So the total of all the troops on Dan’s side of the camp is 157,600. These three tribes will be last, marching under their banners whenever the Israelites travel.”
Parallel translations
- WEB “All who were counted of the camp of Dan were one hundred fifty-seven thousand six hundred. They shall set out last by their standards.”
- KJV All they that were numbered in the camp of Dan were an hundred thousand and fifty and seven thousand and six hundred. They shall go hindmost with their standards.
- BSB The total number of men in the camp of Dan is 157,600; they shall set out last, under their standards.”
- NKJV “All who were numbered of the forces with Dan, one hundred and fifty-seven thousand six hundred—they shall break camp last, with their standards.”
- NASB The total of the numbered men of the camp of Dan was 157,600. They shall set out last by their flags.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The whole northern camp of Dan totaled 157,600 and marched last. As the rear guard, Dan's division protected the entire procession.
Overview
This sums the three northern tribes and fixes them as the final division in the march. Being the largest camp, they formed a strong rear guard. The careful structuring of the camp, front to rear, ensured that God's people moved through the wilderness as an ordered host, gathered around His presence in the center.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 4
- Num 10:25The standard of the camp of the children of Dan, which was the rear guard of all the camps, set forward according to their armies. Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai was over his army.
- Num 2:16“All who were counted of the camp of Reuben were one hundred fifty-one thousand four hundred fifty, according to their armies. They shall set out second.
- Num 2:9All who were counted of the camp of Judah were one hundred eighty-six thousand four hundred, according to their divisions. They shall set out first.
- Num 2:24“All who were counted of the camp of Ephraim were one hundred eight thousand one hundred, according to their divisions. They shall set out third.
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Christ at the center
In the wilderness Christ is the water from the rock, the bronze serpent lifted up that the dying might look and live (John 3:14), and the star and scepter that Balaam saw rising out of Jacob.
How Numbers 2:31 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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