1 Samuel 30:26

30:26 When David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to the elders of Judah who were his friends, saying, “Here’s a gift ¹  for you from the looting of the Lord’s enemies!”

Numbers 31:9-12

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 ²  all their towns ³  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 ⁴  of Moab, along the Jordan River ⁵  across from Jericho. ⁶ 

Numbers 31:2

31:2 “Exact vengeance ⁷  for the Israelites on the Midianites ⁸  – after that you will be gathered to your people.” ⁹ 

Numbers 20:25

20:25 Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up on Mount Hor.

Isaiah 53:12

53:12 So I will assign him a portion with the multitudes, ¹⁰ 

he will divide the spoils of victory with the powerful, ¹¹ 

because he willingly submitted ¹²  to death

and was numbered with the rebels,

when he lifted up the sin of many

and intervened ¹³  on behalf of the rebels.”

Romans 8:37

8:37 No, in all these things we have complete victory ¹⁴  through him ¹⁵  who loved us!

[30:26]  ¹ tn Heb “blessing.”

[31:10]  ² tn Heb “burned with fire.”

[31:10]  ³ tn The ban applied to the encampments and forts of this group of Midianite tribes living in the region of Moab.

[31:12]  ⁴ tn Or “steppes.”

[31:12]  ⁵ tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[31:12]  ⁶ tn Again this expression, “the Jordan of Jericho,” is used. It describes the intended location along the Jordan River, the Jordan next to or across from Jericho.

[31:2]  ⁷ tn The imperative is followed by its cognate accusative to stress this vengeance. The Midianites had attempted to destroy Israel with their corrupt pagan practices, and now will be judged. The accounts indicate that the effort by Midian was calculated and evil.

[31:2]  ⁸ sn The war was commanded by the Lord and was to be divine vengeance on the Midianites. So it was holy war. No Israelites then could take spoils in this – it was not a time for plunder and aggrandizement. It was part of the judgment of God upon those who would destroy or pervert his plan and his people.

[31:2]  ⁹ sn This would be the last major enterprise that Moses would have to undertake. He would soon die and “be gathered to his people” as Aaron was.

[53:12]  ¹⁰ tn Scholars have debated the precise meaning of the term רַבִּים (rabbim) that occurs five times in this passage (Isa 52:14, 15; 53:11, 12 [2x]). Its two broad categories of translation are “much”/“many” and “great” (HALOT 1171-72 s.v. I רַב). Unlike other Hebrew terms for might or strength, this term is linked with numbers or abundance. In all sixteen uses outside of Isaiah 52:13-53:12 (articular and plural) it signifies an inclusive meaning: “the majority” or “the multitude” (J. Jeremias, TDNT 6:536-37). This term occurs in parallelism with עֲצוּמִים (’atsumim), which normally signifies “numerous” or “large” or “powerful” (through large numbers). Like רַבִּים (rabbim), it refers to greatness in numbers (cf. Deut 4:38; 7:1; 9:1; 11:34). It emphasizes the multitudes with whom the Servant will share the spoil of his victory. As J. Olley wrote: “Yahweh has won the victory and vindicates his Servant, giving to him many subservient people, together with their spoils. These numerous peoples in turn receive blessing, sharing in the “peace” resulting from Yahweh’s victory and the Servant’s suffering” (John W. Olley, “‘The Many’: How Is Isa 53,12a to Be Understood,” Bib 68 [1987]: 330-56).

[53:12]  ¹¹ sn The servant is compared here to a warrior who will be richly rewarded for his effort and success in battle.

[53:12]  ¹² tn Heb “because he laid bare his life”; traditionally, ASV “because he (+ hath KJV) poured out his soul (life NIV) unto death.”

[53:12]  ¹³ tn The Hiphil of פָּגַע (paga’) can mean “cause to attack” (v. 6), “urge, plead verbally” (Jer 15:11; 36:25), or “intervene militarily” (Isa 59:16). Perhaps the third nuance fits best here, for military imagery is employed in the first two lines of the verse.

[8:37]  ¹⁴ tn BDAG 1034 s.v. ὑπερνικάω states, “as a heightened form of νικᾶν prevail completely ὑπερνικῶμεν we are winning a most glorious victory Ro 8:37.”

[8:37]  ¹⁵ tn Here the referent could be either God or Christ, but in v. 39 it is God’s love that is mentioned.