Numbers 2:34, commentary and pictures

Very soon after leaving Egypt Israel was organized and most thoroughly disciplined, with Moses standing at their head as one whom God in special providence had qualified for that place through his training as a mighty warrior and unsurpassed general. They fully obeyed all that the Lord commanded Moses in both pitching camp and setting forward, keeping perfect order in all their journeyings. Every tribe bore its own standard carrying the distinguishing sign of its father's house, and every tribe pitched under its own standard and marched in order under its own standard when the ark moved and the armies journeyed.

Each one moved after its families according to the house of its fathers, each family in its appointed place in its appointed order and position. When they rested the tabernacle was set up and the tribes pitched their tents in order around it at a distance, each in exactly the position God commanded. Whether to pitch in a certain place or journey again was shown by God's will through the pillar of cloud over the tabernacle.

When the cloud rested low directly over the tabernacle they pitched their tents and remained until they should journey again, and when the cloud of glory was lifted high above it they set out. The sacred ark was borne in the midst by a designated family of the Levites, the tribe in the midst of whom it was borne. God did not leave His holy tabernacle to be borne, erected, and taken down indiscriminately by any tribe that chose, but specified the order for bearing it and designated others of the Levites to bear the tabernacle and all its furniture and to set it up and take it down.

Moses and Aaron marched just in front of the ark and the sons of Aaron followed near them bearing trumpets. Directions came from the Lord to Moses and from Moses to the people through the trumpets, with a special signal first to call attention and then certain distinct sounds that the people understood and were to obey to direct their movements. The head officer of each company gave definite directions, so there was no confusion of sound and no excuse for confusion of movement or for ignorance. Failure to comply, getting out of place from curiosity or lack of order, touching any part of the sanctuary or its furniture or even coming near the workmen, or looking upon the things of the most holy place without reverence for their holiness and sacredness, was punished with death.

The orderly arrangement around the tabernacle was meant to display God's majesty and holiness, the purity He requires of those who serve Him, and His character and governance to surrounding nations, showing that God's work was not inferior to the worship of other gods. The ordered arrangement assigned each person a specific work to be done faithfully, in order and harmony. The verse presents Israel's orderly arrangement and movement as obedience to God's commands and as an example of the order God established, reflecting that God is a God of order who does not approve confusion, and teaching that God's people are to obey His arrangements rather than act in confusion. Its principle applies to religious work: arrangements should rightly represent God, since people judge by what they see. Its directions for arranging the tents and planning orderly movement can guide the careful planning of camp meetings.