Numbers - 2:18



18 "On the west side shall be the standard of the camp of Ephraim according to their divisions: and the prince of the children of Ephraim shall be Elishama the son of Ammihud.

Verse In-Depth

Explanation and meaning of Numbers 2:18.

Differing Translations

Compare verses for better understanding.
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.
On the west side shall be the camp of the sons of Ephraim, whose prince was Elisama, the son of Ammiud.
The standard of the camp of Ephraim according to their hosts shall be westward; and the prince of the sons of Ephraim shall be Elishama the son of Ammihud;
On the west side will be the flag of the children of Ephraim, with Elishama, the son of Ammihud, as their chief.
On the west side shall be the standard of the camp of Ephraim according to their hosts; the prince of the children of Ephraim being Elishama the son of Ammihud,
On the west side, there shall be the camp of the sons of Ephraim, whose leader was Elishama the son of Ammihud.
Vexilium excreitus Ephraim per turmas suas erit ad occidentem: et princeps filiorum Ephraim erit Elisarea filius Ammihud.

*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.


Historical Commentaries

Scholarly Analysis and Interpretation.

(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.

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 Deuteronomy 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 Genesis 49:27,
and the captain of the sons of Ephraim shall be Elishama the son of Ammihud; of whom see Numbers 1:10.
(l) Bemidbar Rabba, ut supra. (sect. 2. fol. 178. 2.)

Ephraim - Who is here preferred before his brother, according to the prophecy, Genesis 48:19-20.

*More commentary available at chapter level.


Discussion on Numbers 2:18

User discussion of the verse.






*By clicking Submit, you agree to our Privacy Policy & Terms of Use.