the Tabernacle and Levites as the center. |
| Num 10:18-24 | The standard of the camp of Ephraim set out by their companies, with Elishama the son of Ammihud over their company... | Confirms Ephraim's order of march in the rearguard. |
| Deut 33:17 | [Joseph's descendants] "His horns are the horns of a wild ox; with them he shall gore the peoples... these are the ten thousands of Ephraim..." | Moses' blessing affirming Ephraim's strength and multitude. |
| Josh 16:9-10 | Also they had separate cities... These cities were for the people of Ephraim within the inheritance of the people of Manasseh... | Ephraim's territorial inheritance in Canaan. |
| 1 Kgs 11:26 | Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephraimite... lifted up his hand against the king. | Ephraim's prominence in the later divided kingdom. |
| Jer 31:6 | For there will be a day when watchmen will call out in the hill country of Ephraim... | Prophecy of Ephraim's future return and restoration. |
| Eze 48:5 | Adjacent to the territory of Manasseh, from east to west, shall be Ephraim's portion. | Ephraim's place in the land distribution in Ezekiel's vision. |
| Ex 25:8-9 | And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst. Exactly as I show you... so shall you make it. | God's command for precise construction and presence. |
| Lev 26:11-12 | I will make my dwelling among you, and my soul will not abhor you. And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people. | God's promise to dwell among an obedient people. |
| Ps 78:67 | He rejected the tent of Joseph; he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim, | A reflection on God's judgment against Ephraim's unfaithfulness. |
| Deut 1:15 | So I took the heads of your tribes, wise and experienced men, and made them heads over you... | The appointment of leaders for Israel. |
| 1 Cor 14:33 | For God is not a God of disorder but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. | New Testament principle of divine order in the community. |
| Eph 4:15-16 | ...rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together... | The church as an organized, growing body. |
| Col 2:19 | and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God. | Christ as the Head maintaining order and unity in His body. |
| Heb 12:22-24 | But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem... | Spiritual counterpart of God's ordered dwelling. |
| Rev 21:12-14 | It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel... | The ultimate heavenly city reflecting tribal order. |
Numbers 2 verses
Numbers 2 18 Meaning
Numbers 2:18 describes the divine command for the structured encampment of the Israelite tribes in the wilderness, specifically detailing the position and leadership of the camp of Ephraim. It establishes that the standard (banner) of the Ephraimite division, which includes the tribes of Manasseh and Benjamin, is to be located on the west side of the Tabernacle. This verse also names Elishama, son of Ammihud, as the appointed leader over this considerable group of people. This precise order reflects God's desire for an organized, unified, and holy people encamped around His sacred presence.
Numbers 2 18 Context
Numbers chapter 2 outlines the meticulously detailed and divinely commanded arrangement of the Israelite camp in the wilderness. Following the census in chapter 1, this chapter dictates the exact position of each of the twelve tribes relative to the central Tabernacle, which represented God's dwelling place among His people. The encampment was not a haphazard affair but a highly structured, strategic, and symbolic formation. Each of the four sides of the Tabernacle—east, south, west, and north—had a division of three tribes, identified by a primary tribal standard. Numbers 2:18 specifically details the camp located on the west side. This arrangement served not only practical purposes (order, hygiene, defense) but primarily underscored the centrality of God's presence, the distinct identity of each tribe within the greater nation, and the holy order God establishes for His covenant people.
Numbers 2 18 Word Analysis
- On the west side: The Hebrew "עַל־צְדַד יָמָּה" (al-tz'dad yammâh). "יָמָּה" (yammâh) specifically means "westward" or "toward the sea," as the Mediterranean Sea lay to the west of Israel. This precise directional instruction emphasizes God's meticulousness. The west side, during the camp's procession, formed part of the rearguard, along with the other west-side tribes, indicating a protective role for the ark of the covenant as it marched behind the main contingent.
- shall be the standard: The Hebrew is "נֶשְׂאֻי" (nesu’i), referring to a banner or standard, an identifying marker. These were tribal ensigns, visible flags or symbols, which helped designate the rallying point for each camp. They provided a visual representation of each tribe's identity and their unified purpose under God's overarching command. This signifies order and allegiance, not a military emblem in the modern sense but a collective marker for clans.
- of the camp of Ephraim: "אֶחָפֶת מַחֲנֵה אֶפְרַיִם" (’echâphath machaneh 'Ephrayim). "Ephraim" (אֶפְרַיִם - 'Ephrayim) means "doubly fruitful" or "fruitful land." This tribe, a son of Joseph, received a preeminent blessing from Jacob, placing them ahead of Manasseh (Gen 48:19). The "camp of Ephraim" here denotes a larger division including the tribes of Manasseh and Benjamin, with Ephraim as the leading tribe. This indicates their numerical strength and prominence within Israel.
- by their companies: The Hebrew "לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם" (l'mishpechotâm) translates literally to "by their families" or "by their clans." This highlights that the organization of Israel was fundamentally genealogical. It wasn't merely a military formation but a structure built upon established familial and tribal units. Every individual belonged to a specific, identifiable unit.
- and the leader of the people of Ephraim: The Hebrew "וְנָשִׂיא בְנֵי אֶפְרַיִם" (w'nasiy b'nei 'Ephrayim). "נָשִׂיא" (nâsiy') refers to a prince or chief, a non-hereditary position appointed for specific tribal or national leadership roles. These leaders played a crucial role in maintaining order, administering justice, and guiding their respective tribal contingents, accountable to God and Moses.
- shall be Elishama: The name "Elishama" (אֱלִישָׁמָע - 'Eliyshâmâ') means "My God has heard." The individual chosen to lead was thus named in a way that reflected a divine attribute, possibly indicating a parent's testimony or hope. His name carries a theological significance for his leadership role, aligning with God's attention and hearing of His people.
- the son of Ammihud: "בֶּן־עַמִּיהוּד" (ben-‘Ammiyhûd). "Ammihud" (עַמִּיהוּד - 'Ammiyhûd) means "My kinsman is glory" or "People of majesty." This further connects Elishama's identity and lineage to a concept of tribal and communal dignity under God.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "On the west side shall be the standard of the camp of Ephraim": This phrase precisely situates one of the four main divisional camps, emphasizing God's spatial ordering. The west side's specific placement, often associated with the direction of the "sea," implies a protective rear-guard position during movement (Num 10:22-24) while still being near the Tabernacle in encampment. The "standard" served as a central rallying point, unifying the tribes under Ephraim’s leadership.
- "by their companies, and the leader of the people of Ephraim shall be Elishama the son of Ammihud": This portion highlights both the meticulous internal organization by family units and the clear, designated leadership within the tribal division. Elishama's specific identification by name and lineage reinforces the personal accountability and established authority essential for maintaining such a vast, disciplined multitude. This leadership was appointed by God's decree, not by tribal elections, reflecting a divinely ordered hierarchy.
Numbers 2 18 Bonus Section
The "camp of Ephraim" comprising 108,100 men (Ephraim 40,500, Manasseh 32,200, Benjamin 35,400) according to Numbers 2:19-24, indicates this was one of the three largest divisions, making its westward, rearguard position crucial for defense during journeys (Num 10:22-24). Ephraim, being Joseph's son blessed over Manasseh (Gen 48), held a place of significant honor, a leadership position that was retained throughout much of Israel's history, eventually even serving as a byword for the Northern Kingdom. However, their future apostasy, like "Ephraim joined to idols" (Hos 4:17), demonstrates the consequence of deviating from the divinely established order, even when given a place of prominence. This ordered camp therefore serves as a testament to God's ideal design for His people, which stands in contrast to subsequent human failure to uphold it.
Numbers 2 18 Commentary
Numbers 2:18 serves as a micro-example of God's overarching demand for order, unity, and precise alignment around His holy presence. The placement of the camp of Ephraim (which also included Manasseh and Benjamin) on the west side was not arbitrary. It demonstrated a meticulously planned layout that underscored the Tabernacle's centrality—God Himself—as the true heart of Israel. Each tribe, with its distinct identity symbolized by a standard and guided by an appointed leader like Elishama, was an integral part of this divinely ordained formation. This structure was crucial for a nomadic people of over two million, providing security, preventing chaos, and facilitating worship. It foreshadowed how God brings order to His people, both physically in the wilderness and spiritually in the body of Christ, where diverse members are arranged by Him for unified purpose and effective witness.
- Example for Practical Usage: In communal Christian life, just as Ephraim had its designated place, Christians are called to find and serve within their God-given positions in the church, working in order and unity around the "center"—Christ (Eph 4:15-16). Each individual, though unique, contributes to the ordered strength of the whole body, demonstrating peace rather than disorder.