In this video listen to Numbers 3 read by David Alley, followed by comments and prayer.

In Numbers 3 the tribe of Levi missing from the chapter 1 census is now counted, and they are placed in their position in the camp now.

Levi has three mini tribes, of Kohath, Gershom and Merari which are placed around the tabernacle as such:

Westward side (which is the back) Gershom

Southern side: Kohath

Northern side: Merari

Eastward side: Moses and his family, Aaron, his two remaining sons and their families.

What is interesting here is the comment in verse twenty three that the Gershonites shall camp behind the tabernacle, which is westward. This shows that for them the East is the most significant point in the compass, and is the top of their layout. Thinking back to the last chapter, this means that the Eas ...