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Numbers Chapter
Thirty-one
New King James Version (NKJV)
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.
Numbers 31:1 And the Lord spoke to Moses
saying:
YLT
1And Jehovah speaketh unto
Moses
saying
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.
Numbers 31:2 2 “Take vengeance on the Midianites for the children of
Israel. Afterward you shall be gathered to your people.”
YLT
2`Execute the vengeance of
the sons of Israel against the Midianites -- afterwards thou art gathered unto
thy people.'
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.
Numbers 31:3 3 So Moses spoke to the people
saying
“Arm some of
yourselves for war
and let them go against the Midianites to take vengeance
for the Lord on Midian.
YLT
3And 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;
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.
Numbers 31:4 4 A thousand from each tribe of all the tribes of Israel
you shall send to the war.”
YLT
4a thousand for a tribe -- a
thousand for a tribe
to all the tribes of Israel -- ye do send to the host.'
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.
Numbers 31:5 5 So there were recruited from the divisions of Israel
one thousand from each tribe
twelve thousand armed for war.
YLT
5And there are given out of
the thousands of Israel a thousand for a tribe
twelve thousand armed ones of
the host;
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.
Numbers 31:6 6 Then Moses sent them to the war
one thousand from each
tribe; he sent them to the war with Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest
with the holy articles and the signal trumpets in his hand.
YLT
6and 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.
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.
Numbers 31:7 7 And they warred against the Midianites
just as the Lord commanded Moses
and they killed all the males.
YLT
7And they war against
Midian
as Jehovah hath commanded Moses
and slay every male;
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.
Numbers 31:8 8 They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of
those who were killed—Evi
Rekem
Zur
Hur
and Reba
the five kings of Midian.
Balaam the son of Beor they also killed with the sword.
YLT
8and 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.
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.
Numbers 31:9 9 And the children of Israel took the women of Midian
captive
with their little ones
and took as spoil all their cattle
all their
flocks
and all their goods.
YLT
9And 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;
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.
Numbers 31:10 10 They also burned with fire all the cities where they
dwelt
and all their forts.
YLT
10and all their cities
with
their habitations
and all their towers
they have burnt with fire.
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.
Numbers 31:11 11 And they took all the spoil and all the booty—of man
and beast.
YLT
11And they take all the
spoil
and all the prey
among man and among beast;
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.
Numbers 31:12 12 Then they brought the captives
the booty
and the
spoil to Moses
to Eleazar the priest
and to the congregation of the children
of Israel
to the camp in the plains of Moab by the Jordan
across from
Jericho.
YLT
12and 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.
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.
Numbers 31:13 13 And Moses
Eleazar the priest
and all the leaders of
the congregation
went to meet them outside the camp.
YLT
13And Moses
and Eleazar the
priest
and all the princes of the company
go out to meet them
unto the
outside of the camp
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.
Numbers 31:14 14 But Moses was angry with the officers of the army
with
the captains over thousands and captains over hundreds
who had come from the
battle.
YLT
14and 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.
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.
Numbers 31:15 15 And Moses said to them: “Have you kept all the women
alive?
YLT
15And Moses saith unto them
`Have ye kept alive every female?
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.
Numbers 31:16 16 Look
these women caused the children of
Israel
through the counsel of Balaam
to trespass against the Lord in the incident of Peor
and there was a plague among the
congregation of the Lord.
YLT
16lo
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.
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.
Numbers 31:17 17 Now therefore
kill every male among the little ones
and kill every woman who has known a man intimately.
YLT
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;
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.
Numbers 31:18 18 But keep alive for yourselves all the young girls who
have not known a man intimately.
YLT
18and all the infants among
the women
who have not known the lying of a male
ye have kept alive for
yourselves.
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.
Numbers 31:19 19 And as for you
remain outside the camp seven days;
whoever has killed any person
and whoever has touched any slain
purify
yourselves and your captives on the third day and on the seventh day.
YLT
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;
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.'
Numbers 31:20 20 Purify every garment
everything made of leather
everything woven of goats’ hair
and everything made of wood.”
YLT
20and every garment
and
every skin vessel
and every work of goats' [hair]
and every wooden vessel
ye
yourselves cleanse.'
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.
Numbers 31:21 21 Then Eleazar the priest said to the men of war who had
gone to the battle
“This is the ordinance of the law which the Lord commanded Moses:
YLT
21And 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:
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.
Numbers 31:22 22 Only the gold
the silver
the bronze
the iron
the
tin
and the lead
YLT
22only
the gold
and the
silver
the brass
the iron
the tin
and the lead
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.
Numbers 31:23 23 everything that can endure fire
you shall put through
the fire
and it shall be clean; and it shall be purified with the water of
purification. But all that cannot endure fire you shall put through water.
YLT
23every 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;
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.
Numbers 31:24 24 And
you shall wash your clothes on the seventh day and be clean
and afterward you
may come into the camp.”
YLT
24and ye have washed your
garments on the seventh day
and have been clean
and afterwards ye come in
unto the camp.'
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.
Numbers 31:25 25 Now the Lord spoke to
Moses
saying:
YLT
25And Jehovah speaketh unto
Moses
saying
And the Lord spake unto Moses
.... After the
purification of the soldiers
their captives
and spoil:
saying; as follows.
Numbers 31:26 26 “Count up the plunder that was taken—of man and
beast—you and Eleazar the priest and the chief fathers of the congregation;
YLT
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;
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.
Numbers 31:27 27 and divide the plunder into two parts
between those
who took part in the war
who went out to battle
and all the congregation.
YLT
27and thou hast halved the
prey between those handling the battle who go out to the host and all the
company;
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.
Numbers 31:28 28 And levy a tribute for the Lord on the men of war who went out to battle: one of every five hundred
of the persons
the cattle
the donkeys
and the sheep;
YLT
28and 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;
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.
Numbers 31:29 29 take it from their half
and give it to
Eleazar the priest as a heave offering to the Lord.
YLT
29from their half ye do take
and thou hast given to Eleazar the priest -- the heave-offering of Jehovah.
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.
Numbers 31:30 30 And from the children of Israel’s half you shall take
one of every fifty
drawn from the persons
the cattle
the donkeys
and the
sheep
from all the livestock
and give them to the Levites who keep charge of
the tabernacle of the Lord.”
YLT
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.'
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.
Numbers 31:31 31 So Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the Lord commanded Moses.
YLT
31And Moses doth -- Eleazar
the priest also -- as Jehovah hath commanded Moses.
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.
Numbers 31:32 32 The booty remaining from the plunder
which the men of
war had taken
was six hundred and seventy-five thousand sheep
YLT
32And 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;
Verses 32-47
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.
Numbers 31:33 33 seventy-two thousand cattle
YLT
33and of the herd two and
seventy thousand;
Numbers 31:34 34 sixty-one thousand donkeys
YLT
34and of asses one and sixty
thousand;
Numbers 31:35 35 and thirty-two thousand persons in all
of women who
had not known a man intimately.
YLT
35and of human beings -- of
the women who have not known the lying of a male -- all the persons [are] two
and thirty thousand.
Numbers 31:36 36 And the half
the portion for those who had gone out
to war
was in number three hundred and thirty-seven thousand five hundred
sheep;
YLT
36And 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.
Numbers 31:37 37 and the Lord’s tribute
of the sheep was six hundred and seventy-five.
YLT
37And the tribute to Jehovah
of the sheep is six hundred five and seventy;
Numbers 31:38 38 The cattle were thirty-six thousand
of which
the Lord’s tribute was seventy-two.
YLT
38and the herd [is] six and
thirty thousand
and their tribute to Jehovah [is] two and seventy;
Numbers 31:39 39 The donkeys were thirty thousand five hundred
of which the Lord’s tribute was sixty-one.
YLT
39and the asses [are] thirty
thousand and five hundred
and their tribute to Jehovah [is] one and sixty;
Numbers 31:40 40 The persons were sixteen thousand
of which the
Lord’s tribute was thirty-two persons.
YLT
40and the human beings [are]
sixteen thousand
and their tribute to Jehovah [is] two and thirty persons.
Numbers 31:41 41 So Moses gave the tribute which was the Lord’s heave offering to Eleazar the priest
as the Lord commanded Moses.
YLT
41And Moses giveth the
tribute -- Jehovah's heave-offering -- to Eleazar the priest
as Jehovah hath
commanded Moses.
Numbers 31:42 42 And from the children of Israel’s half
which Moses
separated from the men who fought—
YLT
42And of the sons of Israel's
half
which Moses halved from the men who war –
Numbers 31:43 43 now the half belonging to the congregation was three
hundred and thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep
YLT
43and the company's half is
of the flock three hundred thousand
and thirty thousand
seven thousand and five
hundred;
Numbers 31:44 44 thirty-six thousand cattle
YLT
44and of the herd six and
thirty thousand;
Numbers 31:45 45 thirty thousand five hundred donkeys
YLT
45and of asses thirty
thousand and five hundred;
Numbers 31:46 46 and sixteen thousand persons—
YLT
46and of human beings sixteen
thousand –
Numbers 31:47 47 and from the children of Israel’s half Moses took one
of every fifty
drawn from man and beast
and gave them to the Levites
who
kept charge of the tabernacle of the Lord
as the Lord commanded Moses.
YLT
47Moses 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.
Numbers 31:48 48 Then the officers who were over thousands of
the army
the captains of thousands and captains of hundreds
came near to
Moses;
YLT
48And the inspectors whom the
thousands of the host hath
(heads of the thousands and heads of the hundreds)
draw near unto Moses
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.
Numbers 31:49 49 and they said to Moses
“Your servants have taken a
count of the men of war who are under our command
and not a man of us
is missing.
YLT
49and 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;
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.
Numbers 31:50 50 Therefore we have brought an offering for the Lord
what every man found of ornaments of gold: armlets and bracelets
and signet rings and earrings and necklaces
to make atonement for ourselves
before the Lord.”
YLT
50and 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.'
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.
Numbers 31:51 51 So Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from
them
all the fashioned ornaments.
YLT
51And Moses receiveth --
Eleazar the priest also -- the gold from them
every made vessel
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.
Numbers 31:52 52 And all the gold of the offering that they offered to
the Lord
from the captains of thousands and captains of hundreds
was
sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekels.
YLT
52and 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;
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.
Numbers 31:53 53 (The men of war had taken spoil
every man for
himself.)
YLT
53(the men of the host have
spoiled each for himself);
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.
Numbers 31:54 54 And Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold
from the captains of thousands and of hundreds
and brought it into the
tabernacle of meeting as a memorial for the children of Israel before the Lord.
YLT
54and 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.
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.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》