The Meaning of Numbers 2:2 Explained

Numbers 2:2

KJV: Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign of their father's house: far off about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch.

YLT: 'Each by his standard, with ensigns of the house of their fathers, do the sons of Israel encamp; over-against round about the tent of meeting they encamp.'

Darby: The children of Israel shall encamp every one by his standard, with the ensign of their father's house; round about the tent of meeting, afar off, opposite to it shall they encamp.

ASV: The children of Israel shall encamp every man by his own standard, with the ensigns of their fathers houses: over against the tent of meeting shall they encamp round about.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Every man  of the children  of Israel  shall pitch  by his own standard,  with the ensign  of their father's  house:  far off  about  the tabernacle  of the congregation  shall they pitch. 

What does Numbers 2:2 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Numbers 2

1  The order of the tribes in their tents

What do the individual words in Numbers 2:2 mean?

Everyone of by his own standard beside the emblems of house of his father shall camp the sons of Israel some distance from the tabernacle of meeting they shall camp
אִ֣ישׁ עַל־ דִּגְל֤וֹ בְאֹתֹת֙ לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֔ם יַחֲנ֖וּ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל מִנֶּ֕גֶד סָבִ֥יב לְאֹֽהֶל־ מוֹעֵ֖ד יַחֲנֽוּ

אִ֣ישׁ  Everyone 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
עַל־  of  by 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
דִּגְל֤וֹ  his  own  standard 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: דֶּגֶל  
Sense: banner, standard.
בְאֹתֹת֙  beside  the  emblems 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, common plural
Root: אֹות  
Sense: sign, signal.
לְבֵ֣ית  of  house 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
אֲבֹתָ֔ם  of  his  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
יַחֲנ֖וּ  shall  camp 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: חָנָה  
Sense: to decline, incline, encamp, bend down, lay siege against.
בְּנֵ֣י  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
מִנֶּ֕גֶד  some  distance 
Parse: Preposition-m
Root: נֶגֶד  
Sense: what is conspicuous, what is in front of adv.
לְאֹֽהֶל־  the  tabernacle 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אֹהֶל  
Sense: tent.
מוֹעֵ֖ד  of  meeting 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹועֵד  
Sense: appointed place, appointed time, meeting.
יַחֲנֽוּ  they  shall  camp 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: חָנָה  
Sense: to decline, incline, encamp, bend down, lay siege against.