The Meaning of Numbers 2:3 Explained

Numbers 2:3

KJV: And on the east side toward the rising of the sun shall they of the standard of the camp of Judah pitch throughout their armies: and Nahshon the son of Amminadab shall be captain of the children of Judah.

YLT: And those encamping eastward towards the sun-rising, are of the standard of the camp of Judah, by their hosts; and the prince of the sons of Judah is Nahshon, son of Amminadab;

Darby: And for those encamping eastward toward the sun-rising there shall be the standard of the camp of Judah according to their hosts; and the prince of the sons of Judah shall be Nahshon the son of Amminadab;

ASV: And those that encamp on the east side toward the sunrising shall be they of the standard of the camp of Judah, according to their hosts: and the prince of the children of Judah shall be Nahshon the son of Amminadab.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And on the east side  toward the rising  of the sun shall they of the standard  of the camp  of Judah  pitch  throughout their armies:  and Nahshon  the son  of Amminadab  [shall be] captain  of the children  of Judah. 

What does Numbers 2:3 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Numbers 2

1  The order of the tribes in their tents

What do the individual words in Numbers 2:3 mean?

And those shall camp On the east side toward the rising of the sun of the standard of the forces with Judah according to their armies and the leader of the sons of Judah [shall be] Nahshon son of Amminadab
וְהַחֹנִים֙ קֵ֣דְמָה מִזְרָ֔חָה דֶּ֛גֶל מַחֲנֵ֥ה יְהוּדָ֖ה לְצִבְאֹתָ֑ם וְנָשִׂיא֙ לִבְנֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה נַחְשׁ֖וֹן בֶּן־ עַמִּינָדָֽב

וְהַחֹנִים֙  And  those  shall  camp 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: חָנָה  
Sense: to decline, incline, encamp, bend down, lay siege against.
קֵ֣דְמָה  On  the  east  side 
Parse: Adverb, third person feminine singular
Root: קֶדֶם 
Sense: east, antiquity, front, that which is before, aforetime.
מִזְרָ֔חָה  toward  the  rising  of  the  sun 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: מִזְרָח  
Sense: place of sunrise, east.
דֶּ֛גֶל  of  the  standard 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: דֶּגֶל  
Sense: banner, standard.
מַחֲנֵ֥ה  of  the  forces  with 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: מַחֲנֶה  
Sense: encampment, camp.
יְהוּדָ֖ה  Judah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.
לְצִבְאֹתָ֑ם  according  to  their  armies 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.
וְנָשִׂיא֙  and  the  leader 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נָשִׂיא 
Sense: one lifted up, chief, prince, captain, leader.
לִבְנֵ֣י  of  the  sons 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יְהוּדָ֔ה  of  Judah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.
נַחְשׁ֖וֹן  [shall  be]  Nahshon 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: נַחְשֹׁון  
Sense: son of Amminadab and prince of the Judah at the first numbering in the wilderness; 5th in descent from Judah in the genealogy of Christ.
בֶּן־  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
עַמִּינָדָֽב  of  Amminadab 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַמִּינָדָב  
Sense: son of Ram or Aram and father of Nahshon or Naasson and an ancestor of Jesus; father-in-law of Aaron.