During their journeys across the wilderness, the twelve tribes formed encampments at the different places where they halted (Exo 16:13; Num. 2:3). The diagram here given shows the position of the different tribes and the form of the encampment during the wanderings, according to Num. 1:53;2:2;3:29, 3: 35, 38;10:13.
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 (Josh. 11:5, Josh. 11: 7; Judg. 5:19, Judg. 5: 21;7:1; 1-Sam 29:1;30:9, 30: etc.).