Worthy.Bible » STRONG » Numbers » Chapter 31 » Verse 41

Numbers 31:41 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

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

Cross Reference

Numbers 18:8 STRONG

And the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto Aaron, H175 Behold, I also have given H5414 thee the charge H4931 of mine heave offerings H8641 of all the hallowed things H6944 of the children H1121 of Israel; H3478 unto thee have I given H5414 them by reason of the anointing, H4888 and to thy sons, H1121 by an ordinance H2706 for ever. H5769

Numbers 18:19 STRONG

All the heave offerings H8641 of the holy things, H6944 which the children H1121 of Israel H3478 offer H7311 unto the LORD, H3068 have I given H5414 thee, and thy sons H1121 and thy daughters H1323 with thee, by a statute H2706 for ever: H5769 it is a covenant H1285 of salt H4417 for ever H5769 before H6440 the LORD H3068 unto thee and to thy seed H2233 with thee.

Numbers 5:9 STRONG

And every offering H8641 of all the holy things H6944 of the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 which they bring H7126 unto the priest, H3548 shall be his.

Numbers 31:29-31 STRONG

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 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 And Moses H4872 and Eleazar H499 the priest H3548 did H6213 as the LORD H3068 commanded H6680 Moses. H4872

Matthew 10:10 STRONG

Nor G3361 scrip G4082 for G1519 your journey, G3598 neither G3366 two G1417 coats, G5509 neither G3366 shoes, G5266 nor G3366 yet staves: G4464 for G1063 the workman G2040 is G2076 worthy G514 of his G846 meat. G5160

1 Corinthians 9:10-14 STRONG

Or G2228 saith he G3004 it altogether G3843 for G1223 our G2248 sakes? G1223 For G1223 our G2248 sakes, G1223 no doubt, G1063 this is written: G1125 that G3754 he that ploweth G722 should G3784 plow G722 in G1909 hope; G1680 and G2532 that he that thresheth G248 in hope G1680 should be partaker G3348 of G1909 his G846 hope. G1680 If G1487 we G2249 have sown G4687 unto you G5213 spiritual things, G4152 is it a great thing G3173 if G1487 we G2249 shall reap G2325 your G5216 carnal things? G4559 If G1487 others G243 be partakers G3348 of this power G1849 over you, G5216 are not G3756 we G2249 rather? G3123 Nevertheless G235 we have G5530 not G3756 used G5530 this G5026 power; G1849 but G235 suffer G4722 all things, G3956 lest G3363 we should G1325 G5100 hinder G1464 the gospel G2098 of Christ. G5547 Do ye G1492 not G3756 know G1492 that G3754 they which minister G2038 about holy things G2413 live G2068 of the things of G1537 the temple? G2411 and they which wait G4332 at the altar G2379 are partakers G4829 with the altar? G2379 Even G2532 so G3779 hath G1299 the Lord G2962 ordained G1299 that they which preach G2605 the gospel G2098 should live G2198 of G1537 the gospel. G2098

Galatians 6:6 STRONG

Let G1161 him that is taught G2727 in the word G3056 communicate G2841 unto him that teacheth G2727 in G1722 all G3956 good things. G18

1 Timothy 5:17 STRONG

Let G515 the elders G4245 that rule G4291 well G2573 be counted worthy G515 of double G1362 honour, G5092 especially G3122 they who labour G2872 in G1722 the word G3056 and G2532 doctrine. G1319

Hebrews 7:4-6 STRONG

Now G1161 consider G2334 how great G4080 this man G3778 was, unto whom G3739 even G2532 the patriarch G3966 Abraham G11 gave G1325 the tenth G1181 of G1537 the spoils. G205 And G2532 verily G3303 they that are of G1537 the sons G5207 of Levi, G3017 who G3588 receive G2983 the office of the priesthood, G2405 have G2192 a commandment G1785 to take tithes G586 of the people G2992 according to G2596 the law, G3551 that is, G5123 of their G846 brethren, G80 though G2539 they come G1831 out of G1537 the loins G3751 of Abraham: G11 But G1161 he whose descent is G1075 not G3361 counted G1075 from G1537 them G846 received tithes G1183 of Abraham, G11 and G2532 blessed G2127 him that had G2192 the promises. G1860

Hebrews 7:9-12 STRONG

And G2532 as G5613 I may so say, G2031 G2036 Levi G3017 also, G2532 who G3588 receiveth G2983 tithes, G1181 payed tithes G1183 in G1223 Abraham. G11 For G1063 he was G2258 yet G2089 in G1722 the loins G3751 of his father, G3962 when G3753 Melchisedec G3198 met G4876 him. G846 If G1487 G3303 therefore G3767 perfection G5050 were G2258 by G1223 the Levitical G3020 priesthood, G2420 (for G1063 under G1909 it G846 the people G2992 received the law,) G3549 what G5101 further G2089 need G5532 was there that another G2087 priest G2409 should rise G450 after G2596 the order G5010 of Melchisedec, G3198 and G2532 not G3756 be called G3004 after G2596 the order G5010 of Aaron? G2 For G1063 the priesthood G2420 being changed, G3346 there is made G1096 of G1537 necessity G318 a change G3331 also G2532 of the law. G3551

Commentary on Numbers 31 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible


CHAPTER 31

Nu 31:1-54. The Midianites Spoiled and Balaam Slain.

1, 2. the Lord spake unto Moses, Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites—a semi-nomad people, descended from Abraham and Keturah, occupying a tract of country east and southeast of Moab, which lay on the eastern coast of the Dead Sea. They seem to have been the principal instigators of the infamous scheme of seduction, planned to entrap the Israelites into the double crime of idolatry and licentiousness [Nu 25:1-3, 17, 18] by which, it was hoped, the Lord would withdraw from that people the benefit of His protection and favor. Moreover, the Midianites had rendered themselves particularly obnoxious by entering into a hostile league with the Amorites (Jos 13:21). The Moabites were at this time spared in consideration of Lot (De 2:9) and because the measure of their iniquities was not yet full. God spoke of avenging "the children of Israel" [Nu 31:2]; Moses spoke of avenging the Lord [Nu 31:3], as dishonor had been done to God and an injury inflicted on His people. The interests were identical. God and His people have the same cause, the same friends, and the same assailants. This, in fact, was a religious war, undertaken by the express command of God against idolaters, who had seduced the Israelites to practise their abominations.

3. Arm some of yourselves—This order was issued but a short time before the death of Moses. The announcement to him of that approaching event [Nu 31:2] seems to have accelerated, rather than retarded, his warlike preparations.

5. there were delivered—that is, drafted, chosen, an equal amount from each tribe, to prevent the outbreak of mutual jealousy or strife. Considering the numerical force of the enemy, this was a small quota to furnish. But the design was to exercise their faith and animate them to the approaching invasion of Canaan.

6. Moses sent … Eleazar the priest, to the war—Although it is not expressly mentioned, it is highly probable that Joshua was the general who conducted this war. The presence of the priest, who was always with the army (De 20:2), was necessary to preside over the Levites, who accompanied the expedition, and to inflame the courage of the combatants by his sacred services and counsels.

holy instruments—As neither the ark nor the Urim and Thummim were carried to the battlefield till a later period in the history of Israel, the "holy instruments" must mean the "trumpets" (Nu 10:9). And this view is agreeable to the text, by simply changing "and" into "even," as the Hebrew particle is frequently rendered.

7. they slew all the males—This was in accordance with a divine order in all such cases (De 20:13). But the destruction appears to have been only partial—limited to those who were in the neighborhood of the Hebrew camp and who had been accomplices in the villainous plot of Baal-peor (Nu 25:1-3), while a large portion of the Midianites were absent on their pastoral wanderings or had saved themselves by flight. (Compare Jud 6:1).

8. the kings of Midian—so called, because each was possessed of absolute power within his own city or district; called also dukes or princes of Sihon (Jos 13:21), having been probably subject to that Amorite ruler, as it is not uncommon in the East to find a number of governors or pachas tributary to one great king.

Zur—father of Cozbi (Nu 25:15).

Balaam also … they slew with the sword—This unprincipled man, on his dismissal from Balak, set out for his home in Mesopotamia (Nu 24:25). But, either diverging from his way to tamper with the Midianites, he remained among them without proceeding farther, to incite them against Israel and to watch the effects of his wicked counsel; or, learning in his own country that the Israelites had fallen into the snare which he had laid and which he doubted not would lead to their ruin, he had, under the impulse of insatiable greed, returned to demand his reward from the Midianites. He was an object of merited vengeance. In the immense slaughter of the Midianitish people—in the capture of their women, children, and property and in the destruction of all their places of refuge—the severity of a righteous God fell heavily on that base and corrupt race. But, more than all others, Balaam deserved and got the just reward of his deeds. His conduct had been atrociously sinful, considering the knowledge he possessed, and the revelations he had received, of the will of God. For any one in his circumstances to attempt defeating the prophecies he had himself been the organ of uttering, and plotting to deprive the chosen people of the divine favor and protection, was an act of desperate wickedness, which no language can adequately characterize.

13. Moses, and Eleazar the priest, … went forth to meet them without the camp—partly as a token of respect and congratulation on their victory, partly to see how they had executed the Lord's commands, and partly to prevent the defilement of the camp by the entrance of warriors stained with blood.

14-18. And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host—The displeasure of the great leader, though it appears the ebullition of a fierce and sanguinary temper, arose in reality from a pious and enlightened regard to the best interests of Israel. No order had been given for the slaughter of the women, and in ancient war they were commonly reserved for slaves. By their antecedent conduct, however, the Midianitish women had forfeited all claims to mild or merciful treatment; and the sacred character, the avowed object of the war (Nu 31:2, 3), made their slaughter necessary without any special order. But why "kill every male among the little ones"? It was designed to be a war of extermination, such as God Himself had ordered against the people of Canaan, whom the Midianites equalled in the enormity of their wickedness.

19-24. abide without the camp seven days: whosoever hath killed any person … purify both yourselves and your captives—Though the Israelites had taken the field in obedience to the command of God, they had become defiled by contact with the dead. A process of purification was to be undergone, as the law required (Le 15:13; Nu 19:9-12), and this purifying ceremony was extended to dress, houses, tents, to everything on which a dead body had lain, which had been touched by the blood-stained hands of the Israelitish warriors, or which had been the property of idolaters. This became a standing ordinance in all time coming (Le 6:28; 11:33; 15:12).

25-39. Take the sum of the prey that was taken—that is, of the captives and cattle, which, having been first lumped together according to ancient usage (Ex 15:9; Jud 5:30), were divided into two equal parts: the one to the people at large, who had sustained a common injury from the Midianites and who were all liable to serve: and the other portion to the combatants, who, having encountered the labors and perils of war, justly received the largest share. From both parts, however, a certain deduction was taken for the sanctuary, as a thank offering to God for preservation and for victory. The soldiers had greatly the advantage in the distribution; for a five-hundredth part only of their half went to the priest, while a fiftieth part of the congregation's half was given to the Levites.

32-47. the booty, being the rest of the prey which the men of war had caught—Some of the captives having been killed (Nu 31:17) and part of the cattle taken for the support of the army, the total amount of the booty remaining was in the following proportions:

Prey Total
Amount Half to
Soldiers Deducted
to God Half to
Congregation Deducted
to Levites Sheep 675,000 337,500 675 337,500 6,750 Beeves 72,000 36,000 72 36,000 720 Asses 61,000 30,500 61 30,500 610 Persons 32,000 16,000 32 16,000 320

48-54. officers … said … there lacketh not one man of us—A victory so signal, and the glory of which was untarnished by the loss of a single Israelitish soldier, was an astonishing miracle. So clearly betokening the direct interposition of Heaven, it might well awaken the liveliest feelings of grateful acknowledgment to God (Ps 44:2, 3). The oblation they brought for the Lord "was partly an atonement" or reparation for their error (Nu 31:14-16), for it could not possess any expiatory virtue, and partly a tribute of gratitude for the stupendous service rendered them. It consisted of the "spoil," which, being the acquisition of individual valor, was not divided like the "prey," or livestock, each soldier retaining it in lieu of pay; it was offered by the "captains" alone, whose pious feelings were evinced by the dedication of the spoil which fell to their share. There were jewels to the amount of 16,750 shekels, equal to £87,869 16s. 5d. sterling.