During their journeys across the wilderness, the twelve tribes formed encampments at the different places where they halted ( Exodus 16:13 ; Numbers 2:3 ). The diagram here given shows the position of the different tribes and the form of the encampment during the wanderings, according to Numbers 1:53 ; 2:2-31 ; Numbers 3:29 Numbers 3:35 Numbers 3:38 ; 10:13-28 .

The area of the camp would be in all about 3 square miles. After the Hebrews entered Palestine, the camps then spoken of were exclusively warlike ( Joshua 11:5 Joshua 11:7 ; Judges 5:19 Judges 5:21 ; 7:1 ; 1 Samuel 29:1 ; 30:9 , etc.).

These dictionary topics are from
M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition,
published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain, copy freely.