We are in Numbers chapter one with our word for today. חָנָה decline, encamp, lay siege, bend down. It is used 143 times in the Old Testament, 4 times in our chapter. Our word is used in the sense to military encamp, to set up a military camp in preparation for battle or near a city, so as to besiege it. Joshua 10:5, 31, 34 Then the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon, gathered their forces and went up with all their armies וַֽיַּחֲנוּ֙ and encamped against Gibeon and made war against it … Then Joshua and all Israel with him passed on from Libnah to Lachish וַיִּ֣חַן and laid siege to it and fought against it … Then Joshua and all Israel with him passed on from Lachish to Eglon. וַיַּחֲנ֣וּ And they laid siege to it and fought against it. Our word is also used in the sense to encamp, to set up a temporary dwelling and campsite. Exodus 15:27 Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and וַיַּחֲנוּ they encamped there by the water. This is how our word is used 4 times in our chapter. Numbers 1:50-53 But appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the testimony, and over all its furnishings, and over all that belongs to it. They are to carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings, and they shall take care of it and יַחֲנֽוּ shall camp around the tabernacle. When the tabernacle is to set out, the Levites shall take it down, and when the tabernacle וּבַחֲנֹת֙ is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up. And if any outsider comes near, he shall be put to death. The people of Israel וְחָנ֖וּshall pitch their tents by their companies, each man in his own camp and each man by his own standard. But the Levites יַחֲנ֤וּshall camp around the tabernacle of the testimony, so that there may be no wrath on the congregation of the people of Israel. And the Levites shall keep guard over the tabernacle of the testimony. The Levites camped around the tabernacle, which stood in the center of the camp, with Kohath on the south, Merari on the north, and Gershon on the west. Moses and Aaron camped on the east, at the gate of the tabernacle. In this way, the Levites protected the tabernacle from intruders and, being next to the tabernacle, would see when the cloud signaled that the camp was going to move. Because of their important ministry as assistants to the priests, the Levites were exempted from military duty. The tabernacle was the most important structure in the entire camp, and only the priests and Levites could attend to it. Therefore, they weren’t counted in the military census. Worship and warfare may seem unrelated, but in God’s economy, they go together. One of the major themes of the Book of Revelation is God’s warfare against evil on earth and His receiving worship in heaven. Unless the people of God are right with the Lord in their worship, they can’t face their enemies and defeat them in warfare. I’ll close with this great reminder. Psalm 149:5-6 Let the godly exult in glory; let them sing for joy on their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their throats and two-edged swords in their hands.
