Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 2:18
On the west side [shall be] the standard of the camp of Ephraim according to their armies: and the captain of the sons of Ephraim [shall be] Elishama the son of Ammihud.
Ephraim is here preferred before his brother, according to the prophecy, Gen 48:19,20.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
On the west side [shall be] the standard of the camp of Ephraim, according to their armies,…. It was in the rear or behind, consisting of his tribe, and of the tribes of Manasseh and Benjamin, divided into several companies, and extended four miles, as the above Targum. The Jewish writers say l, that Joseph’s stone is the onyx or sardonyx, and his flag was coloured very black, and on it were figured for the two princes, Ephraim and Manasseh, Egypt, because they were born in Egypt; and upon the flag of Ephraim was figured an ox, because of what is said in De 33:17; and on the flag of the tribe of Manasseh was figured an unicorn, because of what is said in the same place. Benjamin’s stone was the jasper, and his flag was coloured like to twelve colours, and on it was figured a wolf, because of what is said
Ge 49:27;
and the captain of the sons of Ephraim [shall be] Elishama the son of Ammihud; of whom see Nu 1:10.
l Bemidbar Rabba, ut supra. (sect. 2. fol. 178. 2.)
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Verses 18-24:
The descendants of Rachel camped to the west of the tabernacle, under the standard of Ephraim. This group occupied the place of third in rank, immediately following the Tabernacle in the marching order. This was the smallest of the four groups, numbering 108,100 men.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
18. The camp of Ephraim came next, on the west side of the tabernacle. Here the descendants of Rachel, the tribes of Joseph’s two sons and the tribe of Benjamin, his favourite younger brother, reared their standard. They were near neighbours in Canaan, though the Jordan divided Manasseh. In the days of the monarchy they were intimately associated. “Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh, stir up thy strength.” Psa 80:2.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘On the west side shall be the standard of the camp of Ephraim according to their hosts, and the prince of the children of Ephraim shall be Elishama the son of Ammihud. And his host, and those who were numbered of them, were forty thousand and five hundred. And next to him shall be the tribe of Manasseh, and the prince of the children of Manasseh shall be Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. And his host, and those who were numbered of them, were thirty and two thousand and two hundred. And the tribe of Benjamin, and the prince of the children of Benjamin shall be Abidan the son of Gideoni. And his host, and those who were numbered of them, were thirty and five thousand and four hundred.’
When encamped the Rachel tribes, with their weaker numbers, would protect the west. This was probably seen as the least dangerous side. On the march they would follow the Dwellingplace. Once again full details are given of them.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
west. See note on Num 2:3. Hebrew = sea, that being west.
Ephraim. The centre on the west side. The colors of the stones in fourth row of Exo 28:20. The sign, an ox (Deu 33:17. Eze 1:10. Rev 4:7). In the Zodiac, Ephraim and Manasseh are the two horns of Taurus, the bull. Ephraim, the younger, bears the standard, according to the blessing in Gen 48:14-20.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
camp of Ephraim: Num 1:32, Num 10:22, Gen 48:5, Gen 48:14-20, Deu 33:17, Psa 80:1, Psa 80:2
Elishama: Num 1:10, Num 7:48, Num 7:53, Num 10:22, 1Ch 7:26, 1Ch 7:27
Reciprocal: Gen 48:20 – and he set Num 26:37 – General 2Ki 3:16 – Make this valley Eze 1:10 – the face of an ox Hos 13:1 – exalted
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Num 2:18. Ephraim Who is here preferred before his brother, according to the prophecy, Gen 48:19-20.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
2:18 {f} On the west side [shall be] the standard of the camp of Ephraim according to their armies: and the captain of the sons of Ephraim [shall be] Elishama the son of Ammihud.
(f) Because Ephraim and Manasseh took the place of Joseph their father, they are taken as Rachel’s children, so they and Benjamin make the third standard.