Numbers 2:10

Numbers 2:10 says, On the south side shall be the standard of the camp of Reuben according to their armies: and the captain of the children of Reuben shall be Elizur the son of Shedeur.  This is a continuation of the placement of the people around the tabernacle, and they were to be on the south side.  Verse eleven adds, And his host, and those that were numbered thereof, were forty and six thousand and five hundred.  The name of their captain and the number in the tribe was also reported.  Verse twelve states, And those which pitch by him shall be the tribe of Simeon: and the captain of the children of Simeon shall be Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.  Then,we are given the names of the tribes near Rueben, beginning with Simeon.  Verse thitteen adds, And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were fifty and nine thousand and three hundred. Again, we are given the name of the captain and the number in the tribe of Simeon.  Verse fourteen says, Then the tribe of Gad: and the captain of the sons of Gad shall be Eliasaph the son of Reuel.  Verse fifteen adds, And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were forty and five thousand and six hundred and fifty.  The tribe of Gad, their captain and number were to camp next to Simeon.  Verse sixteen states, All that were numbered in the camp of Reuben were an hundred thousand and fifty and one thousand and four hundred and fifty, throughout their armies. And they shall set forth in the second rank.  Then, we are told of the total number in the camp of Rueben, which included the camps of Simeon and Gad.   They were separate camps, but united with Rueben first, and all of Israel overall.  We may ne physically separated as Christians today, by country even, but we are still a part of the family of God, and He expects us to work together for His glory.   Verse seventeen adds, Then the tabernacle of the congregation shall set forward with the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camp: as they encamp, so shall they set forward, every man in his place by their standards.  The camp of the Levites, the priestly family, was to be in the midst of the camp.  They were to be protected by the others, and we today should do all that we can to protect and support our fellow Christians, especially those who are called to preach God's word.