Behind | Organization of the Camp

In Numbers 2 the Israelite camp is described as being arranged in the shape of a square. Roy Gane notes that this arrangement isn’t unique to Israel. The arrangement is identical to the war camp of the Egyptian Pharaoh Rameses II, with one key difference. The tent of the god-king Rameses stood at the center of the Egyptian camp, the position held by YHWH’s tent in Israel’s camp. 

Interestingly, the general order of the camp is maintained even when the Israelites travel between campsites. They travel in a marching column that is also carefully ordered. 

Gane notes a number of practical advantages to the consistency in the two arrangements: 1) The Ark is protected from attack, as it would be in the central section of the camp, 2) Encamping or decamping from travel would be as efficient as possible, as the general arrangements never change, and 3) The stress of traveling with so many people would be minimized, as would the chances of conflict or “road rage.” 

Source: Roy E. Gane, The NIV Application Commentary: Leviticus, Numbers, 2004, p. 502.