Numbers 10:21

"And the Kohathites set forward, bearing the sanctuary: and the others did set up the tabernacle against their coming. And the standard of the camp of the children of Ephraim set forward according to their hosts: and over his host was Elishama the son of Ammihud. And over the host of the tribe of the children of Manasseh was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. And over the host of the tribe of the children of Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gideoni.

And the standard of the camp of the children of Dan, which was rearward of all the camps, set forward according to their hosts: and over his host was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. And over the host of the tribe of the children of Asher was Pagiel the son of Ochran. And over the host of the tribe of the children of Naphtali was Ahira the son of Enan. Thus were the journeyings of the children of Israel according to their hosts; and they set forward."

Although these verses in the main part simply repeat the marching orders given in Numbers 2, there is a variation in that the ark of the covenant goes ahead instead of remaining in the center of the column of Levites as first commanded. Any one of four good reasons for this change might be correct:

(1) Cook thought that for this very first journey, the ark's proceeding in front was just another exception, as was the case also, "when the ark preceded the people into the bed of the Jordan River (Joshua 3:3,6)."[20]

(2) Smick pointed out that the instructions to go in advance might have applied merely to the men actually transporting the tabernacle and the furniture, and that the great number of the hosts of Levites, along with all the women and children, and persons not needed in the transport occupied the position assigned in Numbers 2. "It is likely that only the burden-bearers are meant in Numbers 10:17 and Numbers 10:21."[21]

(3) The explanation given by the Jews is that, "Although the ark traveled in the midst of the people, in a figurative sense it led them."[22]

(4) "The `ark went before them' in the Hebrew is literally `to their faces,' which also bears the translation, `in their sight'."[23]