1 YHVH said to Moses and Aaron,
2 "The people of Israel shall encamp each by his own standard, with the ensigns of their fathers' houses; they shall encamp facing the tent of meeting on every side.
Facing the tent of meeting symbolizes turning the mind inward. All of these faculties are meant to focus on the indwelling Spirit of Gods.
3 Those to encamp on the east side toward the sunrise shall be of the standard of the camp of Judah by their companies, the leader of the people of Judah being Nahshon the son of Amminadab,
Amminidab means people of liberality; people of willing generosity; my people is abundance; and signifies generous, broad minded spiritual thoughts. Nahshon means that foretells, seer or diviner; and signifies the reception of divine wisdom or knowledge into the mind. The mental acceptance of the need to connect with God (Judah) is manifested in the mind by Foreknowledge born of understanding how all things are connected to God.
4 his host as numbered being seventy-four thousand six hundred.
Acknowledging the need to connect with God through knowing that all things are part of God elevates passions and emotions within the soul, raising them to a higher level of consciousness and purity.
5 Those to encamp next to him shall be the tribe of Issachar, the leader of the people of Issachar being Nethanel the son of Zuar,
Zuar means reduced; lessened; made little; smallness; littleness; brought low. It signifies Humility. Nathanel means, God has given. It signifies the Imagination. Reducing the presence of the lower nature produces the recognition of the Divine within, through the imagination, which in turn gives the individual the zeal to continue the work to completion.
6 his host as numbered being fifty-four thousand four hundred.
This army symbolizes the ability to zealously work toward annihilating, through transmutation, the lower self to strengthen the manifestation of the Higher Self or God.
7 Then the tribe of Zebulun, the leader of the people of Zebulun being Eliab the son of Helon,
Helon means strong; firm; stable; perseverance. It signifies Strength of character, courage, and perseverance established in the consciousness through Order. Eliab means God is Father; strength of the Father. He signifies conscious recognition of God as the source of Strength. Believing firmly that all power comes from God gives the practitioner the ability to keep his\her thoughts in proper order. This proper order, in turn, strengthens the presence of God within the individual.
8 his host as numbered being fifty-seven thousand four hundred.
The army of Zebulun symbolizes the ability to organize the mind and keep the thoughts in proper order, as well as one’s life. Doing this strengthens the presence of the divine within one’s self and one’s life.
9 The whole number of the camp of Judah, by their companies, is a hundred and eighty-six thousand four hundred. They shall set out first on the march.
This number, being the total of all the tribes gathered in the East, symbolizes the amplification of Spirit\God within the psyche of the individual.
10 "On the south side shall be the standard of the camp of Reuben by their companies, the leader of the people of Reuben being Elizur the son of Shedeur,
Reuben means behold a son; it symbolizes faith in reason, and is associated with Aquarius. Its leader is Elizur, which means God is a rock or refuge. Shedeur means sender of light, and symbolizes the focusing of the mind. This means that focusing the mind on the strength of God and living in the consciousness of God strengthens the mind’s ability to remain strong and rationalize.
11 his host as numbered being forty-six thousand five hundred.
Through the process of Theosophical Reduction, the number of people from the tribe of Reuben reduces to 6. This means that the faculty of this tribe is what begins communication between Man and God. It denotes the progress of Man toward God. In the preparation for the war against the lower nature of self, it denotes the examination of your own beliefs.
12 And those to encamp next to him shall be the tribe of Simeon, the leader of the people of Simeon being Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai,
Simeon means hearing and obedient. It symbolizes one who listens and obeys and is associated with Gemini. Its leader is Shelumiel, which means God is wholeness. Zurishaddai means the Almighty is a rock. This means that the steadfast existence of living in the consciousness of God completes the person who does this. This complete person has full consciousness of God and is obedient to God. The intuition is one means of communication, as it has been purified of error at this point.
13 his host as numbered being fifty-nine thousand three hundred.
Through the process of Theosophical Reduction, the number of people from the tribe of Simeon reduces to 8. This means that the faculty represented by this tribe begins the process of resurrecting the heart; elevating the emotions and passions and the start of a new spiritual awakening. It symbolizes listening to the Inner Desires and the Intuition.
14 Then the tribe of Gad, the leader of the people of Gad being Eliasaph the son of Reuel,
Gad means abundance and good fortune. It symbolizes power and the material rewards which accompany it. It is associated with Aries. Its leader, Eliasaph, means God gathers and increases. Reuel means led of God or companion of God. This means that allowing yourself to be led by God and working with him in all you do causes greater physical manifestations of abundance and good fortune.
15 his host as numbered being forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty.
Through the process of Theosophical Reduction, the number of people from the tribe of Gad reduces to 2. It is the beginning of manifestation – Duality. It is Spirit becoming Matter, which always expresses itself through duality. It is the beginning of physical manifestation of the results of this path.
16 The whole number of the camp of Reuben, by their companies, is a hundred and fifty-one thousand four hundred and fifty. They shall set out second.
This number, being the total of the tribes gathered in the South, symbolizes the manifestation of union with God. Manifestations of this include a greater rationalizing ability, spiritual awakening, strengthened intuition, and physical abundance and good fortune.
17 "Then the tent of meeting shall set out, with the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camps; as they encamp, so shall they set out, each in position, standard by standard.
The energies of Love are what unites and harmonizes all the faculties (tribes) within the psyche.
18 "On the west side shall be the standard of the camp of Ephraim by their companies, the leader of the people of Ephraim being Elishama the son of Ammihud,
Ephraim means very fruitful; productive and symbolizes the will. It is associated with Sagittarius. Its leader is Elishama, which means God understands. Ammihud means people of excellence. This means that the Will is empowered by learning to understand God, which comes from living in spiritual purity.
19 his host as numbered being forty thousand five hundred.
Through the process of Theosophical Reduction, the number of people from the tribe of Ehraim reduces to 9. This means that through the conscious elevation of the intellect and heart, the Alchemical Marriage is able to take place. This marriage is the Key to the Kingdom of Heaven or Enlightenment.
20 And next to him shall be the tribe of Manasseh, the leader of the people of Manasseh being Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur,
Manasseh means who makes to forget and represents denial and forgetfulness. It is associated with Scorpio. But, its leader Gamaliel, means Guidance of God. Pedahzur means the rock of redemption. This means that the solid effort to redeem oneself through spiritual purification produces the spiritual guidance needed for this work, and removes error\sin from your consciousness.
21 his host as numbered being thirty-two thousand two hundred.
Through the process of Theosophical Reduction, the number of people from the tribe of Manasseh reduces to 7. This means that the process of letting go, of not “lusting for results” is necessary to attain perfection. Just do the work and record it, but do not lust for immediate results. If you do the work properly, results will come.
22 Then the tribe of Benjamin, the leader of the people of Benjamin being Abidan the son of Gideoni,
Benjamin means son of good fortune and symbolizes an active faith. It is associated with Cancer. Its leader is named Abidan, which means Father of judgment (righteous). Gideoni means destroyer of evil. This means that the desire to transmute the lower nature or “destroy the evil” produces the ability to properly judge each belief within and evaluate it, empowering active faith in your inner divine nature or God. This strengthens self-confidence.
23 his host as numbered being thirty-five thousand four hundred.
Through the process of Theosophical Reduction, the number of people from the tribe of Manasseh reduces to 12. This means that the Imagination is the ultimate key to spiritual perfection. This number can be further reduced to 3, which denotes the Holy Trinity, and the birth of the Divine Child within that is the result of the raising to spiritual perfection of the Heart and Intellect.
24 The whole number of the camp of Ephraim, by their companies, is a hundred and eight thousand one hundred. They shall set out third on the march.
The number, being the total number of the tribes gathered in the West, symbolize perfection\purification of the soul\subconscious. The number is 10, which symbolizes the ideal manifestation of God in the material world or Divine Law. This number also reduces to 1, which is Unity. Unity is the highest manifestation of God in the material world. It is the state of consciousness known as Transcendence. Releasing oneself from past mistakes and limiting beliefs cause the new form of consciousness that is called Transcendence. This is the process of purifying the soul.
25 "On the north side shall be the standard of the camp of Dan by their companies, the leader of the people of Dan being Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai,
Dan means rule of righteous judgment and symbolizes the earliest expression of judgment. It is associated with Virgo. Its leader, Ahiezer means Helpful brother, and symbolizes the spiritually purified intuition. Amminishaddai means people of the Almighty. This means that the spiritual empowerment of the intuition comes from the active connection with God, and is a faculty that enables one to judge all things righteously.
26 his host as numbered being sixty-two thousand seven hundred.
Through the process of Theosophical Reduction, the number of people from the tribe of Dan reduces to 6. This means that the ability to judge righteously comes from the communication between Man and God. That is, listening to the Intuition and spiritualized intellect.
27 And those to encamp next to him shall be the tribe of Asher, the leader of the people of Asher being Pagiel the son of Ochran,
Asher means prosperous, blessedness. It is symbolic of the rewards of uprightness. It is associated with Libra. Its leader, Pagiel, means Peace or visitation of God. Ochran means confused. This means that in times of confusion, you can rely on the inner guidance of God, which comes through your Intuition. This spiritual guidance is a type of reward for your keeping your mind in harmony with God.
28 his host as numbered being forty-one thousand five hundred.
Through the process of Theosophical Reduction, the number of people from the tribe of Asher reduces to 10. This means that the rewards of God have to do with manifestation in the physical world. Those who follow the laws of God live productive, peaceful, happy lives. Ten further reduces to 1, the number of Unity. This means that living in accord with the Laws of God enables one to live in constant unity with God, attaining all the spiritual and material rewards that naturally comes with that state of being.
29 Then the tribe of Naphtali, the leader of the people of Naphtali being Ahira the son of Enan,
Naphtali means my wrestling with Jah or YHVH. It symbolizes the struggle between the mortal and the divine. It is associated with Capricorn. Its leader, Ahira, means Brother, nourisher, or shepherd. Enan means having eyes. This means that the mental experience of seeing God both nourishes Life, and produces internal conflict as we struggle to come to terms with existing in God.
30 his host as numbered being fifty-three thousand four hundred.
Through the process of Theosophical Reduction, the number of people from the tribe of Naphtali reduces to 3. This is the symbol of the Holy Trinity. It is the birth of the Anointed One within. This comes from the struggle between Man and God. The Divine part always wins out eventually, and the new state of consciousness called Enlightenment is the result.
31 The whole number of the camp of Dan is a hundred and fifty-seven thousand six hundred. They shall set out last, standard by standard."
The tribes gathered in the north symbolize the faculties that result from mentally unifying oneself with God. The number of all these tribes reduces to 10, which further reduces to 1. This means that these faculties describe how God relates to and manifests within the physical world…as Mind.
32 These are the people of Israel as numbered by their fathers' houses; all in the camps who were numbered by their companies were six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty.
The number that the gathered tribes (minus the Levites) reduce to through Theosophical Reduces is 10, which further reduces to 1. This means that all the faculties symbolized by the tribes and all the energies symbolized by their leaders describe how God relates to and manifests within the physical world. These are spiritualization of the psyche, physical abundance and good fortune (and embodied pure mind), and complete unity with God. The faculty that enables all of this to be is Love.
33 But the Levites were not numbered among the people of Israel, as YHVH commanded Moses.
34 Thus did the people of Israel. According to all that YHVH commanded Moses, so they encamped by their standards, and so they set out, every one in his family, according to his fathers' house.
The tribes are organized first by their leaders and then four of them are placed in the four directions, which represent the four elements of which man is made, (Fire, Earth, Water, and Air.) Taken together, this means to "Know Thyself."