1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2 Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people.
3 And Moses spake unto the people, saying, Arm some of yourselves unto the war, and let them go against the Midianites, and avenge the LORD of Midian.
4 Of every tribe a thousand, throughout all the tribes of Israel, shall ye send to the war.
5 So there were delivered out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand of every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war.
6 And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand of every tribe, them and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the holy instruments, and the trumpets to blow in his hand.
7 And they warred against the Midianites, as the LORD commanded Moses; and they slew all the males.
8 And they slew the kings of Midian, beside the rest of them that were slain; namely, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword.
9 And the children of Israel took all the women of Midian captives, and their little ones, and took the spoil of all their cattle, and all their flocks, and all their goods.
10 And they burnt all their cities wherein they dwelt, and all their goodly castles, with fire.
11 And they took all the spoil, and all the prey, both of men and of beasts.
12 And they brought the captives, and the prey, and the spoil, unto Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and unto the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the camp at the plains of Moab, which are by Jordan near Jericho.
13 And Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and all the princes of the congregation, went forth to meet them without the camp.
14 And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host, with the captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, which came from the battle.
15 And Moses said unto them, Have ye saved all the women alive?
16 Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD.
17 Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him.
18 But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves.
19 And do ye abide without the camp seven days: whosoever hath killed any person, and whosoever hath touched any slain, purify both yourselves and your captives on the third day, and on the seventh day.
20 And purify all your raiment, and all that is made of skins, and all work of goats' hair, and all things made of wood.
21 And Eleazar the priest said unto the men of war which went to the battle, This is the ordinance of the law which the LORD commanded Moses;
22 Only the gold, and the silver, the brass, the iron, the tin, and the lead,
23 Every thing that may abide the fire, ye shall make it go through the fire, and it shall be clean: nevertheless it shall be purified with the water of separation: and all that abideth not the fire ye shall make go through the water.
24 And ye shall wash your clothes on the seventh day, and ye shall be clean, and afterward ye shall come into the camp.
25 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
26 Take the sum of the prey that was taken, both of man and of beast, thou, and Eleazar the priest, and the chief fathers of the congregation:
27 And divide the prey into two parts; between them that took the war upon them, who went out to battle, and between all the congregation:
28 And levy a tribute unto the LORD of the men of war which went out to battle: one soul of five hundred, both of the persons, and of the beeves, and of the asses, and of the sheep:
29 Take it of their half, and give it unto Eleazar the priest, for an heave offering of the LORD.
30 And of the children of Israel's half, thou shalt take one portion of fifty, of the persons, of the beeves, of the asses, and of the flocks, of all manner of beasts, and give them unto the Levites, which keep the charge of the tabernacle of the LORD.
31 And Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the LORD commanded Moses.
32 And the booty, being the rest of the prey which the men of war had caught, was six hundred thousand and seventy thousand and five thousand sheep,
33 And threescore and twelve thousand beeves,
34 And threescore and one thousand asses,
35 And thirty and two thousand persons in all, of women that had not known man by lying with him.
36 And the half, which was the portion of them that went out to war, was in number three hundred thousand and seven and thirty thousand and five hundred sheep:
37 And the LORD's tribute of the sheep was six hundred and threescore and fifteen.
38 And the beeves were thirty and six thousand; of which the LORD's tribute was threescore and twelve.
39 And the asses were thirty thousand and five hundred; of which the LORD's tribute was threescore and one.
40 And the persons were sixteen thousand; of which the LORD's tribute was thirty and two persons.
41 And Moses gave the tribute, which was the LORD's heave offering, unto Eleazar the priest, as the LORD commanded Moses.
42 And of the children of Israel's half, which Moses divided from the men that warred,
43 (Now the half that pertained unto the congregation was three hundred thousand and thirty thousand and seven thousand and five hundred sheep,
44 And thirty and six thousand beeves,
45 And thirty thousand asses and five hundred,
46 And sixteen thousand persons;)
47 Even of the children of Israel's half, Moses took one portion of fifty, both of man and of beast, and gave them unto the Levites, which kept the charge of the tabernacle of the LORD; as the LORD commanded Moses.
48 And the officers which were over thousands of the host, the captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds, came near unto Moses:
49 And they said unto Moses, Thy servants have taken the sum of the men of war which are under our charge, and there lacketh not one man of us.
50 We have therefore brought an oblation for the LORD, what every man hath gotten, of jewels of gold, chains, and bracelets, rings, earrings, and tablets, to make an atonement for our souls before the LORD.
51 And Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of them, even all wrought jewels.
52 And all the gold of the offering that they offered up to the LORD, of the captains of thousands, and of the captains of hundreds, was sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekels.
53 (For the men of war had taken spoil, every man for himself.)
54 And Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the tabernacle of the congregation, for a memorial for the children of Israel before the LORD.
1 And the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto Moses, H4872 saying, H559
2 Avenge H5358 H5360 the children H1121 of Israel H3478 of the Midianites: H4084 afterward H310 shalt thou be gathered H622 unto thy people. H5971
3 And Moses H4872 spake H1696 unto the people, H5971 saying, H559 Arm H2502 some H582 of yourselves unto the war, H6635 and let them go against the Midianites, H4080 and avenge H5414 H5360 the LORD H3068 of Midian. H4080
4 Of every tribe H4294 H4294 a thousand, H505 H505 throughout all the tribes H4294 of Israel, H3478 shall ye send H7971 to the war. H6635
5 So there were delivered H4560 out of the thousands H505 of Israel, H3478 a thousand H505 of every tribe, H4294 twelve H8147 H6240 thousand H505 armed H2502 for war. H6635
6 And Moses H4872 sent H7971 them to the war, H6635 a thousand H505 of every tribe, H4294 them and Phinehas H6372 the son H1121 of Eleazar H499 the priest, H3548 to the war, H6635 with the holy H6944 instruments, H3627 and the trumpets H2689 to blow H8643 in his hand. H3027
7 And they warred H6633 against the Midianites, H4080 as the LORD H3068 commanded H6680 Moses; H4872 and they slew H2026 all the males. H2145
8 And they slew H2026 the kings H4428 of Midian, H4080 beside H5921 the rest of them that were slain; H2491 namely, Evi, H189 and Rekem, H7552 and Zur, H6698 and Hur, H2354 and Reba, H7254 five H2568 kings H4428 of Midian: H4080 Balaam H1109 also the son H1121 of Beor H1160 they slew H2026 with the sword. H2719
9 And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 took all the women H802 of Midian H4080 captives, H7617 and their little ones, H2945 and took the spoil H962 of all their cattle, H929 and all their flocks, H4735 and all their goods. H2428
10 And they burnt H8313 all their cities H5892 wherein they dwelt, H4186 and all their goodly castles, H2918 with fire. H784
11 And they took H3947 all the spoil, H7998 and all the prey, H4455 both of men H120 and of beasts. H929
12 And they brought H935 the captives, H7628 and the prey, H4455 and the spoil, H7998 unto Moses, H4872 and Eleazar H499 the priest, H3548 and unto the congregation H5712 of the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 unto the camp H4264 at the plains H6160 of Moab, H4124 which are by Jordan H3383 near Jericho. H3405
13 And Moses, H4872 and Eleazar H499 the priest, H3548 and all the princes H5387 of the congregation, H5712 went forth H3318 to meet H7125 them without H2351 the camp. H4264
14 And Moses H4872 was wroth H7107 with the officers H6485 of the host, H2428 with the captains H8269 over thousands, H505 and captains H8269 over hundreds, H3967 which came H935 from H6635 the battle. H4421
15 And Moses H4872 said H559 unto them, Have ye saved H2421 all the women H5347 alive? H2421
16 Behold, these H2007 caused H1961 the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 through the counsel H1697 of Balaam, H1109 to commit H4560 trespass H4604 against the LORD H3068 in the matter H1697 of Peor, H6465 and there was a plague H4046 among the congregation H5712 of the LORD. H3068
17 Now therefore kill H2026 every male H2145 among the little ones, H2945 and kill H2026 every woman H802 that hath known H3045 man H376 by lying H4904 with him. H2145
18 But all the women H802 children, H2945 that have not known H3045 a man H2145 by lying H4904 with him, keep alive H2421 for yourselves.
19 And do ye abide H2583 without H2351 the camp H4264 seven H7651 days: H3117 whosoever hath killed H2026 any person, H5315 and whosoever hath touched H5060 any slain, H2491 purify H2398 both yourselves and your captives H7628 on the third H7992 day, H3117 and on the seventh H7637 day. H3117
20 And purify H2398 all your raiment, H899 and all that is made H3627 of skins, H5785 and all work H4639 of goats' H5795 hair, and all things made H3627 of wood. H6086
21 And Eleazar H499 the priest H3548 said H559 unto the men H582 of war H6635 which went H935 to the battle, H4421 This is the ordinance H2708 of the law H8451 which the LORD H3068 commanded H6680 Moses; H4872
22 Only the gold, H2091 and the silver, H3701 the brass, H5178 the iron, H1270 the tin, H913 and the lead, H5777
23 Every thing H1697 that may abide H935 the fire, H784 ye shall make it go through H5674 the fire, H784 and it shall be clean: H2891 nevertheless it shall be purified H2398 with the water H4325 of separation: H5079 and all that abideth H935 not the fire H784 ye shall make go through H5674 the water. H4325
24 And ye shall wash H3526 your clothes H899 on the seventh H7637 day, H3117 and ye shall be clean, H2891 and afterward H310 ye shall come H935 into the camp. H4264
25 And the LORD H3068 spake H559 unto Moses, H4872 saying, H559
26 Take H5375 the sum H7218 of the prey H4455 that was taken, H7628 both of man H120 and of beast, H929 thou, and Eleazar H499 the priest, H3548 and the chief H7218 fathers H1 of the congregation: H5712
27 And divide H2673 the prey H4455 into two parts; H2673 between them that took H8610 the war H4421 upon them, who went out H3318 to battle, H6635 and between all the congregation: H5712
28 And levy H7311 a tribute H4371 unto the LORD H3068 of the men H582 of war H4421 which went out H3318 to battle: H6635 one H259 soul H5315 of five H2568 hundred, H3967 both of the persons, H120 and of the beeves, H1241 and of the asses, H2543 and of the sheep: H6629
29 Take H3947 it of their half, H4276 and give H5414 it unto Eleazar H499 the priest, H3548 for an heave offering H8641 of the LORD. H3068
30 And of the children H1121 of Israel's H3478 half, H4276 thou shalt take H3947 one H259 portion H270 of fifty, H2572 of the persons, H120 of the beeves, H1241 of the asses, H2543 and of the flocks, H6629 of all manner of beasts, H929 and give H5414 them unto the Levites, H3881 which keep H8104 the charge H4931 of the tabernacle H4908 of the LORD. H3068
31 And Moses H4872 and Eleazar H499 the priest H3548 did H6213 as the LORD H3068 commanded H6680 Moses. H4872
32 And the booty, H4455 being the rest H3499 of the prey H957 which the men of H5971 war H6635 had caught, H962 was six H8337 hundred H3967 thousand H505 and seventy H7657 thousand H505 and five H2568 thousand H505 sheep, H6629
33 And threescore and twelve H7657 H8147 thousand H505 beeves, H1241
34 And threescore H8346 and one H259 thousand H505 asses, H2543
35 And thirty H7970 and two H8147 thousand H505 persons H5315 H120 in all, H3605 of women H802 that had not known H3045 man H2145 by lying H4904 with him.
36 And the half, H4275 which was the portion H2506 of them that went out H3318 to war, H6635 was in number H4557 three H7969 hundred H3967 thousand H505 and seven H7651 and thirty H7970 thousand H505 and five H2568 hundred H3967 sheep: H6629
37 And the LORD'S H3068 tribute H4371 of the sheep H6629 was six H8337 hundred H3967 and threescore and fifteen. H7657 H2568
38 And the beeves H1241 were thirty H7970 and six H8337 thousand; H505 of which the LORD'S H3068 tribute H4371 was threescore and twelve. H7657 H8147
39 And the asses H2543 were thirty H7970 thousand H505 and five H2568 hundred; H3967 of which the LORD'S H3068 tribute H4371 was threescore H8346 and one. H259
40 And the persons H120 H5315 were sixteen H8337 H6240 thousand; H505 of which the LORD'S H3068 tribute H4371 was thirty H7970 and two H8147 persons. H5315
41 And Moses H4872 gave H5414 the tribute, H4371 which was the LORD'S H3068 heave offering, H8641 unto Eleazar H499 the priest, H3548 as the LORD H3068 commanded H6680 Moses. H4872
42 And of the children H1121 of Israel's H3478 half, H4276 which Moses H4872 divided H2673 from the men H582 that warred, H6633
43 (Now the half H4275 that pertained unto the congregation H5712 was three H7969 hundred H3967 thousand H505 and thirty H7970 thousand H505 and seven H7651 thousand H505 and five H2568 hundred H3967 sheep, H4480 H6629
44 And thirty H7970 and six H8337 thousand H505 beeves, H1241
45 And thirty H7970 thousand H505 asses H2543 and five H2568 hundred, H3967
46 And sixteen H8337 H6240 thousand H505 persons;) H5315 H120
47 Even of the children H1121 of Israel's H3478 half, H4276 Moses H4872 took H3947 one H259 portion H270 of fifty, H2572 both of man H120 and of beast, H929 and gave H5414 them unto the Levites, H3881 which kept H8104 the charge H4931 of the tabernacle H4908 of the LORD; H3068 as the LORD H3068 commanded H6680 Moses. H4872
48 And the officers H6485 which were over thousands H505 of the host, H6635 the captains H8269 of thousands, H505 and captains H8269 of hundreds, H3967 came near H7126 unto Moses: H4872
49 And they said H559 unto Moses, H4872 Thy servants H5650 have taken H5375 the sum H7218 of the men H582 of war H4421 which are under our charge, H3027 and there lacketh H6485 not one man H376 of us.
50 We have therefore brought H7126 an oblation H7133 for the LORD, H3068 what every man H376 hath gotten, H4672 of jewels H3627 of gold, H2091 chains, H685 and bracelets, H6781 rings, H2885 earrings, H5694 and tablets, H3558 to make an atonement H3722 for our souls H5315 before H6440 the LORD. H3068
51 And Moses H4872 and Eleazar H499 the priest H3548 took H3947 the gold H2091 of them, even all wrought H4639 jewels. H3627
52 And all the gold H2091 of the offering H8641 that they offered up H7311 to the LORD, H3068 of the captains H8269 of thousands, H505 and of the captains H8269 of hundreds, H3967 was sixteen H8337 H6240 thousand H505 seven H7651 hundred H3967 and fifty H2572 shekels. H8255
53 (For the men H582 of war H6635 had taken spoil, H962 every man H376 for himself.)
54 And Moses H4872 and Eleazar H499 the priest H3548 took H3947 the gold H2091 of the captains H8269 of thousands H505 and of hundreds, H3967 and brought H935 it into the tabernacle H168 of the congregation, H4150 for a memorial H2146 for the children H1121 of Israel H3478 before H6440 the LORD. H3068
1 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
2 Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people.
3 And Moses spake unto the people, saying, Arm ye men from among you for the war, that they may go against Midian, to execute Jehovah's vengeance on Midian.
4 Of every tribe a thousand, throughout all the tribes of Israel, shall ye send to the war.
5 So there were delivered, out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand of every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war.
6 And Moses sent them, a thousand of every tribe, to the war, them and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the vessels of the sanctuary and the trumpets for the alarm in his hand.
7 And they warred against Midian, as Jehovah commanded Moses; and they slew every male.
8 And they slew the kings of Midian with the rest of their slain: Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword.
9 And the children of Israel took captive the women of Midian and their little ones; and all their cattle, and all their flocks, and all their goods, they took for a prey.
10 And all their cities in the places wherein they dwelt, and all their encampments, they burnt with fire.
11 And they took all the spoil, and all the prey, both of man and of beast.
12 And they brought the captives, and the prey, and the spoil, unto Moses, and unto Eleazar the priest, and unto the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the camp at the plains of Moab, which are by the Jordan at Jericho.
13 And Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and all the princes of the congregation, went forth to meet them without the camp.
14 And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host, the captains of thousands and the captains of hundreds, who came from the service of the war.
15 And Moses said unto them, Have ye saved all the women alive?
16 Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against Jehovah in the matter of Peor, and so the plague was among the congregation of Jehovah.
17 Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him.
18 But all the women-children, that have not known man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves.
19 And encamp ye without the camp seven days: whosoever hath killed any person, and whosoever hath touched any slain, purify yourselves on the third day and on the seventh day, ye and your captives.
20 And as to every garment, and all that is made of skin, and all work of goats' `hair', and all things made of wood, ye shall purify yourselves.
21 And Eleazar the priest said unto the men of war that went to the battle, This is the statute of the law which Jehovah hath commanded Moses:
22 howbeit the gold, and the silver, the brass, the iron, the tin, and the lead,
23 everything that may abide the fire, ye shall make to go through the fire, and it shall be clean; nevertheless it shall be purified with the water for impurity: and all that abideth not the fire ye shall make to go through the water.
24 And ye shall wash your clothes on the seventh day, and ye shall be clean; and afterward ye shall come into the camp.
25 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
26 Take the sum of the prey that was taken, both of man and of beast, thou, and Eleazar the priest, and the heads of the fathers' `houses' of the congregation;
27 and divide the prey into two parts: between the men skilled in war, that went out to battle, and all the congregation.
28 And levy a tribute unto Jehovah of the men of war that went out to battle: one soul of five hundred, `both' of the persons, and of the oxen, and of the asses, and of the flocks:
29 take it of their half, and give it unto Eleazar the priest, for Jehovah's heave-offering.
30 And of the children of Israel's half, thou shalt take one drawn out of every fifty, of the persons, of the oxen, of the asses, and of the flocks, `even' of all the cattle, and give them unto the Levites, that keep the charge of the tabernacle of Jehovah.
31 And Moses and Eleazar the priest did as Jehovah commanded Moses.
32 Now the prey, over and above the booty which the men of war took, was six hundred thousand and seventy thousand and five thousand sheep,
33 and threescore and twelve thousand oxen,
34 and threescore and one thousand asses,
35 and thirty and two thousand persons in all, of the women that had not known man by lying with him.
36 And the half, which was the portion of them that went out to war, was in number three hundred thousand and thirty thousand and seven thousand and five hundred sheep:
37 and Jehovah's tribute of the sheep was six hundred and threescore and fifteen.
38 And the oxen were thirty and six thousand; of which Jehovah's tribute was threescore and twelve.
39 And the asses were thirty thousand and five hundred; of which Jehovah's tribute was threescore and one.
40 And the persons were sixteen thousand; of whom Jehovah's tribute was thirty and two persons.
41 And Moses gave the tribute, which was Jehovah's heave-offering, unto Eleazar the priest, as Jehovah commanded Moses.
42 And of the children of Israel's half, which Moses divided off from the men that warred,
43 (now the congregation's half was three hundred thousand and thirty thousand, seven thousand and five hundred sheep,
44 and thirty and six thousand oxen,
45 and thirty thousand and five hundred asses,
46 and sixteen thousand persons),
47 even of the children of Israel's half, Moses took one drawn out of every fifty, both of man and of beast, and gave them unto the Levites, that kept the charge of the tabernacle of Jehovah; as Jehovah commanded Moses.
48 And the officers that were over the thousands of the host, the captains of thousands, and the captains of hundreds, came near unto Moses;
49 and they said unto Moses, Thy servants have taken the sum of the men of war that are under our charge, and there lacketh not one man of us.
50 And we have brought Jehovah's oblation, what every man hath gotten, of jewels of gold, ankle-chains, and bracelets, signet-rings, ear-rings, and armlets, to make atonement for our souls before Jehovah.
51 And Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of them, even all wrought jewels.
52 And all the gold of the heave-offering that they offered up to Jehovah, of the captains of thousands, and of the captains of hundreds, was sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekels.
53 (`For' the men of war had taken booty, every man for himself.)
54 And Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the tent of meeting, for a memorial for the children of Israel before Jehovah.
1 And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying,
2 `Execute the vengeance of the sons of Israel against the Midianites -- afterwards thou art gathered unto thy people.'
3 And Moses speaketh unto the people, saying, `Be ye armed some of you for the host, and they are against Midian, to put the vengeance of Jehovah on Midian;
4 a thousand for a tribe -- a thousand for a tribe, to all the tribes of Israel -- ye do send to the host.'
5 And there are given out of the thousands of Israel a thousand for a tribe, twelve thousand armed ones of the host;
6 and Moses sendeth them, a thousand for a tribe, to the host, them and Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest, to the host; and the holy vessels, and the trumpets of the shouting, in his hand.
7 And they war against Midian, as Jehovah hath commanded Moses, and slay every male;
8 and the kings of Midian they have slain, besides their pierced ones, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian; and Balaam son of Beor, they have slain with the sword.
9 And the sons of Israel take captive the women of Midian, and their infants; and all their cattle, and all their substance, and all their wealth they have plundered;
10 and all their cities, with their habitations, and all their towers, they have burnt with fire.
11 And they take all the spoil, and all the prey, among man and among beast;
12 and they bring in, unto Moses, and unto Eleazar the priest, and unto the company of the sons of Israel, the captives, and the prey, and the spoil, unto the camp, unto the plains of Moab, which `are' by Jordan, `near' Jericho.
13 And Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and all the princes of the company, go out to meet them, unto the outside of the camp,
14 and Moses is wroth against the inspectors of the force, chiefs of the thousands, and chiefs of the hundreds, who are coming in from the host of the battle.
15 And Moses saith unto them, `Have ye kept alive every female?
16 lo, they -- they have been to the sons of Israel, through the word of Balaam, to cause a trespass against Jehovah in the matter of Peor, and the plague is in the company of Jehovah.
17 `And now, slay ye every male among the infants, yea, every woman known of man by the lying of a male ye have slain;
18 and all the infants among the women, who have not known the lying of a male, ye have kept alive for yourselves.
19 `And ye, encamp ye at the outside of the camp seven days -- any who hath slain a person, and any who hath come against a pierced one, ye cleanse yourselves on the third day, and on the seventh day -- ye and your captives;
20 and every garment, and every skin vessel, and every work of goats' `hair', and every wooden vessel, ye yourselves cleanse.'
21 And Eleazar the priest saith unto the men of the host who go in to battle, `This `is' the statute of the law which Jehovah hath commanded Moses:
22 only, the gold, and the silver, the brass, the iron, the tin, and the lead,
23 every thing which may go into fire, ye cause to pass over through fire, and it hath been clean; only, with the water of separation it is cleansed, and all that may not go into fire, ye cause to pass over through water;
24 and ye have washed your garments on the seventh day, and have been clean, and afterwards ye come in unto the camp.'
25 And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying,
26 `Take up the sum of the prey of the captives, among man and among beast, thou, and Eleazar the priest, and the heads of the fathers of the company;
27 and thou hast halved the prey between those handling the battle who go out to the host and all the company;
28 and thou hast raised a tribute to Jehovah from the men of war, who go out to the host, one body out of five hundred, of man, and of the herd, and of the asses, and of the flock;
29 from their half ye do take, and thou hast given to Eleazar the priest -- the heave-offering of Jehovah.
30 `And from the sons of Israel's half thou dost take one possession out of fifty, of man, of the herd, of the asses, and of the flock, of all the cattle, and thou hast given them to the Levites keeping the charge of the tabernacle of Jehovah.'
31 And Moses doth -- Eleazar the priest also -- as Jehovah hath commanded Moses.
32 And the prey, the residue of the spoil which the people of the host have spoiled, is of the flock six hundred thousand, and seventy thousand, and five thousand;
33 and of the herd two and seventy thousand;
34 and of asses one and sixty thousand;
35 and of human beings -- of the women who have not known the lying of a male -- all the persons `are' two and thirty thousand.
36 And the half -- the portion of those who go out into the host -- the number of the flock is three hundred thousand, and thirty thousand, and seven thousand and five hundred.
37 And the tribute to Jehovah of the sheep is six hundred five and seventy;
38 and the herd `is' six and thirty thousand, and their tribute to Jehovah `is' two and seventy;
39 and the asses `are' thirty thousand and five hundred, and their tribute to Jehovah `is' one and sixty;
40 and the human beings `are' sixteen thousand, and their tribute to Jehovah `is' two and thirty persons.
41 And Moses giveth the tribute -- Jehovah's heave-offering -- to Eleazar the priest, as Jehovah hath commanded Moses.
42 And of the sons of Israel's half, which Moses halved from the men who war --
43 and the company's half is, of the flock three hundred thousand, and thirty thousand, seven thousand and five hundred;
44 and of the herd six and thirty thousand;
45 and of asses thirty thousand and five hundred;
46 and of human beings sixteen thousand --
47 Moses taketh from the sons of Israel's half the one possession from the fifty, of man and of beast, and giveth them to the Levites keeping the charge of the tabernacle of Jehovah, as Jehovah hath commanded Moses.
48 And the inspectors whom the thousands of the host hath, (heads of the thousands and heads of the hundreds), draw near unto Moses,
49 and they say unto Moses, `Thy servants have taken up the sum of the men of war who `are' with us, and not a man of us hath been missed;
50 and we bring near Jehovah's offering, each that which he hath found, vessels of gold -- chain, and bracelet, seal-ring, `ear'-ring, and bead -- to make atonement for ourselves before Jehovah.'
51 And Moses receiveth -- Eleazar the priest also -- the gold from them, every made vessel,
52 and all the gold of the heave-offering which they have lifted up to Jehovah is sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekels, from heads of the thousands, and from heads of the hundreds;
53 (the men of the host have spoiled each for himself);
54 and Moses taketh -- Eleazar the priest also -- the gold from the heads of the thousands and of the hundreds, and they bring it in unto the tent of meeting -- a memorial for the sons of Israel before Jehovah.
1 And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying,
2 Avenge the children of Israel upon the Midianites; afterwards shalt thou be gathered unto thy peoples.
3 And Moses spoke to the people, saying, Arm from amongst you men for military service, that they go against Midian to execute Jehovah's vengeance upon Midian.
4 Of every tribe a thousand, of all the tribes of Israel, shall ye send to the war.
5 And there were levied out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand by tribe, twelve thousand armed for war.
6 And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand by the tribe, them and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, and the holy instruments, even the alarm-trumpets in his hand.
7 And they warred against Midian, as Jehovah had commanded Moses, and slew all the males.
8 And they slew the kings of Midian, besides the others slain, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian; and Balaam the son of Beor they slew with the sword.
9 And the children of Israel took the women of Midian captives, and their little ones, and took for a spoil all their cattle and all their flocks and all their goods;
10 and all their cities in their settlements and all their encampments they burned with fire.
11 And they took all the booty, and all the prey, of man and of cattle;
12 and they brought to Moses and Eleazar the priest, and to the assembly of the children of Israel, the captives and the prey and the booty, to the camp in the plains of Moab, which are by the Jordan of Jericho.
13 And Moses and Eleazar the priest and all the princes of the assembly went forth to meet them outside the camp.
14 And Moses was wroth with the officers of the army, with the captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds, who came from the service of the war;
15 and Moses said to them, Have ye saved all the women alive?
16 Lo, these, through the counsel of Balaam, caused the children of Israel to commit sin against Jehovah in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague on the assembly of Jehovah.
17 And now slay every male among the little ones, and slay every woman that hath known man by lying with him,
18 but all the children among the women that have not known lying with a man, keep alive for yourselves.
19 And encamp outside the camp seven days; whoever hath killed a person, and whoever hath touched any slain; ye shall purify yourselves on the third day, and on the seventh day, you and your captives.
20 And every garment, and every vessel of skin, and all work of goat's hair, and every utensil of wood shall ye purify.
21 And Eleazar the priest said to the men of war that had gone to the battle, This is the statute of the law which Jehovah hath commanded Moses.
22 Only the gold, and the silver, the copper, the iron, the tin, and the lead,
23 everything that passeth through the fire, ye shall make it go through the fire, and it shall be clean; only it shall be purified with the water of separation; and everything that cannot pass through the fire ye shall make go through the water.
24 And ye shall wash your garments on the seventh day, and ye shall be clean; and afterwards ye may come into the camp.
25 And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying,
26 Take the sum of the prey that was taken, of man and of cattle, thou, and Eleazar the priest, and the chief fathers of the assembly;
27 and divide the prey into halves, between them that conducted the war, who went out to the battle, and the whole assembly.
28 And thou shalt levy a tribute for Jehovah of the men of war who went out to the army, one soul of five hundred of the persons, and of the oxen, and of the asses, and of the small cattle.
29 Of their half shall ye take it, and give it unto Eleazar the priest, for a heave-offering of Jehovah.
30 And of the children of Israel's half, thou shalt take one portion of fifty, of the persons, of the oxen, of the asses, and of the small cattle, of every [kind of] beasts, and thou shalt give them unto the Levites, who keep the charge of the tabernacle of Jehovah.
31 And Moses and Eleazar the priest did as Jehovah had commanded Moses.
32 And the prey, the rest of the spoil, which the men of war had taken, was six hundred and seventy-five thousand sheep,
33 and seventy-two thousand oxen,
34 and sixty-one thousand asses,
35 and of human persons, of the women that had not known lying with a man, all the persons were thirty-two thousand.
36 And the half, the portion of them that had gone out to the war, was in number three hundred and thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep,
37 and the tribute for Jehovah of the sheep was six hundred and seventy-five;
38 and the oxen were thirty-six thousand, and the tribute thereof for Jehovah, seventy-two;
39 and the asses were thirty thousand five hundred, and the tribute thereof for Jehovah, sixty-one;
40 and the human persons were sixteen thousand, of whom the tribute for Jehovah was thirty-two persons.
41 And Moses gave the tribute of Jehovah's heave-offering to Eleazar the priest, as Jehovah had commanded Moses.
42 And of the children of Israel's half, which Moses had divided, [taking it] from the men that served in the war,
43 (now the half belonging to the assembly was of the sheep, three hundred and thirty-seven thousand five hundred,
44 and thirty-six thousand oxen,
45 and thirty thousand five hundred asses,
46 and sixteen thousand human persons,)
47 ... of the children of Israel's half, Moses took one portion of fifty, of man and of cattle, and gave them to the Levites who kept the charge of the tabernacle of Jehovah; as Jehovah had commanded Moses.
48 And the officers who were over the thousands of the host, the captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds, came near to Moses,
49 and they said to Moses, Thy servants have taken the sum of the men of war who were under our hand, and there is not one man of us lacking.
50 So we present the offering of Jehovah, that which each one hath found, jewels of gold, chains, and bracelets, rings, earrings, and necklaces, to make atonement for our souls before Jehovah.
51 And Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of them, all manner of wrought jewels.
52 And all the gold of the heave-offering that they offered to Jehovah was sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekels, from the captains of thousands and the captains of hundreds.
53 (The men of war had taken spoil each one for himself.)
54 And Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the tent of meeting, as a memorial for the children of Israel before Jehovah.
1 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
2 Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward you shall be gathered to your people.
3 Moses spoke to the people, saying, Arm you men from among you for the war, that they may go against Midian, to execute Yahweh's vengeance on Midian.
4 Of every tribe one thousand, throughout all the tribes of Israel, shall you send to the war.
5 So there were delivered, out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand of every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war.
6 Moses sent them, one thousand of every tribe, to the war, them and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the vessels of the sanctuary and the trumpets for the alarm in his hand.
7 They warred against Midian, as Yahweh commanded Moses; and they killed every male.
8 They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of their slain: Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they killed with the sword.
9 The children of Israel took captive the women of Midian and their little ones; and all their cattle, and all their flocks, and all their goods, they took for a prey.
10 All their cities in the places in which they lived, and all their encampments, they burnt with fire.
11 They took all the spoil, and all the prey, both of man and of animal.
12 They brought the captives, and the prey, and the spoil, to Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and to the congregation of the children of Israel, to the camp at the plains of Moab, which are by the Jordan at Jericho.
13 Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and all the princes of the congregation, went forth to meet them outside of the camp.
14 Moses was angry with the officers of the host, the captains of thousands and the captains of hundreds, who came from the service of the war.
15 Moses said to them, Have you saved all the women alive?
16 Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against Yahweh in the matter of Peor, and so the plague was among the congregation of Yahweh.
17 Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known man by lying with him.
18 But all the girls, who have not known man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves.
19 Encamp you outside of the camp seven days: whoever has killed any person, and whoever has touched any slain, purify yourselves on the third day and on the seventh day, you and your captives.
20 As to every garment, and all that is made of skin, and all work of goats' [hair], and all things made of wood, you shall purify yourselves.
21 Eleazar the priest said to the men of war who went to the battle, This is the statute of the law which Yahweh has commanded Moses:
22 however the gold, and the silver, the brass, the iron, the tin, and the lead,
23 everything that may abide the fire, you shall make to go through the fire, and it shall be clean; nevertheless it shall be purified with the water for impurity: and all that doesn't withstand the fire you shall make to go through the water.
24 You shall wash your clothes on the seventh day, and you shall be clean; and afterward you shall come into the camp.
25 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
26 Take the sum of the prey that was taken, both of man and of animal, you, and Eleazar the priest, and the heads of the fathers' [houses] of the congregation;
27 and divide the prey into two parts: between the men skilled in war, who went out to battle, and all the congregation.
28 Levy a tribute to Yahweh of the men of war who went out to battle: one soul of five hundred, [both] of the persons, and of the oxen, and of the donkeys, and of the flocks:
29 take it of their half, and give it to Eleazar the priest, for Yahweh's heave-offering.
30 Of the children of Israel's half, you shall take one drawn out of every fifty, of the persons, of the oxen, of the donkeys, and of the flocks, [even] of all the cattle, and give them to the Levites, who keep the charge of the tent of Yahweh.
31 Moses and Eleazar the priest did as Yahweh commanded Moses.
32 Now the prey, over and above the booty which the men of war took, was six hundred seventy-five thousand sheep,
33 and seventy-two thousand oxen,
34 and seventy-one thousand donkeys,
35 and thirty-two thousand persons in all, of the women who had not known man by lying with him.
36 The half, which was the portion of those who went out to war, was in number three hundred thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep:
37 and Yahweh's tribute of the sheep was six hundred seventy-five.
38 The oxen were thirty-six thousand; of which Yahweh's tribute was seventy-two.
39 The donkeys were thirty thousand five hundred; of which Yahweh's tribute was sixty-one.
40 The persons were sixteen thousand; of whom Yahweh's tribute was thirty-two persons.
41 Moses gave the tribute, which was Yahweh's heave-offering, to Eleazar the priest, as Yahweh commanded Moses.
42 Of the children of Israel's half, which Moses divided off from the men who warred
43 (now the congregation's half was three hundred thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep,
44 and thirty-six thousand oxen,
45 and thirty thousand five hundred donkeys,
46 and sixteen thousand persons),
47 even of the children of Israel's half, Moses took one drawn out of every fifty, both of man and of animal, and gave them to the Levites, who kept the charge of the tent of Yahweh; as Yahweh commanded Moses.
48 The officers who were over the thousands of the host, the captains of thousands, and the captains of hundreds, came near to Moses;
49 and they said to Moses, Your servants have taken the sum of the men of war who are under our charge, and there lacks not one man of us.
50 We have brought Yahweh's offering, what every man has gotten, of jewels of gold, ankle-chains, and bracelets, signet-rings, ear-rings, and armlets, to make atonement for our souls before Yahweh.
51 Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of them, even all worked jewels.
52 All the gold of the heave-offering that they offered up to Yahweh, of the captains of thousands, and of the captains of hundreds, was sixteen thousand seven hundred fifty shekels.
53 ([For] the men of war had taken booty, every man for himself.)
54 Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the tent of meeting, for a memorial for the children of Israel before Yahweh.
1 Then the Lord said to Moses,
2 Give the Midianites punishment for the wrong they did to the children of Israel: and after that you will go to rest with your people.
3 So Moses said to the people, Let men from among you be armed for war to put into effect against Midian the Lord's punishment on them.
4 From every tribe of Israel send a thousand to the war.
5 So from the thousands of Israel a thousand were taken from every tribe, twelve thousand men armed for war.
6 And Moses sent them out to war, a thousand from every tribe, and with them Phinehas, the son of Eleazar the priest, taking in his hands the vessels of the holy place and the horns for sounding the note of war.
7 And they made war on Midian, as the Lord gave orders to Moses; and they put to death every male.
8 They put the kings of Midian to death with the rest, Evi and Reken and Zur and Hur and Reba, the five kings of Midian: and Balaam, the son of Beor, they put to death with the sword.
9 The women of Midian with their little ones the children of Israel took prisoner; and all their cattle and flocks and all their goods they took for themselves;
10 And after burning all their towns and all their tent-circles,
11 They went away with the goods they had taken, man and beast.
12 And the prisoners and the goods and everything they had taken, they took to Moses and Eleazar the priest and the people of Israel, to the tent-circle in the lowlands of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.
13 Then Moses and Eleazar the priest and the chiefs of the people went out to them before they had come into the tent-circle.
14 And Moses was angry with the chiefs of the army, the captains of thousands and the captains of hundreds who had come back from the war.
15 And Moses said to them, Why have you kept all the women safe?
16 It was these who, moved by Balaam, were the cause of Israel's sin against the Lord in the question of Peor, because of which disease came on the people of the Lord.
17 So now put every male child to death, and every woman who has had sex relations with a man.
18 But all the female children who have had no sex relations with men, you may keep for yourselves.
19 You yourselves will have to keep outside the tent-circle for seven days, anyone of you who has put any person to death or come near a dead body; and on the third day and on the seventh day make yourselves and your prisoners clean.
20 And every bit of clothing, and anything made of leather or goats' hair or wood, you are to make clean.
21 Then Eleazar the priest said to the men of war who had been to the fight, This is the rule of the law which the Lord has given to Moses:
22 But gold and silver and brass and iron and tin and lead,
23 And anything which may be heated, is to go through the fire and be made clean; but in addition it is to be put in the water of cleaning: and anything which may not go through the fire is to be put in the water.
24 And on the seventh day, after washing your clothing, you will be clean, and then you may come into the tent-circle.
25 And the Lord said to Moses,
26 Get an account of everything which was taken in the war, of man and of beast, you and Eleazar the priest and the heads of families of the people:
27 And let division be made of it into two parts, one for the men of war who went out to the fight, and one for all the people:
28 And from the men of war who went out let there be offered to the Lord one out of every five hundred, from the persons, and from the oxen and asses and sheep:
29 Take this from their part and give it to Eleazar the priest as an offering to be lifted up to the Lord.
30 And from the part given to the children of Israel, take one out of every fifty, from the persons, and from the oxen and asses and sheep, and give it to the Levites who have the care of the House of the Lord.
31 So Eleazar and Moses did as the Lord had given orders to Moses.
32 Now the beasts taken, in addition to what the fighting-men took for themselves, were six hundred and seventy-five thousand sheep,
33 And seventy-two thousand oxen,
34 And sixty-one thousand asses;
35 And thirty-two thousand persons, that is, women who had never had sex relations with a man.
36 And the half given as their part to the men who went to the war, was three hundred and thirty-seven thousand, five hundred sheep,
37 Of which the Lord's part was six hundred and seventy-five.
38 The number of oxen was thirty-six thousand, of which the Lord's part was seventy-two;
39 The number of asses was thirty thousand, five hundred, of which the Lord's part was sixty-one.
40 And the number of persons was sixteen thousand, of which the Lord's part was thirty-two persons.
41 And Moses gave the Lord's part, lifted up as an offering, to Eleazar the priest, as the Lord had given orders to Moses.
42 And from the half given to the children of Israel, which Moses had kept separate from that given to the fighting-men,
43 (Now the people's half was three hundred and thirty-seven thousand, five hundred sheep,
44 And thirty-six thousand oxen,
45 And thirty thousand, five hundred asses,
46 And sixteen thousand persons;)
47 Even from the children of Israel's half, Moses took one out of every fifty, men and beasts, and gave them to the Levites who had the care of the House of the Lord; as the Lord gave orders to Moses.
48 Then the men in authority over the thousands of the army, the captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, came to Moses,
49 And said to him, Your servants have taken note of the number of all the fighting-men under our orders, and every one is present;
50 And we have here an offering for the Lord from what every man took in the war, ornaments of gold, leg-chains and arm-rings, finger-rings, ear-rings, and neck-ornaments, to make our souls free from sin before the Lord.
51 So Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold from them, even all the worked ornaments.
52 And the gold which the captains of thousands and captains of hundreds gave, as an offering to be lifted up before the Lord, came to sixteen thousand, seven hundred and fifty shekels.
53 (For every man of the army had taken goods for himself in the war.)
54 Then Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold given by the captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, and took it into the Tent of meeting, to be a sign in memory of the children of Israel before the Lord.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » John Gill's Exposition of the Bible » Commentary on Numbers 31
Commentary on Numbers 31 John Gill's Exposition of the Bible
INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 31
This chapter contains an order to make war upon Midian, which was accordingly done, Numbers 31:1, but Moses was wroth, because they saved the women alive, who, through the counsel of Balaam, had been the cause of sin, and of the plague for it in Israel, and therefore orders them, and the male children, to be slain, Numbers 31:13, and then directs to the purification of the soldiers, their captives and spoil, Numbers 31:19, and by the command of God an account is taken of the prey, and a division of it made between the soldiers and the congregation, and out of each part a tribute is levied for the Lord, Numbers 31:25 and the sum of the whole booty is given, Numbers 31:32 and of the part which belonged to the soldiers, and of the tribute given to the Lord, Numbers 31:36 and of the part which belonged to the children of Israel, Numbers 31:42 and besides the above tribute to the Lord, the officers made a voluntary oblation out of their spoil, both by way of gratitude for sparing their lives, and to make atonement for their souls, Numbers 31:48.
And the Lord spake unto Moses,.... After the plague upon Israel for their fornication and idolatry, into which they were drawn by the daughters of Moab and Midian, and after the sum of the people was taken in the plains of Moab, and various laws given or repeated, and a little before the death of Moses:
saying; as follows.
Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites,.... For the injury they had done them, by sending their daughters among them, who enticed them to commit uncleanness with them, and then drew them into the worship of their idols, which brought the wrath of God upon them, and for which 24,000 persons were slain. Now, though the Moabites had a concern in this affair as well as the Midianites, yet they were spared; which some think was for the sake of Lot, from whom they descended; but why not the Midianites for the sake of Abraham, whose offspring they were by Keturah? Jarchi says, they were spared because of Ruth, who was to spring from them; and so she might, and yet vengeance be taken on great numbers of them: but the truer reason seems to be, either because the sin of the Moabites was not yet full, and they were reserved for a later punishment; or rather because they were not the principal actors in the above affair; but the Midianites, who seem to have advised Balak at first to send for Balaam to curse Israel, and who harboured that soothsayer after he had been dismissed by Balak, and to whom he gave his wicked counsel, and which they readily followed, and industriously pursued:
afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people; or die, see Numbers 27:13, it being some satisfaction to him to see the good land, as he did from Abarim, and the Israelites avenged on their enemies before his death.
And Moses spake unto the people, saying,.... In obedience to the divine command; this must be supposed to be spoken to the heads or princes of the tribes:
arm some of yourselves unto the war: not the whole body of the militia, 600,000 men and upwards, only some of them, and these choice and select men; and, according to the Jewish writers, good men, who, detesting the sins of lewdness and idolatry, would more strictly and severely avenge themselves on the Midianites for drawing their brethren into those sins, whereby they fell; and so Jarchi calls them righteous men:
and let them go against the Midianites, and avenge the Lord of Midian: what the Lord calls the vengeance of the Israelites, Moses calls the vengeance of the Lord, because they were the Lord's people, and his cause and theirs the same: and because the sins they were drawn into by the Midianites were not only against themselves, and to their prejudice, but against the Lord and to the dishonour of his name.
Of every tribe a thousand,.... So that the whole number of those that were armed were 12,000 as after given:
throughout all the tribes of Israel; this is observed, as Jarchi thinks, to comprehend the tribe of Levi, which in some cases was left out of the account:
shall ye send to the war; to fight with Midian.
So they were delivered out of the thousands of Israel,.... Several thousands very probably offered themselves voluntarily to go to the war, or however were summoned together on this account, and out of them the following number was delivered of picked and chosen men:
a thousand of every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war; which was but a small number to go against so considerable a nation and people; but this was done to show that the war was of the Lord, he would fight the battle, and give them victory, it being the same to him to do it with few as with many; and to encourage the people of Israel to believe the Lord would give them success against their many and powerful enemies in the land of Canaan, on the borders of which they now were.
And Moses sent them to the war,.... Being mustered and armed:
a thousand of every tribe, them and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest to the war; which looks as if Phinehas was the general of this army; for Moses went not to the war, and no mention is made of Joshua, nor might it be proper for him, he being the successor of Moses, who was quickly to die; but it seems rather that there was no one person that had the command of the whole, but every captain commanded his own company; since, when Moses met them, and was angry with them for sparing the women, he does not address anyone as the chief commander, but all the officers, Numbers 31:14, however, it was very proper and prudent to send Phinehas with them, both on account of his office as a priest, to encourage the people, and because of his extraordinary zeal against the Midianites for what they had done, as appears by his slaying a prince of Simeon and a Midianitish princess in their uncleanness:
and he went with the holy instruments, and the trumpets to blow in his hand; by "the holy instruments", Aben Ezra understands the ark with what appertained to it, which in later times used to be carried out when the Israelites went to war, Joshua 6:4, and Jarchi interprets them of the ark and plate of goldF26So the Rabbins in Abendana in Miclol Yophi in loc. which was upon the forehead of the high priest; but what had Phinehas to do with this, who was but a common priest? though the Targum of Jonathan paraphrases it,"with the Urim and Thummim of holiness, to inquire by them;'and it appears, that sometimes a son of an high priest was intrusted with the ephod, to which the breastplate was fastened, which had the Urim and Thummim on it, and made use thereof to inquire by, as in the times of David, 1 Samuel 23:6, but it is the opinion of some learned men, and they may be in the right, that these instruments are no other than the trumpets, and who suppose the "vau" is not copulative, but explanative, so Ben Gersom, and read the words thus, "with the holy instruments, even", or, "that is, the trumpets"F1וחצצרות "erantque tubae", Tigurine version; "id est tubae", Vatablus; "nempe tubae", Piscator; so Ainsworth. , the silver trumpets ordered to be made, Numbers 10:2 one of which was far the journey of the camps, and also to blow an alarm for war, and which was done by the priests; and so the Targum of Jonathan adds here,"to cause the camp of Israel to rest, and to cause it to go;'that is, to direct it when it should stop, and when it should move.
And they warred against the Midianites, as the Lord commanded Moses,.... Whether the Midianites came out against them with an army, and there was a pitched battle between them, is not certain; however the Israelites committed acts of hostility upon them, by entering their cities, plundering their houses, and slaying the inhabitants of them; the Targum of Jonathan is,"they warred against Midian, and surrounded it in the three corners of it, as the Lord commanded Moses;'for, as MaimonidesF2Hilchot Melacim, c. 6. sect. 7. observes from tradition,"when they besiege a city to take it, they do not surround it in the four corners of it, but in the three corners of it, and leave a place to flee out, that everyone that would might escape for his life, as it is said, "and they warred against Midian, as the Lord commanded Moses"; by report, or from tradition, it is learnt that so he commanded him;'that is, in such a manner to besiege a city; but for this there is only tradition, for it is not mentioned among the rules after directed to in such a case, Deuteronomy 20:10,
and they slew all the males; which fell into their hands; for, no doubt, there were multitudes that made their escape, since in later times we read of the Midianites, as a very powerful people, and very distressing to Israel, Judges 6:1 these, as Aben Ezra observes, they slew, were such as were grown up, for as for their little ones, them they spared and carried captive, Numbers 31:9.
And they slew the kings of Midian, beside the rest of them that were slain,.... Besides the males of the common people, they slew their kings, who were petty kings or princes, perhaps under the king of Moab, or had reassumed their titles and government after the death of Sihon the king of the Amorites, who, in his time, were called dukes of Sihon, Joshua 13:21, namely:
Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian; the Targum of Jonathan says of Zur, this is Balak, which is not probable; it is more likely, what Aben Ezra observes, that he was the father of Cosbi, whom Phinehas slew, Numbers 25:15.
Balaam also, the son of Beor, they slew with the sword; so that he died not a natural death, but a violent one, not such an one as he desired, the death of the righteous, but of bloody and deceitful men, who do not live out half their days; for if the Jewish writersF3Shalshalet Hakabala, fol. 7. 2. are to be credited, he was but thirty four years of age when he was slain, which is not quite half the age of man, that being seventy, Psalm 90:10, it appears by this that he was among the Midianites at the time of this war; either he stayed here till this time, when he went from Balak with an intention to go into his own country; or he had returned hither, being either sent for, by the princes of Midian, on this occasion; or, as some say, as Aben Ezra observes, that he came to Midian after he returned to his place, on hearing the plague that came upon Israel through his counsel, to receive the money of the elders of Midian for it; and so Chaskuni.
And the children of Israel took all the women of Midian captives,.... The word "all" is not in the original text, nor should it be supplied; for if all had been taken, and carried captive, and put to death, as those were afterwards, how could there have been such an increase of the Midianites as there was in some time after this? see Judges 6:1 but the meaning is, that as many as fell into their hands they took and carried captive:
and their little ones; both male and female:
and took the spoil of all their cattle, and all their flocks; their oxen and their sheep, and also their asses, as appears by the following account:
and all their goods: in their houses, their wealth and substance, gold, silver, &c.
And they burnt all their cities wherein they dwelt, &c.) So far as they went into the country, which, perhaps, might not be the whole land of Midian:
and all their goodly castles with fire; which were either the palaces of their princes and nobles, or such like great personages; or they were fortified places, for the security of their cities and country: the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan interpret them of their houses of worship, their temples, and their altars.
And they took all the spoil,.... In their cities and castles; and all the prey, both of men and of beasts; all sorts of cattle, oxen, sheep, and asses.
The women and children, who were the captives, and the beasts which were the prey, and the gold, silver, &c. which were the spoil:
unto Moses and Eleazar the priest, and unto the congregation of the children of Israel; that is, they were bringing the above persons things unto them, returning from the war with Midian:
unto the camp at the plains of Moab, which are by Jordan near Jericho: see Numbers 22:1, but they were stopped, and were not admitted into the camp until seven days after.
And Moses and Eleazar the priest, and all the princes of the congregation,.... Attended, no doubt, with a proper retinue:
went forth to meet them without the camp; partly to do honour to them, and to congratulate them on their victory, and partly to hinder them going into the camp directly, until they were purified; see Genesis 14:17.
And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host,.... The general officers who had the command of the army, for there does not appear to be anyone that was one general over the whole, otherwise the displeasure would have fallen upon him:
with the captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, which came from the battle; rather "with" should be left out, not being in the text; and these captains only explain who the officers were, and these were one hundred and thirty two, as Aben Ezra observes; twelve who were captains over thousands, and were more properly the general officers; and one hundred and twenty over so many hundreds, into which the whole were subdivided.
And Moses said unto them, have ye saved all the women alive? Which either had been reported to him, or he concluded, by seeing so many with them; and this question is put, not for information, but by way of reproof, and as chiding them for what they had done; for they might have received orders from him to put them to death, when he sent them out; and if so, there was the more reason to be angry with them; or he might conclude they would have done this of themselves, knowing what instruments of mischief these women had been to Israel.
Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam,.... Who advised the Midianites to send their women into the camp of Israel, and allure them to uncleanness, and so draw them into idolatry, which counsel they followed and it succeeded; for, by this means, they were brought
to commit trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor; by worshipping Baalpeor, the god of the Moabites and Midianites; whereby they transgressed the commandment of God, which forbid them having and worshipping any other gods besides him, and is a sin highly offensive to him, being greatly derogatory to his honour and glory:
and there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord; for that sin; and in that plague died 24,000 persons, Numbers 25:9.
Now therefore kill every male among the little ones,.... Which they had taken and brought captives, Numbers 31:9.
and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him; who might be such, at least many of them, who had lain with Israelitish men; and as the adulterers had been put to death, so now the adulteresses; or they were ordered to, be slain, even all of them, lest they should entice the children of Israel to uncleanness, and so to idolatry again: now these were known to be such, either by conjecture at their age, or rather, through the examination of matrons, unless it can be thought, as it is by some, that it was by divine revelation.
But all the women children,.... The females among the little ones:
that have not known a man by lying with him; which might be pretty clear, and easily concluded, from their age:
keep for yourselves; either to be handmaids to them, or to be married among them when grown up, and become proselytes, and initiated into their religion.
And do ye abide without the camp seven days..... Which was the time that anyone that touched a dead body remained unclean, Numbers 19:11,
whosoever hath killed any person; as most of them if not all must have done; all the males of Midian that fell into their hands being slain by them, that were men grown:
and whosoever hath touched any slain; as they must to strip them of their garments, and take their spoil from them:
purify both yourselves and your captives, on the third and on the seventh day; which were the days appointed for the purification of such that were polluted by touching dead bodies, Numbers 19:11 and their captives, which were the female little ones; (for as for the women, and males among the little ones, they were ordered to be slain;) though they were Heathens, yet inasmuch as they were to be for the service of the Israelites, and to be brought up in their religion, they were to be purified also; to which purpose is the note of Jarchi;"not that the Gentiles receive uncleanness and need sprinkling, but as ye are the children of the covenant, so your captives, when they come into the covenant, and are defiled, need sprinkling.'
And purify all your raiment,.... By washing them; and this may intend not so much their own wearing apparel, as the raiment they took off of the dead bodies of the Midianites, since the person that touched a dead body was not obliged to wash his clothes, but the clean person that sprinkled the water of purification on him, Numbers 19:19, some render the words, "purify yourselves"F4תתחטאו "purgatote vos", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; Vid. L'Empereur, Not. ad Kimchii οδοιπορια, p. 130. , "together with the raiment", &c. which seems to be the best version of them:
and all that is made of skins; of any sort of creatures, as the covering of tents, shoes, bottles, &c. see Leviticus 11:32.
and all work of goats' hair; such as the covering of tents was also made of: and this, according to Jarchi and other Jewish writersF5Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Celim, c. 2. sect. 1. includes vessels made of the horns, hoofs, and bones of these creatures: and all things made of wood; as beds, cups, dishes, &c. all which might be purified by washing; see Leviticus 15:12.
And Eleazar the priest said unto the men of war, which went to the battle,.... To all the soldiers, officers, and common men:
this is the ordinance of the law, which the Lord commanded Moses; concerning the purification of unclean persons and things, hereby confirming what Moses had said.
Only the gold, and the silver, the brass, the iron, the tin, and the lead. These are excepted, and, though unclean, are not to be purified by washing, but in another way, by fire, as follows; all these metals were well known in those early times, and were made use of for instruments and vessels of various sorts.
Every thing that may abide the fire, ye shall make it go through the fire,.... Either through the smoke of the fire, and so be purified by suffumigation; or be put into the fire itself, where though they might be melted as the above things, yet not consumed as raiment, and vessels of skins, goats' hair, and wood, would be:
and it shall be clean; accounted so:
nevertheless, it shall be purified with the water of separation; with the water mixed with the ashes of the red heifer burnt, and sprinkled on it; see Numbers 19:9.
and all that abideth not the fire; without being consumed, as whatsoever is of wood, &c.
ye shall make go through the water; dip them in it, and rinse them there with a quantity sufficient; which the Targum of Jonathan says is forty seahs of water.
And ye shall wash your clothes on the seventh day,.... As the leper did, Leviticus 14:9,
and ye shall be clean, and afterward ye shall come into the camp; into the camp of Israel, into the camp of the Levites, and into the camp of God, the tabernacle.
And the Lord spake unto Moses,.... After the purification of the soldiers, their captives, and spoil:
saying; as follows.
Take the sum of the prey that was taken, both of man and beast,.... The number of the females that were taken captive and spared, and of the cattle, the sheep, oxen, and asses:
thou, and Eleazar the priest, and the chief fathers of the congregation; who were all men of authority and character, and fit to be employed in such service, and of whose capacity and fidelity there could be no doubt.
And divide the prey into two parts,.... Into two equal parts, both the number of the people and of the cattle, when taken:
between them that took the war upon them, and went out to battle; the soldiers; and by this it appears that they went voluntarily and cheerfully:
and between all the congregation; so that the part of them that went to battle, and of those that stayed in the camp, were alike, and which in process of time became a statute and ordinance, 1 Samuel 30:24.
And levy a tribute unto the Lord of the men of war, which went out to battle,.... That is, out of the part of the prey which was divided to them:
one soul of five hundred, both "of the persons"; or one woman of five hundred, as the Targum of Jonathan:
and of the beeves, and of the asses, and of the sheep; that is, one out of five hundred, of each of them also.
And take it of their half,.... Of the half part of the prey divided to the soldiers:
and give it unto Eleazar the priest for an heave offering of the Lord; by way of thanksgiving for the success and victory, God had given them, by means of which so much booty had fallen into their hands.
And of the children of Israel's half, thou shall take one portion of fifty,.... Which was abundantly more than what was taken out of the part of the soldiers; and the reason of it is plain and easy to be discerned; the soldiers had taken much pains, and gone through much fatigue, as well as had hazarded their lives, and therefore less was to be taken from them; and besides the tribute levied out of their half was to be given to the priests, who were not so numerous as the Levites, among whom the part out of the half of the congregation was to be distributed:
of the persons; of the women, as the Targums of Jonathan, one of fifty out of them was to be given to the Levites to be their handmaids, or to be taken in marriage by them, or their sons, when fit for it:
of the beeves, of the asses, and of the sheep, of all manner of beasts; of oxen, asses, sheep, and goats, one out of fifty of each of these sorts were to be taken. Aben Ezra observes, no mention is made of camels, being but few, and no part taken:
and give them unto the Levites, which keep the charge of the tabernacle of the Lord; for these being employed in the service of the tabernacle, came in for their share of the tribute levied unto the Lord.
And Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the Lord commanded Moses. Took an account of the booty, divided it equally between the soldiers and the congregation of Israel, and levied a part out of each as a tribute for the Lord, which was given to the priests and Levites.
And the booty, being the rest of the prey which the men of war had caught,.... The remainder of it, besides what they had eaten in their return from the war, and during their seven days' stay without the camp: from hence to the end of Numbers 31:47 is only an account of the prey or booty taken, which in general were 675,000 sheep, 72,000 beeves or oxen, 61,000 asses, and 32,000 females who had never known man; the half out of these, which fell to the share of the soldiers, were 337,500 sheep, 36,000 beeves or oxen, 30,500 asses, and 16,000 females, out of which were given as an heave offering to the Lord six hundred and seventy five sheep, seventy two beeves or oxen, sixty one asses, and thirty two women: the half divided unto the children of Israel consisted of 337,500 sheep, 36,000 beeves or oxen, 30,500 asses, and 16,000 women, out of which one in fifty, both of women and cattle, were given to the Levites; what that amounted to is not expressed, but may be easily reckoned.
And the officers which were over thousands of the host,.... Over the twelve thousand, of which the host or army consisted: namely, the captains of thousands, and the captains of hundreds, came near unto Moses; of their own accord, without being sent, or required to do what they did.
And they said unto Moses,.... Gave the following relation to him, which is a very surprising one:
thy servants have taken the sum of the men of war which are under our charge; since the war with Midian was over, they had mustered the several companies under their command, such as had thousands, and those that had hundreds:
and there lacketh not one man of us; which is a most amazing and unheard of thing, that in waging war with a whole nation, slaying all their males, sacking and burning so many cities, plundering the inhabitants of their substance, taking and carrying off such a vast number of captives, yet not one should fall by the sword of the enemy, or by any disease or accident whatever, but all to a man should return to the camp of Israel again; this is not to be paralleled in any history.
We have therefore brought an oblation to the Lord,.... A freewill offering, out of the spoil, over and above the tribute levied out of the half that came unto them:
what every man hath gotten: or "found"F6מצא "invenit", Pagninus, Montanus. , in the houses, and upon the bodies of the slain, or of such that were taken captives:
of jewels of gold either such as were set in gold; or rather, as the words may be rendered:
vessels of goldF7כלי זהב "vas auri", Montanus; "vasa aurea", Vatablus. , as dishes, cups, spoons, and the like:
chains; which were wore about the neck, or upon the arm, as Aben Ezra:
and bracelets; for the hand, as the same writer, see Genesis 24:22,
rings; for the finger:
ear rings; for the ear, as we render it, the word signifies something round:
and tablets; which, according to the Targum of Jonathan, were ornaments that hung down between the breasts:
to make an atonement for our souls before the Lord; not only this offering was brought as a token of gratitude and thankfulness, for sparing of everyone of their lives, and giving them such success and victory, and so large a spoil of the enemy; but also to expiate any sins they had been guilty of in going out, and coming in, and particularly for sparing the women they should have put to death, for which Moses was wroth with them, Numbers 31:14.
And Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of them,.... For it seems the several things before mentioned were all of gold:
even all wrought jewels; or "vessels of work"F8כלי מעשה "vas operis", Montanus. or wrought vessels, or instruments, "chains, bracelets", &c. which were all of gold, and curiously wrought.
And all the gold of the offering that they offered up to the Lord,.... The whole amount, weight, and value of it put together:
even of the captains of thousands, and the captains of hundreds, and perhaps of every common soldier, who might contribute his part, though it is not mentioned, but included in the oblation of the officers:
was 16,750 shekels; which, according to the calculation of a very learned manF9Scheuchzer. Physica Sacr. vol. 2. p. 399. , were 7,780 ounces, four drachms, two scruples, and thirty five grains.
For the men of war had taken spoil, every man for himself. And which he kept for himself, and did not deliver in with the prey or booty, which was brought to Moses and Eleazar, the sum of which was taken by them; and this seems to confirm what has been hinted, that, as each soldier had taken spoil for himself, so everyone contributed his quota towards this freewill offering to the Lord.
And Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of the captains of thousands and of hundreds,.... Which they so freely and generously offered:
and brought it into the tabernacle of the congregation; and laid it up in some chamber there:
for a memorial for the children of Israel before the Lord: in remembrance of the signal victory these men obtained, and of the singular care of divine Providence in protecting them, that not one was lost in the expedition; and of their sense of gratitude and thankfulness for the favours granted them, and to put the children of Israel in mind for their imitation, when favoured with mercies from the Lord.