Numbers 2:3

The Tribes on the East

2:3 “Now those who will be camping ¹  on the east, toward the sunrise, ²  are the divisions ³  of the camp of Judah under their standard. The leader of the people of Judah is ⁴  Nahshon son of Amminadab.

Numbers 2:17

The Tribe in the Center

2:17 “Then the tent of meeting with the camp of the Levites will travel in the middle of the camps. They will travel in the same order as they camped, each in his own place ⁵  under his standard.

Numbers 2:34

2:34 So the Israelites did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses; that is the way ⁶  they camped under their standards, and that is the way they traveled, each with his clan and family.

Numbers 4:28

4:28 This is the service of the families of the Gershonites concerning the tent of meeting. Their responsibilities will be under the authority ⁷  of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest. ⁸ 

Numbers 5:20

5:20 But if you ⁹  have gone astray while under your husband’s authority, and if you have defiled yourself and some man other than your husband has had sexual relations with you….” ¹⁰ 

Numbers 30:14

30:14 But if her husband remains completely silent ¹¹  about her from day to day, he thus confirms all her vows or all her obligations which she is under; he confirms them because he remained silent about when he heard them.

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¹ tn The sentence begins with a vav (ו) on a word that is not a finite verb, indicating a new section begins here. The verbal form is a participle with the article used substantivally, with the meaning “and/now those camping.” Many English versions employ a finite verb; cf. KJV “on the east side…shall they of the standard of the camp of Judah pitch.”

² tc The two synonyms might seem to be tautological, but this is fairly common and therefore acceptable in Hebrew prose (cf. Exod 26:18; 38:13; etc.).

³ tn The sentence actually has “[those camping…are] the standard of the camp of Judah according to their divisions.”

⁴ tn Or “will be.”

⁵ tn The Hebrew expression is עַל־יָדוֹ (’al-yado, “upon his hand”). This clearly refers to a specifically designated place for each man.

⁶ tn The Hebrew word is כֵּן (ken, “thus, so”).

⁷ tn Or “the direction” (NASB, TEV); Heb “under/by the hand of.” The word “hand” is often used idiomatically for “power” or “authority.” So also in vv. 33, 37, 45, 48.

⁸ sn The material here suggests that Eleazar had heavier responsibilities than Ithamar, Aaron’s fourth and youngest son. It is the first indication that the Zadokite Levites would take precedence over the Ithamar Levites (see 1 Chr 24:3-6).

⁹ tn The pronoun is emphatic – “but you, if you have gone astray.”

¹⁰ tn This is an example of the rhetorical device known as aposiopesis, or “sudden silence.” The sentence is broken off due to the intensity or emphasis of the moment. The reader is left to conclude what the sentence would have said.

¹¹ tn The sentence uses the infinitive absolute to strengthen the idea.