Bible Strands
Numbers 10:16
and Eliab son of Helon was over the division of the tribe of Zebulun.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrator records the marching order of Israel’s twelve tribal divisions as the camp prepares to depart from Sinai. Each tribe’s appointed leader is assigned command over his respective military unit.
The words — The Hebrew term צְבָא (tzeva) denotes a military host or organized army, while מַטֶּה (matteh) literally means a staff or tribe, indicating the organized lineage. The text explicitly places Eliab son of Helon in command over this specific tribal division.
The thread — This appointment echoes the tribal census in Numbers 1:9 and the dedication offerings in Numbers 7:24, where Eliab son of Helon is consistently identified as the leader of Zebulun.
Why it lands — The verse requires a reader to recognize that Israel’s movement is structured by divine appointment rather than human initiative. It establishes that leadership within the community is assigned to specific families for the execution of the camp’s journey.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And over the host of the tribe of the children of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon.
Cross-references
- Numbers 1:9 from Zebulun, Eliab son of Helon;
- Numbers 7:24 On the third day Eliab son of Helon, the leader of the Zebulunites, drew near.