Numbers31
New Living Translation
1 Then the Lord said to Moses,
2 “On behalf of the people of Israel, take revenge on the Midianites for leading them into idolatry. After that, you will die and join your ancestors.”
3 So Moses said to the people, “Choose some men, and arm them to fight the Lord’s war of revenge against Midian.
4 From each tribe of Israel, send 1,000 men into battle.”
5 So they chose 1,000 men from each tribe of Israel, a total of 12,000 men armed for battle.
6 Then Moses sent them out, 1,000 men from each tribe, and Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest led them into battle. They carried along the holy objects of the sanctuary and the trumpets for sounding the charge.
7 They attacked Midian as the Lord had commanded Moses, and they killed all the men.
8 All five of the Midianite kings—Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba—died in the battle. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword.
9 Then the Israelite army captured the Midianite women and children and seized their cattle and flocks and all their wealth as plunder.
10 They burned all the towns and villages where the Midianites had lived.
11 After they had gathered the plunder and captives, both people and animals,
12 they brought them all to Moses and Eleazar the priest, and to the whole community of Israel, which was camped on the plains of Moab beside the Jordan River, across from Jericho.
13 Moses, Eleazar the priest, and all the leaders of the community went to meet them outside the camp.
14 But Moses was furious with all the generals and captains who had returned from the battle.
15 “Why have you let all the women live?” he demanded.
16 “These are the very ones who followed Balaam’s advice and caused the people of Israel to rebel against the Lord at Mount Peor. They are the ones who caused the plague to strike the Lord’s people.
17 So kill all the boys and all the women who have had intercourse with a man.
18 Only the young girls who are virgins may live; you may keep them for yourselves.
19 And all of you who have killed anyone or touched a dead body must stay outside the camp for seven days. You must purify yourselves and your captives on the third and seventh days.
20 Purify all your clothing, too, and everything made of leather, goat hair, or wood.”
21 Then Eleazar the priest said to the men who were in the battle, “The Lord has given Moses this legal requirement:
22 Anything made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, tin, or lead—
23 that is, all metals that do not burn—must be passed through fire in order to be made ceremonially pure. These metal objects must then be further purified with the water of purification. But everything that burns must be purified by the water alone.
24 On the seventh day you must wash your clothes and be purified. Then you may return to the camp.”
25 And the Lord said to Moses,
26 “You and Eleazar the priest and the family leaders of each tribe are to make a list of all the plunder taken in the battle, including the people and animals.
27 Then divide the plunder into two parts, and give half to the men who fought the battle and half to the rest of the people.
28 From the army’s portion, first give the Lord his share of the plunder—one of every 500 of the prisoners and of the cattle, donkeys, sheep, and goats.
29 Give this share of the army’s half to Eleazar the priest as an offering to the Lord.
30 From the half that belongs to the people of Israel, take one of every fifty of the prisoners and of the cattle, donkeys, sheep, goats, and other animals. Give this share to the Levites, who are in charge of maintaining the Lord’s Tabernacle.”
31 So Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the Lord commanded Moses.
32 The plunder remaining from everything the fighting men had taken totaled 675,000 sheep and goats,
33 72,000 cattle,
34 61,000 donkeys,
35 and 32,000 virgin girls.
36 Half of the plunder was given to the fighting men. It totaled 337,500 sheep and goats,
37 of which 675 were the Lord’s share;
38 36,000 cattle, of which 72 were the Lord’s share;
39 30,500 donkeys, of which 61 were the Lord’s share;
40 and 16,000 virgin girls, of whom 32 were the Lord’s share.
41 Moses gave all the Lord’s share to Eleazar the priest, just as the Lord had directed him.
42 Half of the plunder belonged to the people of Israel, and Moses separated it from the half belonging to the fighting men.
43 It totaled 337,500 sheep and goats,
44 36,000 cattle,
45 30,500 donkeys,
46 and 16,000 virgin girls.
47 From the half-share given to the people, Moses took one of every fifty prisoners and animals and gave them to the Levites, who maintained the Lord’s Tabernacle. All this was done as the Lord had commanded Moses.
48 Then all the generals and captains came to Moses
49 and said, “We, your servants, have accounted for all the men who went out to battle under our command; not one of us is missing!
50 So we are presenting the items of gold we captured as an offering to the Lord from our share of the plunder—armbands, bracelets, rings, earrings, and necklaces. This will purify our lives before the Lord and make us right with him.”
51 So Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from all the military commanders—all kinds of jewelry and crafted objects.
52 In all, the gold that the generals and captains presented as a gift to the Lord weighed about 420 pounds.
53 All the fighting men had taken some of the plunder for themselves.
54 So Moses and Eleazar the priest accepted the gifts from the generals and captains and brought the gold to the Tabernacle as a reminder to the Lord that the people of Israel belong to him.
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Numbers 31Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Numbers 31. The full AI study guide (summary, themes, context) has its own page.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: War with Midian. (1–6). Balaam slain. (7–12). Those slain who caused sin. (13–38). Purification of the Israelites. (39–24). Division of the spoil. (25–47). Offerings. (48–54).
vv1-6
All who, without commission from God, dare to execute private revenge, and who, from ambition, covetousness, or resentment, wage war and desolate kingdoms, must one day answer for it. But if God, instead of sending an earthquake, a pestilence, or a famine, be pleased to authorize and command any people to avenge his cause, such a commission surely is just and right. The Israelites could show such a commission, though no persons now can do so. Their wars were begun and carried on expressly by Divine direction, and they were enabled to conquer by miracles. Unless it can be proved that the wicked Canaanites did not deserve their doom, objectors only prove their dislike to God, and their love to his enemies. Man makes light of the evil of sin, but God abhors it. This explains the terrible executions of the nations which had filled the measure of their sins.
vv7-12
The Israelites slew the Kings of Midian. They slew Balaam. God's overruling providence brought him thither, and their just vengeance found him. Had he himself rightly believed what he had said of the happy state of Israel, he would not have thus herded with the enemies of Israel. The Midianites' wicked wiles were Balaam's projects: it was just that he should perish with them, Ho 4:5. They took the women and children captives. They burnt their cities and castles, and returned to the camp.
vv13-18
The sword of war should spare women and children; but the sword of justice should know no distinction, but that of guilty or not guilty. This war was the execution of a righteous sentence upon a guilty nation, in which the women were the worst criminals. The female children were spared, who, being brought up among the Israelites, would not tempt them to idolatry. The whole history shows the hatefulness of sin, and the guilt of tempting others; it teaches us to avoid all occasions of evil, and to give no quarter to inward lusts. The women and children were not kept for sinful purposes, but for slaves, a custom every where practised in former times, as to captives. In the course of providence, when famine and plagues visit a nation for sin, children suffer in the common calamity. In this case parents are punished in their children; and for children dying before actual sin, full provision is made as to their eternal happiness, by the mercy of God in Christ.
Key Words
דָבַר: perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue
מֹשֶׁה: Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
יִשְׂרָאֵל: Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
מִדְיָנִי: a Midjanite or descendant (native) of Midjan
אַחַר: properly, the hind part; generally used as an adverb or conjunction, after (in various senses)
אָסַף: to gather for any purpose; hence, to receive, take away, i.e. remove (destroy, leave behind, put up, restore, etc.)
עַם: a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock
חָלַץ: to pull off; hence (intensively) to strip, (reflex.) to depart; by implication, to deliver, equip (for fight); present, strengthen
Cross References
Numbers 31Direct command to vex the Midianites for their deceit in the matter of Peor.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
The explicit historical trigger where Midianite women seduced Israel to trespass at Baal-peor.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Ordinance requiring the sounding of trumpets by priests in times of war.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Confirms the death of the five Midianite kings and Balaam by the sword.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Phinehas, who previously executed judgment at Peor, is sent to lead the holy instruments.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
General law of warfare directing the slaying of males while taking spoil.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
New Testament exposure of Balaam's counsel to Balak to cast a stumblingblock.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
David's established statute echoing this division of spoil between combatants and non-combatants.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Shows Midian's survival and subsequent oppression of Israel, illustrating incomplete destruction.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Apostolic commentary on Balaam, who loved the wages of unrighteousness.
Supported by JFB
Prophetic call to remember what Balak consulted and what Balaam answered.
Supported by JFB
Laws of purification for touching a dead body on third and seventh days.
Supported by Matthew Henry, John Calvin
The prescription for ransom money to make atonement for souls.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Balaam's departure toward his place before his fatal return to Midian.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The standard ordinance allocating tithes and offerings to the Levites.
Supported by Matthew Henry