LOCATION OF TRIBES AROUND THE TABERNACLE IN THE WILDERNESS

　
The location of the tribes around the tabernacle in the wilderness was important. They would be living close together for forty years and it was necessary that they be placed in such a way that they would compliment each other and flow together as the tribes moved through the wilderness.

Just as in life we get along with certain people better than others this was true of the tribes. As the body of Yeshua we are the same way. An ankle bone and an arm bone really can’t function together but are separated by other parts of the body. These bones work well with those around them to perform their overall function in the body:

So I prophesied as I was commanded, and as I prophesied, there was a thunder, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. Ezekiel 37.7

We are to love and appreciate each other and “bear with one another.” When it comes to ministry and working together we just flow better with certain people. God knows this and puts us together with the right people when we have and important work to do. That doesn’t mean you can’t work with others, but sometimes we are just more compatible with certain people.

THE TABERNACLE COURTYARD

The tribe of Levi was placed in front of the entrance of the tabernacle to protect it. Moses and Aaron stood one on each side of Levi. Levi was the guardian of Israel and was reckoned the first born of all Israel:

“Now behold, I Myself have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of every firstborn who opens the womb among the children of Israel. Therefore the Levites shall be Mine…Numbers 3.12

The families of Levi’s sons, the Kohathites (South), the Gershonites (West), and the Merarites (North) were stationed in the courtyard surrounding the tabernacle. The rest of the tribes surrounded the tabernacle with three tribes on each side outside the courtyard.

EAST SIDE: Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun are grouped together on the east side of the Tabernacle in the Wilderness.

In Moses prophecies to the tribes Zebulun and Issachar are linked together (Deut 33.18-19). Zebulun is the adventurous tribe (Gen 49.13) while Issachar prefers to stay close to home (Gen 49.14-15). Together they compliment and exhort one another. Zebulun and Issachar together compliment Judah, the ruling tribe, well.

Judah is represented by the lion and is the standard bearer for the east side tribes. The lion represents the King and our King is Yeshua.

Judahmeans = “Praise” Issachar means = “he will bring a reward” Zebulun means = “to dwell in”

In 1 Chronicles 12.32 it was said of Issachar …“that they understood the times and knew what to do.” They would be the perfect tribe to work together with Judah in the wilderness. Zebulun’s spirit of adventure would be useful in the long period spent in the wilderness. When the tribes packed up and followed the column of smoke these three tribes took the lead position.

Together these three tribes call the people to the mountain of God. Judah leads the way while Zebulun and Issachar provide the balance and stability--one always ready to go, the other stable as a pillar in the temple of God.

These three tribes on the east side, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun were Leah’s 4^th, 5^th, and 6^th son’s respectively. They would have been bound together by their order of birth and been able to flow together in the spirit.

SOUTH SIDE: Reuben, Simeon, and Gad are grouped together on the south side of the Tabernacle in the Wilderness. Rueben is the first born of Leah and Jacob, Simeon is their second born, and Gad is the first born of Leah’s handmaid Zilpah. This group would represent the two first born sons of Leah, Rueben and Simeon, and her handmaid Zilpah‘s first born, Gad.

Rueben is represented by the rising sun or a blossoming plant and is the standard bearer for the south side tribes. Both the rising sun and a blossoming plant represent a new beginning, new anointing, new life and beauty coming forth.

Reuben means = “See, a son!” It comes from two Hebrew words: raah…“to see consider, to look, to make to enjoy, to have experience, to perceive, to present, to provide.” ben…“a son (as a builder of the family name), anointed one.”

Simeon means = “I have heard, hearing, one who hears and obeys.”

Gad means = “a troop, fortune, to attack, to overcome, to invade, and to gather together.” You could say, “ganging up together for an attack.

As the eldest sons of Leah and her handmaid Zilpah it would make sense that these three brothers would be comfortable together as a team.

WEST SIDE: Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin are grouped together on the west side of the Tabernacle in the Wilderness. Manasseh and Ephraim were sons of Joseph who was the brother of Benjamin. Joseph’s son’s grandmother was Rachel. These three tribes were closely related and could flow together in the spirit so they were grouped together.

Ephraim is represented by the Ox or Bull and is the standard bearer for the west side tribes. Manasseh is the royal palm tree, and Benjamin is the wolf.

Ephraim means = “double fruitful, double fruit, double portion in the inheritance, descendants, fruitful ones.”

And the name of the second he called Ephraim: “For God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.”  Gen 41.52

Manasseh
means = “one who makes to forget, one who lets you forget the suffering and the father’s house, replacement, substitute.”

And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh; For God, said he, has made me forget all my toil and all my father’s house. Gen 41.51

Benjamin means = “son of right hand, the right side, leg or eye of a person.” It also means the south side which is the more pleasant side where the sun warms. Some scholars also say the name Benjamin means “old age, maturity” and “son of happiness, happy year.”

Benoni is taken from two root words, ben and oni. Ben means “a son” and oni means “to exert oneself in vain, to come to naught, sorrow, unjust and unrighteous, vanity and wickedness.” The name can mean “Son of my sorrow, son of my iniquity, son of my unrighteousness, son of my vanity, son of my false idols.”

In Genesis 31 we see that Rachel stole her father’s idols when Jacob left Laban to return home. Rachel’s father Laban chased Jacob down and demanded the return of the household gods. Jacob, not knowing Rachel has stolen the gods, said to Laban that anyone in his party found with the gods should die.

This word of Jacob comes to pass when Rachel dies in child birth. Rachel names her son Benoni realizing her past sins and expressing her repentance. Jacob renames Benoni as Benjamin.

And they journeyed from Bethel, and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath when Rachel travailed, and she had hard labor. And it came to pass when she was in hard labor, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt have this son also. And it came to pass as her soul was departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni, but his father called him Benjamin. Thus Rachel died and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem. And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave; that is the pillar of Rachel’s grave unto this day. Genesis 35.16-20

Just as in our lives there are those with whom we make fast friends and can flow together with easily this grouping fits that profile. We don’t always get along great with everyone, even in the Body of Christ. Sometimes we have to “bear with one another” because that’s just the way we humans are. When God grouped the tribes together around the Tabernacle in the Wilderness he was putting together groups that could function together in harmoniously and efficiently.

Ephraim and Manasseh as Joseph’s sons would be Benjamin’s nephews. The Lord in His wisdom harmoniously grouped the family together.

NORTH SIDE: Dan, Asher, and Naphtali are grouped together on the west side of the tabernacle. Dan and Naphtali are Rachel’s two sons through her handmaid Bilhah. Asher is Leah’s second son through her handmaid Zilpah. They are all sons of the handmaidens and not through Jacob’s wives.

Dan is the standard bearer for the north side tribes and the symbolism of the eagle is often connected with judgment (Deut 28.49; Job 9.26; Proverbs 30.17; Jeremiah 4.13). Dan is also depicted by a serpent or scales (of justice).

Dan means = “judge.” It comes from the root word duwn which means “to judge, to rule, to strive (as a law), contend, execute (judgment), judge, minister, judgment, to plead (the cause), at strife, strive, discern.”

Asher means = “happy.” It also means, “to be straight, level, right, to go forward, be honest, prosper, bless, guide, lead, relieve, blessed.”

Naphtali means = “to struggle, wrestle, to wrestle and conquer and win the victory.” Rachel said, “I have wrestled and I have prevailed. I have won the victory.”

These tribes would be the rear guard when the Children of Israel would march. The sons of the handmaid’s of Rachel and Leah they would be quiet comfortable together. They may even have felt somewhat as outsiders since they were not born out of love but out of competition between Leah and Rachel.

SUMMARYThe encampment of the tribes of Israel in the wilderness focused on the tabernacle. The twelve tribes surrounded the tabernacle with three tribes on each of the four sides. Within the tabernacle at the entrance (East) stood the Levites, Moses, and Aaron.

The families of the son’s of Levi, the Kohathites (South), the Personates (West), and the Merarites (North) guard the other three sides of the tabernacle. They were stationed in the courtyard of the tabernacle and the remaining twelve tribes were stationed out side the courtyard guarding all sides.

Each group was arranged by the Lord to flow harmoniously and efficiently together in the spirit.