(א) וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר יהוה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה וְאֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֖ן לֵאמֹֽר׃(ב) אִ֣ישׁ עַל־דִּגְל֤וֹ בְאֹתֹת֙ לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֔ם יַחֲנ֖וּ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל מִנֶּ֕גֶד סָבִ֥יב לְאֹֽהֶל־מוֹעֵ֖ד יַחֲנֽוּ׃(ג) וְהַחֹנִים֙ קֵ֣דְמָה מִזְרָ֔חָה דֶּ֛גֶל מַחֲנֵ֥ה יְהוּדָ֖ה לְצִבְאֹתָ֑ם וְנָשִׂיא֙ לִבְנֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה נַחְשׁ֖וֹן בֶּן־עַמִּינָדָֽב׃(ד) וּצְבָא֖וֹ וּפְקֻדֵיהֶ֑ם אַרְבָּעָ֧ה וְשִׁבְעִ֛ים אֶ֖לֶף וְשֵׁ֥שׁ מֵאֽוֹת׃(ה) וְהַחֹנִ֥ים עָלָ֖יו מַטֵּ֣ה יִשָּׂשכָ֑ר וְנָשִׂיא֙ לִבְנֵ֣י יִשָּׂשכָ֔ר נְתַנְאֵ֖ל בֶּן־צוּעָֽר׃(ו) וּצְבָא֖וֹ וּפְקֻדָ֑יו אַרְבָּעָ֧ה וַחֲמִשִּׁ֛ים אֶ֖לֶף וְאַרְבַּ֥ע מֵאֽוֹת׃ (ס)(ז) מַטֵּ֖ה זְבוּלֻ֑ן וְנָשִׂיא֙ לִבְנֵ֣י זְבוּלֻ֔ן אֱלִיאָ֖ב בֶּן־חֵלֹֽן׃(ח) וּצְבָא֖וֹ וּפְקֻדָ֑יו שִׁבְעָ֧ה וַחֲמִשִּׁ֛ים אֶ֖לֶף וְאַרְבַּ֥ע מֵאֽוֹת׃(ט) כָּֽל־הַפְּקֻדִ֞ים לְמַחֲנֵ֣ה יְהוּדָ֗ה מְאַ֨ת אֶ֜לֶף וּשְׁמֹנִ֥ים אֶ֛לֶף וְשֵֽׁשֶׁת־אֲלָפִ֥ים וְאַרְבַּע־מֵא֖וֹת לְצִבְאֹתָ֑ם רִאשֹׁנָ֖ה יִסָּֽעוּ׃ (ס)(י) דֶּ֣גֶל מַחֲנֵ֧ה רְאוּבֵ֛ן תֵּימָ֖נָה לְצִבְאֹתָ֑ם וְנָשִׂיא֙ לִבְנֵ֣י רְאוּבֵ֔ן אֱלִיצ֖וּר בֶּן־שְׁדֵיאֽוּר׃(יא) וּצְבָא֖וֹ וּפְקֻדָ֑יו שִׁשָּׁ֧ה וְאַרְבָּעִ֛ים אֶ֖לֶף וַחֲמֵ֥שׁ מֵאֽוֹת׃(יב) וְהַחוֹנִ֥ם עָלָ֖יו מַטֵּ֣ה שִׁמְע֑וֹן וְנָשִׂיא֙ לִבְנֵ֣י שִׁמְע֔וֹן שְׁלֻמִיאֵ֖ל בֶּן־צוּרִֽי־שַׁדָּֽי׃(יג) וּצְבָא֖וֹ וּפְקֻדֵיהֶ֑ם תִּשְׁעָ֧ה וַחֲמִשִּׁ֛ים אֶ֖לֶף וּשְׁלֹ֥שׁ מֵאֽוֹת׃(יד) וְמַטֵּ֖ה גָּ֑ד וְנָשִׂיא֙ לִבְנֵ֣י גָ֔ד אֶלְיָסָ֖ף בֶּן־רְעוּאֵֽל׃(טו) וּצְבָא֖וֹ וּפְקֻדֵיהֶ֑ם חֲמִשָּׁ֤ה וְאַרְבָּעִים֙ אֶ֔לֶף וְשֵׁ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת וַחֲמִשִּֽׁים׃(טז) כָּֽל־הַפְּקֻדִ֞ים לְמַחֲנֵ֣ה רְאוּבֵ֗ן מְאַ֨ת אֶ֜לֶף וְאֶחָ֨ד וַחֲמִשִּׁ֥ים אֶ֛לֶף וְאַרְבַּע־מֵא֥וֹת וַחֲמִשִּׁ֖ים לְצִבְאֹתָ֑ם וּשְׁנִיִּ֖ם יִסָּֽעוּ׃ (ס)(יז) וְנָסַ֧ע אֹֽהֶל־מוֹעֵ֛ד מַחֲנֵ֥ה הַלְוִיִּ֖ם בְּת֣וֹךְ הַֽמַּחֲנֹ֑ת כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר יַחֲנוּ֙ כֵּ֣ן יִסָּ֔עוּ אִ֥ישׁ עַל־יָד֖וֹ לְדִגְלֵיהֶֽם׃ (ס)
(1) The Eternal spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying:(2) The Israelites shall camp each with his standard, under the banners of their ancestral house; they shall camp around the Tent of Meeting at a distance.(3) Camped on the front, or east side: the standard of the division of Judah, troop by troop. Chieftain of the Judites: Nachshon son of Amminadav.(4) His troop, as enrolled: 74,600.(5) Camping next to it: The tribe of Issachar. Chieftain of the Issacharites: Netanel son of Tzuar.(6) His troop, as enrolled: 54,400.(7) The tribe of Zebulun. Chieftain of the Zebulunites: Eliav son of Chelon.(8) His troop, as enrolled: 57,400.(9) The total enrolled in the division of Judah: 186,400, for all troops. These shall march first.(10) On the south: the standard of the division of Reuben, troop by troop. Chieftain of the Reubenites: Elitzur son of Shedeur.(11) His troop, as enrolled: 46,500.(12) Camping next to it: The tribe of Simeon. Chieftain of the Simeonites: Shelumiel son of Tzurishaddai.(13) His troop, as enrolled: 59,300.(14) And the tribe of Gad. Chieftain of the Gadites: Eliasaph son of Reuel.(15) His troop, as enrolled: 45,650.(16) The total enrolled in the division of Reuben: 151,450, for all troops. These shall march second.(17) Then, midway between the divisions, the Tent of Meeting, the division of the Levites, shall move. As they camp, so they shall march, each in position, by their standards.
(ז) וּמֹשֶׁה֩ יִקַּ֨ח אֶת־הָאֹ֜הֶל וְנָֽטָה־ל֣וֹ ׀ מִח֣וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֗ה הַרְחֵק֙ מִן־הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה וְקָ֥רָא ל֖וֹ אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וְהָיָה֙ כָּל־מְבַקֵּ֣שׁ יהוה יֵצֵא֙ אֶל־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד אֲשֶׁ֖ר מִח֥וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶֽה׃(ח) וְהָיָ֗ה כְּצֵ֤את מֹשֶׁה֙ אֶל־הָאֹ֔הֶל יָק֙וּמוּ֙ כָּל־הָעָ֔ם וְנִ֨צְּב֔וּ אִ֖ישׁ פֶּ֣תַח אָהֳל֑וֹ וְהִבִּ֙יטוּ֙ אַחֲרֵ֣י מֹשֶׁ֔ה עַד־בֹּא֖וֹ הָאֹֽהֱלָה׃(ט) וְהָיָ֗ה כְּבֹ֤א מֹשֶׁה֙ הָאֹ֔הֱלָה יֵרֵד֙ עַמּ֣וּד הֶֽעָנָ֔ן וְעָמַ֖ד פֶּ֣תַח הָאֹ֑הֶל וְדִבֶּ֖ר עִם־מֹשֶֽׁה׃(י) וְרָאָ֤ה כָל־הָעָם֙ אֶת־עַמּ֣וּד הֶֽעָנָ֔ן עֹמֵ֖ד פֶּ֣תַח הָאֹ֑הֶל וְקָ֤ם כָּל־הָעָם֙ וְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוּ֔וּ אִ֖ישׁ פֶּ֥תַח אָהֳלֽוֹ׃(יא) וְדִבֶּ֨ר יהוה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה֙ פָּנִ֣ים אֶל־פָּנִ֔ים כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר יְדַבֵּ֥ר אִ֖ישׁ אֶל־רֵעֵ֑הוּ וְשָׁב֙ אֶל־הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה וּמְשָׁ֨רְת֜וֹ יְהוֹשֻׁ֤עַ בִּן־נוּן֙ נַ֔עַר לֹ֥א יָמִ֖ישׁ מִתּ֥וֹךְ הָאֹֽהֶל׃ (ס)
(7) Now Moses would take the Tent and pitch it outside the camp, at some distance from the camp. It was called the Tent of Meeting, and whoever sought the Eternal would go out to the Tent of Meeting that was outside the camp.(8) Whenever Moses went out to the Tent, all the people would rise and stand, each at the entrance of his tent, and gaze after Moses until he had entered the Tent.(9) And when Moses entered the Tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the Tent, while God spoke with Moses.(10) When all the people saw the pillar of cloud poised at the entrance of the Tent, all the people would rise and bow low, each at the entrance of his tent.(11) The Eternal would speak to Moses face to face, as one person speaks to another. And he would then return to the camp; but his attendant, Joshua son of Nun, a youth, would not stir out of the Tent.
(א)והיה. לְשׁוֹן הוֹוֶה:
(1) והיה — This expresses an action continually going on (“and it used to be”),
(ב)ושב אל המחנה. לְאַחַר שֶׁנִּדְבַּר עִמּוֹ הָיָה מֹשֶׁה שָׁב אֶל הַמַּחֲנֶה וּמְלַמֵּד לַזְּקֵנִים מַה שֶּׁלָּמַד; וְהַדָּבָר הַזֶּה נָהַג מֹשֶׁה מִיּוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים עַד שֶׁהוּקַם הַמִּשְׁכָּן, וְלֹא יוֹתֵר,...
(2) ושב אל המחנה . AND HE RETURNED INTO THE CAMP — After God had conversed with him, Moses used to return to the camp and teach the elders what he had learned. This Moses practised from the day of Atonement until the Tabernacle was set up, but no longer...
“ושמרו את משמרת אהל מועד לכל עבודת האהל” – אמר ר’ שמעון הא למדנו שהן שני אהלות אהל העבודות ואהל הדברות
Sifrei Zuta - Numbers 18:4
And discharge the duties of the Tent of Meeting, all the service of the Tent” – Rabbi Shimon said: “We learn from this (=the double reference to “tent” in the verse) that there were two tents, the tent of service and the tent of speaking .
The most compelling solution to the Ohel mo'ed problem comes from the Documentary Hypothesis: the Tent of Meeting Tabernacle typifies P, while Moses’ Tent of Meeting is from E. (J and D have no comparable structure.)
According to the Priestly texts, Yhwh wishes to dwell among the Israelites, which is why he commands them to build a home for him...
In the middle of it all, stands the Ohel Moed. The clans arranged themselves in orderly fashion so that all turned in to face the sacred place that assured them of God’s presence (2:2). Aaron and his offspring are bound by extensive rituals, and the Levites provide a ring of protection from contamination (1:48-54). Whatever danger or chaos might await them, here was a place where activity was highly regulated.

