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Texts -- Numbers 31:1-14 (NET)

Context
The Midianite War
31:1 The Lord spoke to Moses : 31:2 “Exact vengeance for the Israelites on the Midianites – after that you will be gathered to your people .” 31:3 So Moses spoke to the people : “Arm men from among you for the war , to attack the Midianites and to execute the Lord’s vengeance on Midian . 31:4 You must send to the battle a thousand men from every tribe throughout all the tribes of Israel .” 31:5 So a thousand from every tribe , twelve thousand armed for battle in all, were provided out of the thousands of Israel .
Campaign Against the Midianites
31:6 So Moses sent them to the war , one thousand from every tribe , with Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest , who was in charge of the holy articles and the signal trumpets . 31:7 They fought against the Midianites , as the Lord commanded Moses , and they killed every male . 31:8 They killed the kings of Midian in addition to those slain – Evi , Rekem , Zur , Hur , and Reba – five Midianite kings . They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword . 31:9 The Israelites took the women of Midian captives along with their little ones , and took all their herds , all their flocks , and all their goods as plunder . 31:10 They burned all their towns where they lived and all their encampments . 31:11 They took all the plunder and all the spoils , both people and animals . 31:12 They brought the captives and the spoils and the plunder to Moses , to Eleazar the priest , and to the Israelite community , to the camp on the plains of Moab , along the Jordan River across from Jericho . 31:13 Moses , Eleazar the priest , and all the leaders of the community went out to meet them outside the camp .
The Death of the Midianite Women
31:14 But Moses was furious with the officers of the army , the commanders over thousands and commanders over hundreds , who had come from service in the war .

Pericope

NET

Bible Dictionary

  • Wars of the Lord, The Book of the

    [ebd] (Num. 21:14, 15), some unknown book so called (comp. Gen. 14:14-16; Ex. 17:8-16; Num. 14:40-45; 21:1-3, 21-25, 33-35; 31. The wars here recorded might be thus designated).

  • War

    [nave] WAR Divine approval of, 2 Sam. 22:35. Civil, Judg. 12:1-6; 20; 2 Sam. 2:12-31; 3:1; 20; 1 Kin. 14:30; 16:21; Isa. 19:2; forbidden, 2 Chr. 11:4; averted, Josh. 22:11-34. Enemy harangued by general of opposing side, 2 Kin. 1...

  • TEXT OF THE OLD TESTAMENT

    [isbe] TEXT OF THE OLD TESTAMENT - || I. EARLIEST FORM OF WRITING IN ISRAEL 1. Invention of Alphabet 2. The Cuneiform 3. References to Writing in the Old Testament 4. Inscriptions after Settlement in Canaan 5. Orthography of the Pe...

  • Sanitation

    [nave] SANITATION. Carcasses Lev. 5:2; Lev. 10:4, 5; Lev. 11:24-28, 31-40; Lev. 22:4, 6; Num. 9:6, 10; Num. 19:11-16; Num. 31:19; Deut. 21:22, 23 Childbirth Lev. 12:3; Ezek. 16:4 Circumcision See: Circumcision. Contagion Le...

  • SLAVE; SLAVERY

    [isbe] SLAVE; SLAVERY - slav, slav'-er-i: 1. Acquiring of Slaves 2. Hebrews as War Captives 3. Freedom of Slaves 4. Rights of Slaves 5. Rights of Slave Masters 6. The New Testament Conception LITERATURE The origin of the term "slav...

  • REVENGE; REVENGER

    [isbe] REVENGE; REVENGER - re-venj', re-venj'-er: The same Hebrew and Greek words are used to express the idea of "to avenge" and "to revenge" (naqam, or derivative; ekdikeo, or derivative). In English these words are synonymous in...

  • Moses

    [isbe] MOSES - mo'-zez, mo'-ziz (mosheh; Egyptian mes, "drawn out," "born"; Septuagint Mouse(s)). The great Hebrew national hero, leader, author, law-giver and prophet. I. LIFE 1. Son of Levi 2. Foundling Prince 3. Friend of the Pe...
    [nave] MOSES A Levite and son of Amram, Ex. 2:1-4; 6:20; Acts 7:20; Heb. 11:23. Hidden in an ark, Ex. 2:3. Discovered and adopted by the daughter of Pharaoh, Ex. 2:5-10. Learned in all the wisdom of Egypt, Acts 7:22. His loyalt...

  • Midianites

    [nave] MIDIANITES Descendants of Midian, son of Abraham by Keturah, Gen. 25:1, 2, 4; 1 Chr. 1:32, 33. Called Ishmaelites, Gen. 37:25, 28; Judg. 8:24. Were merchantmen, Gen. 37:28. Buy Joseph and sell him to Potiphar, Gen. 37:28,...

  • Midianite

    [ebd] an Arabian tribe descended from Midian. They inhabited principally the desert north of the peninsula of Arabia. The peninsula of Sinai was the pasture-ground for their flocks. They were virtually the rulers of Arabia, being ...

  • Israel

    [nave] ISRAEL 1. A name given to Jacob, Gen. 32:24-32; 2 Kin. 17:34; Hos. 12:3, 4. 2. A name of the Christ in prophecy, Isa. 49:3. 3. A name given to the descendants of Jacob, a nation. Called also Israelites, and Hebrews, Gen. 4...

  • ELEAZAR

    [isbe] ELEAZAR - el-e-a'-zar, e-le-a'-zar ('el-`azar; Eleazar, "God is helper"): (1) The 3rd son of Aaron by Elisheba (Ex 6:23; Nu 3:2). He married one of the daughters of Putiel, who bore him Phinehas (Ex 6:25). With his father an...

  • Captive

    [nave] CAPTIVE Prisoner of war, Gen. 14:12; 1 Sam. 30:1, 2. Cruelty to: Putting to death, Num. 31:9-20; Deut. 20:13; 21:10; Josh. 8:29; 10:15-40; 11:11; Judg. 7:25; 8:21; 21:11; 1 Sam. 15:32, 33; 2 Sam. 8:2; 2 Kin. 8:12; Jer. 39:6...

  • BLOW

    [isbe] BLOW - blo (nashaph): Used with reference to the wind (Ex 15:10; Ps 78:26; 147:18; pneo, "to breathe," Lk 12:55; Jn 3:8; Rev 7:1); taqa`, with reference to trumpet sound (Nu 10:3-10; 31:6 the King James Version; Jdg 7:18,20;...

  • BISHOP

    [isbe] BISHOP - bish'-up: The word is evidently an abbreviation of the Greek episkopos; Latin, episcopus. GENERAL 1. Use in the Septuagint and Classic Greek: The Septuagint gives it the generic meaning of "superintendency, oversigh...

  • BEOR

    [ebd] a torch. (1.) The father of Bela, one of the kings of Edom (Gen. 36:32). (2.) The father of Balaam (Num. 22:5; 24:3, 15; 31:8). In 2 Pet. 2:15 he is called Bosor.
    [isbe] BEOR - be'-or (be`or, "destroyer"(?)): (1) Father of Bela, the first king of Edom (Gen 36:32; 1 Ch 1:43). (2) The father of the seer Balaam (Nu 22:5; 24:3,15; 31:8; Dt 23:4; Josh 13:22; 24:9, omitted in Septuagint; Mic 6:5; ...
    [smith] (burning or torch). The father of Bela, one of the early Edomite kings. (Genesis 36:32; 1 Chronicles 1:43) Father of Balaam. (Numbers 22:5; 24:3,15; 31:8; 23:4; Joshua 13:22; 24:9; Micah 6:5) He is called BOSOR in the New...

  • Armies

    [nave] ARMIES Who of the Israelites were subject to service in, Num. 1:2, 3; 26:2; 2 Chr. 25:5; who were exempt from service in, Num. 1:47-50; 2:33; Deut. 20:5-9; Judg. 7:3. Enumeration of Israel's military forces, Num. 1:2, 3; 26...

  • AVENGE; AVENGER

    [isbe] AVENGE; AVENGER - a-venj' a-venj'-er: Avenge.--The general idea connected with this word is that of inflicting punishment upon the wrongdoer. Since emphasis may be placed upon the deed itself, the wrongdoer, or the injured p...

  • ARMY

    [ebd] The Israelites marched out of Egypt in military order (Ex. 13:18, "harnessed;" marg., "five in a rank"). Each tribe formed a battalion, with its own banner and leader (Num. 2:2; 10:14). In war the army was divided into thous...
    [isbe] ARMY - ar'-mi (chayil, "army," tsabha', "host," ma`arakhah, "army in battle array" gedhudh, "troop"): 1. The First Campaign of History 2. In the Wilderness 3. The Times after the Conquest 4. In the Early Monarchy 5. From the...
    [smith] I. JEWISH ARMY.--Every man above 20 years of age was a soldier, (Numbers 1:3) each tribe formed a regiment, with its own banner and its own leader (Numbers 2:2; 10:14) their positions in the camp or on the march were accurate...

  • ARABIA

    [isbe] ARABIA - a-ra'-bi-a (`arabh, Arabia): I. NAME AND SITUATION 1. Name 2. Situation and Configuration II. PHYSICAL FEATURES 1. The Desert 2. Climate 3. Mountains 4. Rivers 5. Oases and Wells III. POLITICAL DIVISIONS 1. Ancient ...

  • ABEL-SHITTIM

    [ebd] meadow of the acacias, frequently called simply "Shittim" (Num. 25:1; Josh. 2:1; Micah 6:5), a place on the east of Jordan, in the plain of Moab, nearly opposite Jericho. It was the forty-second encampment of the Israelites,...
    [isbe] ABEL-SHITTIM - a'-bel-shit'-tim ('abhel ha-shiTTim, "the meadow of the Acacias"): The name appears only in Nu 33:49; but the name Shittim is used to denote the same locality (Nu 25:1; Josh 2:1; 3:1; Mic 6:5). The name always...

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The Way of Balaam

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Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • To formulate a statement that summarizes the teaching of this book it will be helpful to identify some of the major revelations in Numbers. These constitute the unique values of the book.The first major value of Numbers is th...
  • I. Experiences of the older generation in the wilderness chs. 1-25A. Preparations for entering the Promised Land from the south chs. 1-101. The first census and the organization of the people chs. 1-42. Commands and rituals t...
  • 22:1-20 Moab had not attacked Israel as the people of God had moved north along Moab's eastern border. In fact the Moabites sold the Israelites bread and water (Deut. 2:29). The Moabites probably counted on Sihon, who had for...
  • "Chapters 23 and 24 are two of the brightest chapters in the book of Numbers. Scores of wonderful things are said about Israel, mainly prophetical. The dark sins of the past were forgotten; only happy deliverance from Egypt w...
  • The writer now recorded the fulfillment of God's instructions to Moses that Israel should destroy the Midianites (25:16-18). In this account, the aftermath of the battle receives more attention than the battle itself. Evident...
  • These instructions deal with how Israel was to come into possession of the Promised Land (cf. Num. 33:50-56). They are in the context of civil legislation because Israel did not have a standing army. Soldiers volunteered to g...
  • This portion of the Promised Land went to the two and one-half tribes that had requested it previously (Num. 32).13:8-14 This pericope of verses records the boundaries of Israel's whole transjordanian territory. The peoples t...
  • The main part of the second half of the Book of Joshua dealing with the division of the land ends with the appointment of the Levitical cities (chs. 13-21). The rest of the book deals with settlement in the land (chs. 22-24)....
  • The Israelites felt the main influence of the Ammonites on the east side of the Jordan River that bordered Ammon (v. 8). However the Ammonites also attacked the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, and Ephraim west of the Jordan (v. 9)...
  • If the erring believers would not judge themselves and repent they could anticipate God's judgment (cf. 1 Cor. 11:31)."Unwillingness to repent shows that a person is not a faithful believer."118They would die by the sword pro...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

  • Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!'--Num. 23:10.Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword.'--Num. 31:8.PONDER these two pictures. Take the first scene. A prophet, who knows God ...
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