במדבר, פרק ג׳, פסוק כ״ג

The arrangement of the Levite camps around the Tent of Meeting reflects a precise hierarchy, where each family's location indicates its specific role and level of importance. Following the completion of their census, a direct command from God dictates that the family of Gershon must position themselves directly behind the Tabernacle [העמק דבר]. This placement is on the western side, a direction naturally associated with the sea, as the Great Sea lies to the west of the land of Israel [אבן עזרא, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The sequence in which these camps are detailed reveals a deliberate structure based on honor. While the arrangement of the broader Israelite tribes began in the east, the description of the Levites opens with the west. This shift occurs because the eastern side was entirely reserved for the priests, namely Moses, Aaron, and his sons. Consequently, the layout begins with the western side, which stands directly opposite the east [רמב״ן, הטור הארוך]. The remaining directions were assigned by rank. The south, considered the most prestigious side after the east, was given to the family of Kohath, who held the highest honor of carrying the Ark of the Covenant. The west, the next in rank, was assigned to the Gershonites in recognition of Gershon being the firstborn. Their responsibility was to carry the curtains and the tent of the Tabernacle. Finally, the north, viewed as the least prestigious direction, was assigned to the family of Merari, who transported the heavy boards and sockets [רמב״ן, הטור הארוך].

These distinctions in status and duty also dictate the physical distance between the families and the Tabernacle. The Kohathites, who carried the sacred vessels on their own shoulders, camped in close proximity to the holy structure. In contrast, the Gershonites, who relied on wagons for their transport duties, were stationed at a greater distance [הטור הארוך]. Furthermore, a strong emphasis is placed on the Gershonites' physical location to highlight the significance of their position in the west, where they camped alongside the tribe of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel. This contrasts with the family of Merari in the north, who camped alongside the tribe of Dan, descended from the maidservants, a position where the prestige of the location itself was of lesser importance [הטור הארוך].