聖書注解書

Verse 1. - The Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron. Probably when they had finished the census, and brought the results into the tabernacle.

And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,

And the Lord spake. — He being the Lord of these hosts of Israel, Exodus 12:41 gives order for the marshalling of them in such good array, and all comely equipage, as made them as a city that is compact together; both "beautiful as the moon, and terrible as an army with banners." Psalms 122:3 Song of Solomon 6:10 This Balaam beheld with admiration. Numbers 24:5-6

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各部族の陣営（紀元前1490年）

¹ 主はモーセとアロンに語って言われた。
² イスラエルの子らはおのおの自分の旗に従い、その父祖の家の旗印のそばに宿営しなければならない。会見の天幕の周りに、離れて宿営しなければならない。

ここに、彼らが休むところでの整然とした宿営と、移動する際の整然とした行軍の両方に関する一般的な任命がある。これまで彼らにも何らかの秩序が守られていた可能性はある。彼らはエジプトから隊列を組んで出て来た（出13:18）。しかしここで彼らはより良い型にはめられた。

1. 彼らは皆天幕に住み、行軍するときにはそのすべての天幕を携行した。「住むべき町を見いださなかった」からである（詩107:4）。これはこの世界におけるわれわしの状態を表す。それは移動可能な状態である（われわしは今日ここにあり、明日は去る）。そして軍事的な状態である。われわしのいのちは戦いではないか。われわしはこの世界でただ天幕を張るだけで、ここには住み続ける町を持たない。それゆえわれわしも、この世界で張る間、それを押し抜けるようにしよう。

2. 同じ部族の者は共に宿営する。「おのおの自分の旗に従い」。注。親族の間に相互の愛と親情、交わりと一致が保たれることは神の御心である。互いに親族である者は、できる限り互いに親しむべきである。そして自然のきずなは、キリスト者の交わりのきずなを強めるために活用されるべきである。

3. 各人は自分の場所を知り、そこにとどまらなければならなかった。彼らは好きなところに定めることも、好きなときに移すことも許されなかった。神が彼らを割り当て、その割り当てに留まるよう命じられた。注。住居の境界を定められるのは神である。そしてわれわしは自分自身を神にお任せすべきである。「彼がわたしたちの嗣業を選んでくださる」（詩47:4）。そしてその選択においてわれわしは同意すべきであり、あちこち移ることを愛してはならない。「巣からさまよう鳥」のようであってはならない。

4. おのおのの部族はその旗、旗印、または標章を持っていた。そして各家族もその父祖の家の何らかの特別な標章を持っていたようである。それはわれわしの場合、連隊の各中隊の軍旗がそうであるように携行された。これらは部族と家族の区別、また彼らを集め、共に保つために役立った。これになぞらえて、福音の宣教は「異邦人が求める旗を揚げる」こと、また彼らがそれによって宿営することであると言われる（イザ11:10,12）。注。神は秩序の神であり、混乱の神ではない。これらの旗はこの強大な軍勢をその友にはいっそう美しく、その敵にはいっそう恐るべきものに見せた。キリストの教会は「旗を持つ軍勢のように恐ろしい」と言われる（雅6:10）。これらの旗がどのように区別されたかは不確かである。ある者は各部族の旗が大祭司のエポデにその部族の名が書かれた宝石と同じ色であったと推測し、それがすべての違いであったとする。現代のユダヤ人の多くは、各旗にヤコブによるその部族の祝福に関係する何らかの紋章が描かれていたと考える。ユダは獅子、ダンは蛇、ナフタリは雌鹿、ベニヤミンは狼など。彼らの一部は四つの主要な旗は、ユダは獅子、ルベンは人、ヨセフは雄牛、ダンは鷲であり、エゼキエルの幻の現れをそれになぞらえていると言う。他の者は各部族の名がその旗に書かれていたと言う。それが何であれ、疑いなくそれは確かな方向を与えた。

5. 彼らは天幕の周りに宿営しなければならなかった。天幕は軍勢の中央における将軍の天幕のように、彼らのただ中になければならなかった。彼らは天幕の周りに宿営しなければならなかった。(1) それが彼らの神の恵み深い臨在のしるしとして、彼らすべてに等しく慰めと喜びとなるために。「神はそのただ中におられる。彼女は動かされない」（詩46:5）。彼らの宿営が心からのものであるべきであり、このように神を心に持つとき。毎日その宿営の周りに天からのパンを持ち、その宿営のただ中に神の恵みの他のしるしと共に天からの火を持つことは、「主がわれわしのうちにおられるのか、おられないのか」という問いに答えるのに豊かに十分であった。「イスラエルよ、あなたは幸いである」。おそらく彼らのすべての天幕の扉はすべての側から天幕に向くように造られた。各イスラエル人は常に目を主に向けるべきであるから。それゆえ彼らは天幕の扉で礼拝した。天幕は宿営のただ中にあった。それが彼らに近くあるためであった。聖なる定めの荘厳な執行が近くにあり、手の届くところにあることは非常に望ましいことであるから。「神の国はあなたがたのただ中にある」。(2) 彼らがすべての側で天幕とレビ人を守り、防衛となるために。侵入者は彼らの最も厚い隊列を突き抜けずに神の天幕に近づくことはできなかった。注。もし神がわれわしの慰めの保護を引き受けてくださるなら、われわしも自分の場所で神の制度の保護を引き受け、神の誉れと関心と教会の働き人の防衛のために立ち上がるべきである。

6. しかしそれでも彼らは聖所への畏れのゆえに「離れて」宿営しなければならなかった。それが彼らの中に混み合い、押し上げられているように見えず、宿営の普通の営みがそれの悩みとならないように。彼らはまた距離を保つことを教えられた。親しみすぎが軽べつを生まないように。最寄りの宿営と天幕との間の距離は（あるいはおそらく彼らと、天幕の近くに宿営したレビ人の宿営との間の距離は）二千キュビト、すなわち千ヤード、われわしの測ったマイルのわずか半分強であったと推測される（ヨシ3:4から）。しかし宿営の外側の部分ははるかに遠かったに違いない。ある者は彼らの宿営の広がりが十二マイル四方未満ではなかったと計算する。それは通りや路地のある移動可能な都市のようであり、おそらくそこにもマナは下った。彼らが扉でそれを持つことができるように、宿営の外側と同様に。キリストの教会において、われわしは（天幕に贖いの座があったように）玉座について読む。それは「初めから栄光ある高い玉座」と呼ばれ（エレ17:12）、その玉座は霊的なイスラエル人、二十四の長老、部族の数の倍によって囲まれている。「白い衣を着て」（黙4:4）。そして彼らの上にある旗は「愛」である。しかしわれわしは彼らのように「離れて宿営するよう」命じられてはいない。いや、われわしは近づき、大胆に来るように招かれている。いと高き方の聖徒たちは「その周りにいる」と言われる（詩76:11）。神が恵みによってわれわしを御自身に近く保ってくださるように。

³ 東側、日の上る方に、ユダの宿営の旗の下にある者がその軍勢に従って宿営しなければならない。アミナダブの子ナフションがユダの子らの隊長となる。
⁴ 彼の軍勢、すなわちその数に数えられた者は、七万四千六百人であった。
⁵ その隣に宿営する者はイッサカルの部族である。ツアルの子ネタネルがイッサカルの子らの隊長となる。
⁶ 彼の軍勢、すなわちその数に数えられた者は、五万四千四百人であった。
⁷ またゼブルンの部族である。ヘロンの子エリアブがゼブルンの子らの隊長となる。
⁸ 彼の軍勢、すなわちその数に数えられた者は、五万七千四百人であった。
⁹ ユダの宿営に数えられた者の総計は、十八万六千四百人、その軍勢による。これらは最初に出発する。
¹⁰ 南側にはルベンの宿営の旗がその軍勢に従ってある。ルベンの子らの隊長はシデウルの子エリツルである。
¹¹ 彼の軍勢、すなわちその数に数えられた者は、四万六千五百人であった。
¹² その隣に宿営する者はシメオンの部族である。ツリシャダイの子シェルミエルがシメオンの子らの隊長となる。
¹³ 彼の軍勢、すなわちその数に数えられた者は、五万九千三百人であった。
¹⁴ またガドの部族である。デウエルの子エルヤサフがガドの子らの隊長となる。
¹⁵ 彼の軍勢、すなわちその数に数えられた者は、四万五千六百五十人であった。
¹⁶ ルベンの宿営に数えられた者の総計は、十五万一千四百五十人、その軍勢による。これらは第二の隊列として出発する。
¹⁷ その後、会見の天幕はレビ人の宿営と共に、宿営のただ中で出発する。彼らが宿営すると同じように、彼らも出発し、おのおのその旗に従って自分の場所に。
¹⁸ 西側にはエフライムの宿営の旗がその軍勢に従ってある。アミフデの子エリシャマがエフライムの子らの隊長となる。
¹⁹ 彼の軍勢、すなわちその数に数えられた者は、四万五百人であった。
²⁰ その隣にはマナセの部族がある。ペダツルの子ガムリエルがマナセの子らの隊長となる。
²¹ 彼の軍勢、すなわちその数に数えられた者は、三万二千二百人であった。
²² またベニヤミンの部族である。ギデオニの子アビダンがベニヤミンの子らの隊長となる。
²³ 彼の軍勢、すなわちその数に数えられた者は、三万五千四百人であった。
²⁴ エフライムの宿営に数えられた者の総計は、十万八千百人、その軍勢による。これらは第三の隊列として進む。
²⁵ ダンの宿営の旗は北側に、その軍勢に従ってある。アミシャダイの子アヒエゼルがダンの子らの隊長となる。
²⁶ 彼の軍勢、すなわちその数に数えられた者は、六万二千七百人であった。
²⁷ その隣に宿営する者はアシェルの部族である。オクランの子パグイエルがアシェルの子らの隊長となる。
²⁸ 彼の軍勢、すなわちその数に数えられた者は、四万一千五百人であった。
²⁹ またナフタリの部族である。エナンの子アヒラがナフタリの子らの隊長である。
³⁰ 彼の軍勢、すなわちその数に数えられた者は、五万三千四百人であった。
³¹ ダンの宿営に数えられた者の総計は、十五万七千六百人であった。これらはその旗に従って最後になる。
³² これらはイスラエルの子らのうち父祖の家によって数えられた者たちである。宿営のうちその軍勢に従って数えられた者の総計は六十万三千五百五十人であった。
³³ しかしレビ人は主がモーセに命じられたように、イスラエルの子らの中に数えられなかった。
³⁴ イスラエルの子らは主がモーセに命じられたすべての事を行った。すなわち彼らはその旗に従って宿営し、またそのように出発し、おのおのその父祖の家に従ってその家族に従って。

ここに十二部族の四つの戦隊への特定の分配がある。一つの戦隊に三部族、そのうち一つが他の二つを導く。観察せよ。

1. 神ご自身が彼らの場所を割り当て、彼らの間の争いとねたみを防ぐため。もしそれを彼ら自身に決定するままにされていたなら、彼らは互いに争う危険にあったであろう（「だれが一番偉いか」と争った弟子たちのように）。各人は一番最初である、あるいは少なくとも最後ではないという口実を持ったであろう。もしそれをモーセに決定するままにされていたなら、彼らは彼と争い、ひいきだと責めたであろう。それゆえ神がそれをなさった。神ご自身が誉れの源であり裁き手であり、その任命においてすべてが同意しなければならない。もし神が摂理において他の者をわれわしより上に上げ、われわしを低くされるなら、われわしは神がここでなされたように天幕からの声によってそれをなさったかのように、その仕方において神がそれをなさることに満足すべきである。そしてそれが神の御心であると現れるという考察は、すべてのねたみと不満を効果的に静めるべきである。そしてわれわしの場所が選択となる範囲において、救い主はわれわしに一つの規則を与えられた。「上座に座してはいけない」（ルカ14:8）。また別の規則。「一番になりたいと思う者は、あなたがたのしもべになりなさい」（マタ20:27）。最もへりくだり、最も奉仕する者が本当に最も誉れある者である。

2. 各部族は隊長、君、または総司令官を持っていた。神ご自身が指名された。彼らを数えるために任命されたのと同じ方（民1:5）。われわしが皆一つのアダムの子であることは、平等主義者を正当化し、場所と誉れの区別を取り去るものとは到底ならない。同じアブラハム、同じヤコブ、同じユダの子らの間でさえ、神ご自身が一人が他のすべての者の隊長であるよう任命された。「神によって定められた権威」があり、誉れと恐れがそのように払われるべき者たちがいる。これらの君たちの名の意義を、少なくとも一般的に、観察する者もいる。彼らの名を与えた者がどれほど神を思いのうちに持っていたか。彼らのほとんどは名の一方の端かもう一方の端に「エル（神）」を持つからである。「ネタネル、神の贈り物。エリアブ、わたしの神は父。エリツル、わたしの神は岩。シェルミエル、神わたしの平安。エルヤサフ、神は加えられた。エリシャマ、わたしの神は聞かれた。ガムリエル、神わたしの報酬。パグイエル、神はわたしに出会われた」。これによってイスラエル人がエジプトでその神の御名を全く忘れなかったことが現れる。他の記念物が欠けていたとき、子どもたちの名においてその記憶を保ち、それによってその苦難のうちに自分たちを慰めたのである。

3. 互いに最も近い親族である部族が同じ旗の下に共に置かれた。ユダ、イッサカル、ゼブルンはレビヤの三人の年少の子らであり、共に置かれた。そしてイッサカルとゼブルンはユダの弟であったので、ユダの下にあることを不満に思わなかったであろう。ルベンとシメオンはその場所に満足しなかったであろう。それゆえヤコブの長子ルベンは次の戦隊の長とされた。シメオンは疑いなく彼の下にあることを喜び、ジルパ、レビヤの女奴隷の子ガドはレビに代わって彼らにふさわしく加えられた。エフライム、マナセ、ベニヤミンは皆ラケルの子孫である。ビルハの長子ダンは、妾の子であるにもかかわらず、導く部族とされた。「不足している者により豊かな誉れが与えられるため」であった。そして「ダンはその民をさばくであろう」と言われ、二人の女奴隷の年少の子が彼に加えられた。このように彼らが置かれた順序は異論の余地のないものであった。

4. ユダの部族は第一の誉れの位置にあり、日の上る方に向かって宿営し、行軍では先陣を切った。最も数の多い部族であったからというだけでなく、主としてその部族からキリストが来るべきであったからである。キリストは「ユダの部族の獅子」であり、今その部族の隊長として指名された方の腰から出るはずであった。ナフションはキリストの先祖のうちに数えられる（マタ1:4）。それゆえ彼が彼らの前に進んだとき、事実上キリストご自身が彼らの導き手として彼らの前に進んだのである。ユダはヤコブの十二人の子のうちで祝福された最初の者であった。ルベン、シメオン、レビは死にゆく父によって責められた。それゆえ彼は出生においては第一でなくても祝福においては第一であり、子どもたちがいかにして敬虔な親の笑顔を重んじ、その不満を恐れるべきかを教えるために、第一とされた。

5. レビの部族は他の部族の内側で、天幕の近くに密接に宿営した（民2:17）。彼らは聖所を守らなければならず、そうすれば他の部族が彼らを守る。このように、ヨハンが見た天の栄光の幻において、長老と玉座の間に「目の満ちた四つの生き物」があった（黙4:6,8）。民政権は国の宗教的な関心を保護し、その栄光の上に防衛となるべきである。

6. ダンの宿営（そしてカナンに定住してからずっと後までその部族はそう呼ばれた（士13:25）。その武勇の誉れによって）は、宿営するときには左翼に配置されたが、行軍ではしんがりを務めるよう命じられた（民2:31）。彼らはユダに次いで最も数が多かった。それゆえ先頭に次いで最も力を必要とする位置に命じられた。「その日の強さに応じて」であるから。

最後に、イスラエルの子らは与えられた命令に従い、「主がモーセに命じられたように」行った（民2:34）。彼らは不満や論争なしに自分たちに割り当てられた位置に就いた。それは彼らの安全であったと同時に美しさでもあった。バラムはその光景に魅了された。「ヤコブよ、あなたの天幕はなんと立派なのか」（民24:5）。このように福音の教会、「聖徒たちの宿営」と呼ばれるものは、聖書の型に従って堅く組み立てられるべきである。各人が自分の場所を知り、保つべきである。そうすれば教会のために良く願うすべての者が、「その秩序を見て」（コロ2:5）喜ぶのである。

2. おのおの……おのおの自分の旗に従って、父の家の旗じるしのもとに陣を敷く――旗は、大群衆の移動を指揮するための、ある認められた形の目に見えるしるしであった。イスラエル人は「おのおの自分の旗に従って、父の家の旗じるしのもとに陣を敷く」よう命じられたため、この指示は彼らが三種類の旗を持っていたことを示唆すると考えられてきた。(1) 民の十二の大きな氏族の集合点として機能した大いなる部族の旗。(2) 細分化された部分の旗。(3) 家族、すなわち家の旗。後者は絶対に必要であったはずである。一つの部族に一つの旗じるししかなければ、これほど大群の端には見えなかったであろう。それらの形、素材、色、意匠については信頼できる情報はない。しかしエジプトのものに似ていたが、偶像礼拝の象徴を取り除いたものであろうと推測される。それらは准确性の羽やショールなどで作られた傘あるいは扇形のもので、長い棒の先に上げられ、聖なる中央のもののように車に載せられるか、人の肩に担がれた。また他のものは、東方の巡礼者が夜に棒に設けるいかり火のようなものであったかもしれない。ユダヤの著述家たちは、ヘブル部族の旗はヤコブの預言的な祝福から借用された象徴であったと言う。ユダは雄ひつ、ベニヤミンは狼など

[Ge 49:3-24]。

そして旗じるしや旗は色によって区別された。各部族の色は大祭司の胸当てでその部族を表す宝石の色と同じであった

[Ex 28:17-21]。

会見の幕屋の周り、遠く離れて陣を敷く――すなわち「向かい合って」、敬意を払う距離で。各部族の位置が順次具体的に記述されているのは、行軍の順序と宿営の配置の両方において、それぞれに特定の部分が割り当てられていたからである。

「旗…旗印」——「旗」は師団、すなわち宿営を表し（Numbers 1:9、Numbers 1:16、Numbers 1:24、Numbers 1:31を参照）、「旗印」は家族を表した。それゆえ「旗」は四つしかなく、三部族から成るそれぞれの「宿営」に一つずつあったことであろう。「旗」はおそらく、エジプト人が用いたような、竿の上に据えられた立体の像または紋章であった。伝承は、四つのケルビムの形（Ezekiel 1:5-12、Revelation 4:7以下）、すなわち獅子、人、雄牛、鷲を、それぞれユダ、ルベン、エフライム、ダンの宿営に割り当てる。この見解は、第一のものについてはGenesis 49:9によってある程度の裏付けがあり（Revelation 5:5と比較せよ）、第三のものについてはDeuteronomy 33:17による裏付けがある。

「遠く離れて」——欄外の「向かい合って」を参照せよ。すなわち、幕屋をあらゆる側から正面に見る位置である。その距離はおそらく2000キュビト、すなわち4分の1マイルよりやや多いものであった。Joshua 3:4と比較せよ。

Every man - shall pitch by his own standard - Commentators, critics, philosophers, and professional men, have taken a great deal of pains to illustrate this chapter by showing the best method of encampment for such a vast number of men, and the manner in which they conceive the Israelites formed their camp in the wilderness. As God gave them the plan, it was doubtless in every respect perfect; and fully answered the double purpose of convenience and security. Scheuchzer has entered into this subject with his usual ability, and in very considerable detail. Following the plan of Reyher, as in the preceding chapter, he endeavors to ascertain the precise order in which the several tribes were disposed; and as his work is both scarce and dear, the reader will not be displeased - to meet here with a translation of all that refers to the subject.

Scheuchzer's Description and Plan of the Encampments of the Israelites in the Wilderness

"If we form a proper idea of God, of his essence and his attributes, we shall easily perceive that this infinite and supreme Being wills and executes what his Divine wisdom appoints; in a word, we shall see that he is the God of order. This order displays itself in the perfection, arrangement, and assemblage of all created beings; in the construction of the earth which we inhabit, where every thing is formed in order, number, weight, and measure; and in all bodies, great and small. It is certain that Noah's ark is a perfect model of naval architecture. The temple of Solomon, and that of Ezekiel were likewise masterpieces in their kind. But at present we are to consider the Divine arrangement of the Israelitish camp, and the manner in which it was formed. "The Israelitish army was divided Into three principal divisions. The first, which was the least in extent, but the strongest and the most powerful, occupied the center of the army: this was the throne of God, i. e., the Tabernacle. The second, which was composed of the priests and Levites, surrounded the first. The third, and the farthest from the center, took in all the other tribes of Israel, who were at least about a mile from the tabernacle. For it appears from Josephus, iii. 4, that the nearest approach they dared make to the ark, except during the time of worship, was a distance of 2,000 cubits. The reverence due to the Divine Majesty, the numerous army of the Israelites, composed of 600,000 soldiers, with their families, which made about 3,000,000 souls, naturally demanded a considerable extent of ground. We are not to imagine that all these families pitched their tents pell-mell, without order, like beasts, or as the troops of Tartary, and the eastern armies; on the contrary, their camp was divided according to the most exact rules. And we cannot even doubt that their camp was laid out, and the place of every division and tribe exactly assigned by some engineers, or geometricians, before the army stopped to encamp, in order that every person might at once find his own quarter, and the road he ought to take to reach the other tents. "Four divisions, which faced the four quarters of the heavens, each with his own ensign, formed the center of the army. Judah was placed on the east, and under him he had Issachar and Zebulun; on the south was Reuben, and under him Simeon and Gad: on the west was Ephraim, and under him Manasseh and Benjamin; finally, Dan was on the north, and he had under him Asher and Naphtali. It has been pretended by some that these four principal divisions were not alone distinguished by their ensigns, but that each particular tribe had likewise its standard or ensign. On this subject we might refer to the Talmudists, who have gone so far as to define the colors, and the figures or arms, of the very ensigns. They pretend that on that of Judah a lion was painted, with this inscription: 'Rise, Lord, let thine enemies be dispersed, and let those that hate thee flee before thee;' and they found this description of Judah's ensign in Genesis 49:9. They give to Issachar an ass, Genesis 49:14; to Zebulun a ship, Genesis 49:13; to Reuben a river, Genesis 49:4, (others give Reuben the figure of a man); to Simeon a sword, Genesis 49:5; to Gad a lion, Deuteronomy 33:20; to Ephraim a unicorn, Deuteronomy 33:17; an ox to Manasseh, Deuteronomy 33:17; a wolf to Benjamin, Genesis 49:27; and a serpent to Dan, Genesis 49:17, though others give him an eagle. In short, they pretend that the ensign of Asher was a handful of corn, Genesis 49:20, and that of Naphtali a stag, Genesis 49:21. "To prove that the sums here are correctly added, we have but to join together the detached numbers, and see if they agree with the total. The text will furnish us with an example of this: there was in the quarter of: -

Judah 186,400 Numbers 2:9 Reuben 151,450 Numbers 2:16 Ephraim 108,100 Numbers 2:24 Dan 157,600 Numbers 2:31

"Among other things we must remark that rule of military tactics which requires that the advanced and rear guards should be stronger than the center. "In a well-regulated camp, cleanliness is considered indispensably necessary; this is particularly remarkable in the Israelitish army, where the most exact order was maintained. Hence every person who had any kind of disease, and those who were reputed unclean, were forbidden to enter it; Numbers 5:2, Numbers 5:3; Deuteronomy 23:10. "Those who have the health of men, and of a whole army confided to them, are not ignorant that diseases may be easily produced by putrid exhalations from excrementitious matter; and that such matter will produce in camps pestilential fevers and dysenteries. For this reason, care should be always taken that offices, at a distance from the camp, be provided for the soldiers, and also that those who are sick should be separated from the others, and sent to hospitals to be properly treated. "In military tactics we find two distinct wings spoken of; the right and the left. The Israelitish army not only had them on one side, as is customary, but on all their four sides. On the eastern side, the tribe of Issachar formed the right, that of Zebulun the left, and that of Judah the center. On the south, Simeon formed the right wing, Gad the left, and Reuben the center. Towards the west, Manasseh composed the right, Benjamin the left, and Ephraim the center. And on the north, Asher was on the right wing, Naphtali on the left wing, and Dan in the center.

Notwithstanding this, however, the army was not in danger of being easily broken; for every tribe being numerous, they were supported by several ranks, in such a manner that the first being broken, the second was capable of making resistance; and if the second gave way, or shared the same fate as the first, it found itself supported by the third, and so on with the rest. The square form in which the Jewish army was ordinarily placed, was the very best for security and defense. The use and importance of the hollow square in military tactics is well known. "For so large a multitude of people, and for so numerous an army, it was needful that all the necessary articles of life should be prepared beforehand, or be found ready to purchase. In these respects nothing was wanting to the Israelites. Their bread came down to them from heaven, and they had besides an abundance of every thing that could contribute to magnificence. If we may credit Josephus, they had amongst them public markets, and a variety of shops. Ant., i. iii. c. 12, sec. 5. The tabernacle being erected, it was placed in the midst of the camp, each of the three tribes stretching themselves on the wings, and leaving between them a sufficient space to pass. "It was, says Josephus, like a well appointed market where every thing was ready for sale in due order, and all sorts of artificers kept their shops; so that this camp might be considered a movable city. "In Exodus 32:27 we likewise find that mention is made of the gates of the camp: 'Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp.' From whence we may certainly conclude that if the camp had gates, the Israelites had also sentinels to guard them. If this be true, we may also believe that they were surrounded with entrenchments, or that at least their gates were defended by some fortifications. Sagittarius (de Jan. Vet., c. 18. 10) pretends that the tabernacle was not only guarded by the Levites, but that there were likewise sentinels at the gates, and at the entrance of the Israelitish camps. See the note on Exodus 32:27. "If we examine and compare the camp of Israel with that of our most numerous armies, which in these days are composed of 100,000 or of 150,000 men, we cannot but consider it of vast extent. The Jews say it was twelve miles in circumference; this is not at all improbable, and consequently the front of each wing must be three miles in extent. But taking in the tents, the soldiers and their numerous families, the beasts of burden, the cattle, and the goods, it certainly must have formed a very considerable enclosure, much more than twelve miles. See the notes on Exodus 12:37, and Exodus 13:18 (note). Reyher (Math. Mos., p. 568) assigns to the Tribe of Judah, A space of 298 2/5 cubits in breadth and 250 in length - Which makes 74,600 square cubits. "We must observe that we are here merely speaking of the ground which the soldiers of this tribe occupied whilst remaining close to each other in their ranks, and that in this computation there is but one cubit square allowed for each man; wherefore, if we take in the arrangement of the soldiers, the tents, the necessary spaces, the families, the beasts of burden, and the movables, a much larger extent of ground is requisite. All those circumstances do not come into Reyher's calculation. He continues thus: -

For the tribe of Issachar, 217 3/5cubits in breadth 250 in length - Total 54,400 square cubits.

For the tribe of Gad, 140 5/11 cubits in breadth 325 in length - Total 45,650 square cubits.

For the tribe of Zebulun, 229 3/4 cubits in breadth 250 in length - Total 57,400 square cubits.

For the tribe of Ephraim, 202 1/2 cubits in breadth 200 in length - Total 40,500 square cubits.

For the tribe of Reuben, 143 1/5 cubits in breadth 325 in length - Total 46,500 square cubits.

For the tribe of Manasseh, 161 cubits in breadth 200 in length - Total 32,200 square cubits.

For the tribe of Simeon, 182 6/13 cubits in breadth 325 in length - Total 59,300 square cubits.

For the tribe of Benjamin, 177 cubits in breadth 200 in length - Total 35,400 square cubits.

For the tribe of Dan, 156 3/4 cubits in breadth 400 in length - Total 62,700 square cubits.

For the tribe of Asher, 103 3/4 cubits in breadth 400 in length - Total 41,500 square cubits.

For the tribe of Naphtali, 133 1/2 cubits in breadth 400 in length - Total 53,400 square cubits.

"If we make the ichnography, or even the scenography, of the camp on this plan, in following it we must first, in the center, form a parallelogram of 100 cubits long and 50 broad for the court of the tabernacle with an empty space all round of 50 cubits broad. We must then place the camp of the Levites in the following order: -

To the west, the Gershonites, Numbers 3:22, Numbers 3:23. Breadth 30 cubits Length 250 cubits - Total 7,500

To the south, the Kohathites, Numbers 3:28, Numbers 3:29. Breadth 86 cubits Length 100 cubits - Total 8,600

To the north, the Merarites, Numbers 3:34, Numbers 3:35. Breadth 62 cubits Length 100 cubits - Total 6,200

"On the east we must place tents for Moses, Aaron, and his sons, Numbers 3:38.

"At the place where the camp of the Levites ends, a space must be left of 2,000 square cubits, after which we must take the dimensions of the camp of the twelve tribes.

"This plan is in the main well imagined, but it does not afford an ichnography of sufficient extent. To come more accurately to a proper understanding of this subject, I shall examine the rules that are now in use for encampments, and compare them afterward with what is laid down in the Holy Scriptures, in order that we may hereby form to ourselves an idea of the camp of God, the grandeur and perfection of which surpassed every thing of the kind ever seen. I shall now mention what I am about to propose as the foundation upon which I shall proceed.

"In Exodus 18:21, Deuteronomy 1:15, we find the advice given by Jethro to Moses respecting political government and military discipline: 'Thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.' [See the note on Exodus 18:21]. We may very well compare these tribunes, or rather these chiliarchs, to our colonels, the centurions or hecatontarchs to commanders or captains, the quinquagenaries or pentecontarchs to lieutenants, and the decurions or decarchs to our sergeants. These chiefs, whether they were named magistrates or officers, were each drawn from his own particular tribe, so that it was not permitted to place over one tribe an officer taken from another. Whatever matter the decarchs could not decide upon or terminate, went to the pentecontarchs, and from thence by degrees to the hecatontarchs, to the chiliarchs, to Moses, and at length to God himself, the sovereign head of the army. If we divide the whole army (such as it was at its departure from Egypt) by the numbers already laid down, we shall find 600 chiliarchs, 6,000 hecatontarchs, 12,000 pentecontarchs, 60,000 decarchs, which in all make 78,600 officers. Josephus regulates the number of them still more exactly by saying that there were chiefs set over 10,000, 1,000, 500, 50, 30, 20, and 10. We find this regulation in Ant. Jud., b. iii., c. 4: 'Take a review of the army, and appoint chosen rulers over tens of thousands, and then over thousands, then divide them into five hundreds, and again into hundreds, and into fifties, and set rulers over each of them who may distinguish them into thirties, and keep them in order; and at last number them by twenties and by tens, and let there be one commander over each number, to be denominated from the number of those over whom they are rulers.'

"We ought not to pass over in silence this division by tens, for twice 10 make 20, three times 10, 30, five times 10, 50, ten times 10, 100, ten times 50, 500, ten times 1,000, 10,000. It was in this manner, as is pretended, that Cangu, the first of the great Khans, (as he is called), and after him Tamerlane, drew out an army, i.e., by 10, 100, 1,000, 10,000, mentioned in Alhazen, c. v. Probably these Tartars borrowed from the very Hebrews themselves this manner of laying out a camp. At all events it is certain that nothing more ancient of the kind can be found than that mentioned in the books of Moses. To distinguish it from that of the Greeks and Romans we may with justice call it the Hebrew castrametation, or, if we judge it more proper, the Divine castrametation, and consequently the most perfect of all. For although Moses places the pentecontarchs in the middle, between the hecatontarchs and the decarchs, i.e., 50 between 100 and 10; and although Josephus afterward places 1,000 between 500 and 10,000, and 30 and 20 between 10 and 50, this does not at all derange the progression by tens, which Is the foundation of arithmetic. These subaltern officers were equally useful and necessary, as we now see that their number, far from creating confusion, helps maintain order, and that the more there are of them the better is order preserved. According to the modern method of carrying on war, the next in rank to the generals of the army (who have the supreme command) are field marshals and brigadiers, who command 5,000 men.

There are then between the chiliarchs or colonels and the hecatontarchs or captains, lieutenant-colonels; and between the hecatontarchs and the decarchs, lieutenant-captains; and these have under them lieutenants and ensigns. "It is certain that this method of distributing an army by tens, and of encamping, which is very concise, has far greater advantages even with respect to expense than the very best plans of the Greeks, Romans, or any other ancient nation. On this subject we have the testimony of Simon Steven, Castrametat. c. 1, art. 1, and c. 4. art. 3, Oper. Math., p. 574 and 596, etc. According to this arrangement each soldier, or if more proper, each father of a family, being thus placed by ten and ten in a straight line one after the other, might very easily name themselves first, second, etc. Each troop in like manner might be distinguished by its ensigns, that of 100 might have them small, that of 1,000 larger, and that of 10,000 still larger. Every officer, from the lowest subaltern to the general officers of the camp, and even to the generalissimos themselves, had only an easy inspection of ten men each; the decarch had the inspection of 10 soldiers, the hecatontarch of 10 decarchs, and the chiliarch of 10 hecatontarchs. After the chiliarchs, which in no troop can amount to ten, there is the chief or head of each tribe. Each then exactly fulfilling the duty assigned him, we may suppose every thing to be in good order, even were the camp larger and more numerous. The same may be said respecting the contentions that might arise among the soldiers, as well as every thing relative to the general duty of the officers, as to the labors they were to undertake, whether for striking their tents for works of fortification or for making entrenchments. This arrangement might be easily retained in the memory, or a general list be kept of the names of both officers and soldiers to distribute to them their pay, and to keep exact accounts. "It was possible in one moment to know the number of those who were either wanting or were out of their ranks, and to avoid this disorder in future by obliging each man to attend to his duty and keep in his rank. If by chance it happened that any one man wished to desert or had escaped, it was easy to notice him and inflict on him the punishment he merited. The ensigns being distinguished by their marks, and the company being known, it was easy to find any soldier whatever. "The armies themselves might have certain marks to distinguish them, and by that means they might at once ascertain the person in question; for example: 8. 2. 7. 3. might signify the eighth soldier or father of a family, of the second rank, of the seventh company, in the third chiliad; 7. 3. 5. the halberdier of the decurion or sergeant of the seventh line, in the third company, of the fifth chiliad or thousand; 5. 8. the hecatontarchs or captains of the fifth company, in the eighth chiliad; 7. the chiliarchs or colonels of the seventh rank; 0. finally, the general of the whole army. Farther, by the same means the loss or misplacing of their arms might be prevented. Again, the soldiers might in a very short time be instructed and formed to the exercise of arms, each decad having its sergeant for its master; and the chariots or other carriages might easily be divided amongst several, 10 under the decurion, 100 under the hecatontarch; and by thus following the above method, every thing might be kept in good order.

A Plan of the Whole Israelitish Camp

"We shall finally, in one plate, represent the whole camp of the Israelites, in that order which appears the most proper. For this purpose we must extract the square roots of the preceding spaces, in order that we may be able to assign to each tribe square areas, or rectangular parallelograms. I therefore find for

Tribe Square Cubits Reuben 3049 Simeon 3443 The Gershonites 1224 The Kohathites 1311 The Merarites 1113 Judah 3862 Issachar 3298 Zebulun 3388 Gad 3019 Asher 2880 Manasseh 2537 Ephraim 2846 Benjamin 2660 Dan 3541 Naphtali 3268

"The tabernacle, which was 100 cubits long and 50 broad, I place in the center of the camp, at the distance of 840 feet from the camp of the Levites, which is placed exactly in the same manner as described in the sacred writings. I find therefore that the whole space of the camp is 259,600,000 feet. Now, according to the manner we have just divided the camp for each tribe, the sum total being 125,210,000, it follows that the space between the tents contained 134,390,000. If, with Eisenschmid, we estimate the Roman mile at 766 French fathoms and two feet, (consequently 21,141,604 square feet to a Roman square mile), the Israelitish camp will contain a little more than 12 such square miles." The reader will have the goodness to observe that the preceding observations, as well as the following plate or diagram, which was made by Scheuchzer on the exactest proportions, could not be accurately copied here without an engraved plate; and after all, the common reader could have profited no more by the plate than he can by the diagram. It is not even hoped that disquisitions of this kind can give any thing more than a general idea how the thing probably was; for to pretend to minute exactness, in such cases, would be absurd. The sacred text informs us that such and such tribes occupied the east, such the west, etc., etc.; but how they were arranged individually we cannot pretend absolutely to say. Scheuchzer's plan is such as we may suppose judgment and skill would lay down; but still it is very probable that the plan of the Israelites' castrametation was more perfect than any thing we can well imagine; for as it was the plan which probably God himself laid down, it must be in every respect what it ought to be, for the comfort and safety of this numerous multitude. As there are some differences between the mode of distributing the command of a large army among the British, and that used on the continent, which is followed by Scheuchzer, I shall lay down the descending scale of British commanders, which some may think applies better to the preceding arrangement of the Israelitish army than the other. The command of a large army in the British service is thus divided: -

1. The Commander-in-chief.

2.-Lieutenant-generals, who command divisions of the army: (these divisions consist of 2 or 3 brigades each, which, on an average, amount to 5,000 men).

3.-Major-generals, who command brigades: (these brigades consist of from 2 to 3,000 men [2,500 is perhaps the average] according to the strength of the respective regiments of which the brigade is composed).

4. Colonels in the army, or lieutenant-colonels, who command single regiments; they are assisted in the command of these regiments by the majors of the regiments. [I mention the major, that there may be no break in the descending scale of gradation of ranks, as in the event of the absence of the above two officers, he is the next in command].

5. Captains who command companies: these companies (on the war establishment) consist of 100 men each, and there are 10 companies in every regiment, consequently a colonel, or lieutenant-colonel, commands 1,000 men.

6. Lieutenants, of which there are 2 to every company

7. Ensign; 1 to each company.

The Lietuenants and ensigns are subaltern officers, having no command, but assisting the captain.

1.-Commander-in-chief2. Lieutenant-generals commanding divisions of 5,000 each3. Major-generals, brigades 2,500. }} These are called general officers. 4. Colonels, lieutenant-colonels, and majors; }} Three officers belonging to each regiment in the service, and are solely employed in the disciplining and commanding the men; these are mounted on horseback, and termed field-officers. 5. 1 Captain 6. 2 Lieutenants7. 1 Ensign }} to each company

Ascending scale of ranks which every officer must pass through.

EnsignLieutenantCaptainMajorLieutenant-colonelColonel }} to every regiment Major-general, brigade-commander. Lieutenant-general, division-commander. General-in-chief, who commands the whole army Diagram of the Israelitish Camp

Though I particularly refer the reader to the above diagram (see Scheuchzer's plate #1) of the Israelitish camp, taken from Scheuchzer's plate, which I have thought necessary to be subjoined to his description, yet I think it also proper to introduce that on the next page (see Scheuchzer's plate #2), as it gives a general and tolerably correct idea of this immense camp, in the description of which the inspired writer has been so very particular; but still I must say these things are to be considered as probably, not as absolutely certain; as comprising a general view of what may be supposed probably, likely, and practicable.

The whole may be said to consist of three camps, viz.,

1. The camp of the Lord;

2. The camp of the Levites; and

3. The camp of the people.

These in the grand camp in the wilderness, corresponded with the holy of holies, the holy place, and the outward court of the Temple at Jerusalem. See Ainsworth.

Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard,.... Or banner, of which there were four, as appears from the following account, under each of which were placed three tribes; and so every man of each tribe was to pitch his tent in the tribe he belonged to, and by the standard under which his tribe was marshalled, and in the rank that he was placed:

with the ensigns of their father's house; which were either lesser standards or banners, somewhat different from the great standard or banner, which belonged to the camp consisting of three tribes, and which were peculiar to their several families and houses, and distinguished one from another, like flags in different regiments; or these were signs (f), as the word may be rendered, or marks in the standards or banners, which, distinguished one from another; so the Targum of Jonathan, the signs which were marked in their standards: but what they were is not easy to say; Aben Ezra observes, and Abendana from him, that their ancients were used to say, that there was in the standard of Reuben the form of a man, on account of the mandrakes, Genesis 30:14; and in the standard of Judah the form of a lion, because Jacob compared him to one, Genesis 49:9; and in the standard of Ephraim the form of an ox, from the sense of those words, the firstling of his bullock, Deuteronomy 33:17; and in the standard of Dan the form of an eagle, so that they might be like the cherubim the prophet Ezekiel saw, Ezekiel 1:10, which is not very likely, such images and representations not being very agreeable, yea, even detestable to the people of the Jews in later times, and can hardly be thought to be in use with their early ancestors: others, as Jarchi, fancy that those standards were distinguished by their colours, as our flags or ensigns are; which, if they stopped here, would not be much amiss, but they go on and say, that each was according to the colour of his stone fixed in the breastplate, so that there were three colours in every flag or standard; thus, for instance, in the standard of Judah, which is the first, were the colours of the three precious stones, on which were the names of Judah, Issachar, and Reuben, namely, the emerald, sapphire, and diamond; and so in the rest of the standards; but others say, the letters of the names of the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, differently disposed of, were on those standards; but rather, one would think, the names of the three tribes under every standard were embroidered on them, which would sufficiently distinguish one from another, and direct where tribe was to pitch; but of those things there is no certainty:

far off about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch: a mile from it, according to Jarchi, or two thousand cubits, which is supposed to be a sabbath day's journey, Acts 1:12; and this distance is gathered from Joshua 3:4, and is not improbable.

(f) "in signis", Pagninus, Montanus; "sub signis", Tigurine version; "cum signis", Junius & Tremellius, Drusius; "apud signa", Piscator.