Holly Bible - KJV with Concise Commentaries by Z Selam - HTML preview
Download the book in PDF, ePub, Kindle for a complete version.
3. Reuben's squadron marched forward next, taking place after Judah, according to the commandment of the Lord, Nu 10:18-20.
4. Then the Kohathites followed with their charge, the sacred furniture of the tabernacle, in the midst of the camp, the safest and most honourable place, Nu 10:21. And they (that is, says the margin, the Gershonites and Merarites) did set up the tabernacle against they came; and perhaps it is expressed thus generally because, if there was occasion, not those Levites only, but the other Israelites that were in the first squadron, lent a hand to the tabernacle to hasten the rearing of it up, even before they set up their own tents.
5. Ephraim's squadron followed next after the ark (Nu 10:22-24), to which some think the psalmist alludes when he prays (Ps 80:2), Before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, the three tribes that composed this squadron, stir up thy strength (and the ark is called his strength, Ps 78:61), and come and save us.
6. Dan's squadron followed last, Nu 10:25-27. It is called the rearward, or gathering host, of all the camps, because it gathered up all that were left behind; not the women and children (these we may suppose were taken care of by the heads of their families in their respective tribes), but all the unclean, the mixed multitude, and all that were weak and feeble, and cast behind in their march. Note, He that leadeth Joseph like a flock has a tender regard to the hindmost (Eze 34:16), that cannot keep pace with the rest, and of all that are given him he will lose none, Joh 17:11.
18 And the standard of the camp of Reuben set forward according to
their armies: and over his host was Elizur the son of Shedeur.
19 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Simeon was
Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.
20 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Gad was Eliasaph
the son of Deuel.