Reference: Encampment
Fausets
Below is represented the Israelite order of march and encampment (Numbers 2). This would be varied according to local requirements; but the ideal was reproduced in the square court with which the temple was surrounded, and in the heavenly city of Eze 48:20; Re 21:16; 20:9. The earthly camp exhibited the perfect symmetry of the church; the tabernacle in the middle denoted the dependence of all on Jehovah and the access of all to Him. The area of the camp was about three square miles. Living in families they did not occupy so much room as the same number of soldiers would occupy. The "standard" (degel, a glittering emblem on a pole) marked the division or camp, the "ensign" ('ot) the family.
Thus there were four standards, one for each "camp" of three tribes: according to tradition the four cherubic forms, the lion (Judah, Ge 49:9; Re 5:5), the ox (Ephraim, De 33:17), the man, and the eagle (Eze 1:26; 10:1; Re 4:4, etc.). Judah had the post of honor in front of the curtain of the tabernacle, along with Issachar and Zebulun, all three Leah's children, and led the van on march. Reuben, Leah's oldest son, with Simeon, Leah's second, and Gad, oldest of Leah's handmaid Zilpah's sous, formed the second camp. Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin, Rachel's descendants, formed the third camp. Dan, oldest of the handmaids' children, with Asher and Naphtali, handmaids' children, formed the fourth camp.
In coincidence with this arrangement, Nu 10:14, etc., represents Judah taking the lead in the march out of the wilderness of Sinai, Reuben was next, Ephraim was next, and Dan was rearward. The signal for march was given by a blast of two silver trumpets. The sanctity of the camp was maintained even in time of war. Among other nations ordinary rules of morality and propriety were then relaxed, as Lucan x. 407, observes: "no faith or regard for religion exists among men in camp" (nulla fides pietasque viris qui castra sequuntur). But in war especially Israel was to "keep from every wicked thing," and even from any breach of decorum or cleanliness, "for the Lord thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp to deliver thee and to give up thine enemies before thee, therefore shall thy camp be holy, that He see no unclean thing in thee and turn away from thee" (De 23:9-14).
All refuse was to be carried outside the camp. There the dead were to be buried (Le 10:4; 6:11). Contact with the dead, until purification, and leprosy excluded from it (Nu 5:2; 31:19). Ashes from the sacrifices were poured out in an appointed place outside the camp, where the entrails, skin, and horns, and all that was not offered in sacrifice, were burnt (Le 4:11-12; 6:11; 8:17; 24:14). There criminals were executed, and the sin offering bullock was burnt.
(compare as to the antitype Joh 19:17,20; Heb 13:12). So late as Hezekiah the temple was called "the tents of Jehovah" (2Ch 31:2; Ps 78:28; compare "a great host like the host of God" applied to David's adherents, 1Ch 12:22). The military camp was generally fixed on a hill and near water (1Sa 13:2-3,16,23; 17:3; 28:4; 29:1). The baggage wagons or else an earthwork formed a barrier round the camp. The machineh were movable camps as distinguished from the matsab, or netsib, standing camps (2Ch 17:2).
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Judah is a lion's whelp. From spoil, my son, thou art come on high: he laid him down and couched himself as a lion, and as a lioness. Who dare stir him up?
But the skin of the ox and all his flesh with his head, his legs, his inwards with his dung, shall he carry altogether out of the host unto a clean place: even where the ashes are poured out, and burn him on wood with fire: even upon the heap of ashes.
and then put off his raiment and put on other and carry the ashes out without the host unto a clean place.
and then put off his raiment and put on other and carry the ashes out without the host unto a clean place.
But the ox, the hide, his flesh and his dung, he burnt with fire without the host, as the LORD commanded Moses.
And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said unto them, "Go to, and carry your brethren from the holy place out of the host."
"Bring him that cursed without the host; and let all that heard him put their hands upon his head, and let all the multitude stone him.
"Command the children of Israel that they put out of the host all the lepers and all that have issues and all that are defiled upon the dead;
even the standard of the host of Judah removed first with their armies, whose captain was Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
And lodge without the host seven days, all that have killed any person and all that have touched any dead body, and purify both yourselves and your prisoners; the third day and the seventh.
When thou goest out with the host against thine enemies, keep thee from all wickedness; for the Lord is among you. If there be any man that is unclean by the reason of uncleanness that chanceth him by night, let him go out of the host and not come in again, read more. until he have washed himself with water before the evening: and then when the sun is down, let him come into the host again. Thou shalt have a place without the host whither thou shalt resort to, and thou shalt have a sharp point at the end of thy weapon: and when thou wilt ease thyself, dig therewith and turn and cover that which is departed from thee. For the LORD thy God walketh in thine host, to rid thee and to set thine enemies before thee. Let thine host be pure that he see no unclean thing among you and turn from you.
His beauty is as a firstborn ox and his horns as the horns of an unicorn. And with them he shall push the nations together, even unto the ends of the world. These are the many thousands of Ephraim and the thousands of Manasseh."
he chose him three thousand men out of Israel. Two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and Mount Bethel, and a thousand with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. And the rest of the people he sent, every man to his own house. And Jonathan slew the Philistines in a hold they had in Gibeah, and it came to the Philistines' ears. And Saul caused the trumpet to be blown throughout all the land, saying, "Let the Hebrews hear."
And Saul and Jonathan his son and the people that were found with them, had their abiding in Gibeah of Benjamin. But the Philistines had pitched in Michmash.
And the Garrison of the Philistines came out and stood on the other side before Michmash.
And the Philistines stood on a hill on the one side, and Israel stood on a hill on the other side; and a valley between them.
And the Philistines gathered together and came and pitched in Shunem. And Saul and all Israel gathered together and pitched in Gilboa.
The Philistines gathered all their hosts together unto Aphek: And Israel pitched by a fountain in Jezreel.
And there came one or other to David day by day to help him: until it was a great host, like the host of God.
And he put soldiers in all the strong cities of Judah, and set rulers both in the land of Judah and also in the cities of Ephraim which Asa his father had won.
And Hezekiah set the priests and the Levites in their order to wait by course, every man according to his office whether priest or Levite, for the burnt offerings and peace offerings, and to minister and to thank and to pray in the gates of the lodge of the LORD.
He let it fall among their tents, even round about their habitations.
Above the firmament that was over their heads, there was the fashion of a seat, as it had been made of Sapphire. Upon the seat there sat one like a man.
And as I looked, behold, in the firmament that was above the cherubims there appeared the similitude of a stool of sapphire upon them.
All that is separated of the twenty five thousand long and twenty five thousand broad on the four parts, that shall ye put aside for the separated portion of the Sanctuary, and for the possession of the city.
And he bare his cross, and went forth into a place called the place of dead men's skulls: which is named in Hebrew, Golgotha:
This title read many of the Jews. For the place where Jesus was crucified, was nigh to the city. And it was written in Hebrew, Greek and Latin.
Therefore Jesus, to sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.
And about the seat were twenty four seats. And I saw upon the seats twenty four elders sitting clothed in white raiment, and had on their heads crowns of gold.
And one of the elders said unto me, "Weep not. Behold, a lion being of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, hath obtained to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof."
And they went up on the plain of the earth, and compassed the tents of the saints about, and the beloved city. And fire came down from God, out of heaven, and devoured them:
And the city was built four square, and the length was as large as the breadth of it, and he measured the city with the reed twelve thousand furlongs: and the length, and the breadth, and the height of it, were equal.
Smith
primarily denoted the resting-place of an army or company of travellers at night,
and was hence applied to the army or caravan when on its march.
Ge 32:7-8; Ex 14:19; Jos 10:5; 11:4
The description of the camp of the Israelites, on their march from Egypt, Numb 2,3, supplies the greatest amount of information on the subject. The tabernacle, corresponding to the chieftains tent of an ordinary encampment, was placed in the centre, and around and facing it,
arranged in four grand divisions, corresponding to the four points of the compass, lay the host of Israel, according to their standards.
In the centre, round the tabernacle, and with no standard but the cloudy or fiery pillar which rested over it, were the tents of the priests and Levites. The former, with Moses and Aaron at their head, were encamped on the eastern side. The order of encampment was preserved on the march.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Then was Jacob greatly afraid, and wist not which way to turn himself, and divided the people that was with him and the sheep, oxen and camels, into two companies, and said, "If Esau come to the one part and smite it, the other may save itself."
So went the present before him, and he tarried all that night in the tent,
And the angel of God which went before the host of Israel, removed and went behind them. And the clouden pillar that was before them removed and stood behind them
And at evening the quails came and covered the ground where they lay. And in the morning the dew lay round about the host.
And the children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man in his own company and every man by his own standard throughout all their hosts.
And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, saying, "The children of Israel shall pitch: every man by his own standard, with the banners of their father's houses, away from the presence of the tabernacle of witness.
"And the tabernacle of witness, with the host of the Levites, shall go in the midst of the hosts: as they lie in their tents, even so shall they proceed in the journey, every man in his quarter about their standards.
Then the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon gathered themselves together, both they and all their hosts and went up and besieged Gibeon, and made war against it.
which came out, and all their hosts with them, a multitude of folk even as the sands of the sea in number with horses and chariots exceeding many.