Numbers 31:17-54

31:17

kill ... boy ... kill ........... man <02145 02026> [kill every male.]

The sword of war should spare women and children, as incapable of resisting; but the sword of justice knows no distinction, except that of guilty or not guilty, or more or less guilty. This was the execution of a righteous sentence upon a guilty nation, in which the women were the greatest criminals; and it may safely be said, that their lives were forfeited by their personal transgressions. With respect to the execution of the male infants, who cannot be supposed to have been guilty, God, the author and supporter of life, who has a right to dispose of it when and how he thinks proper, commanded it; and "shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?"

boy ............. man <02145> [him. Heb. a male.]

31:18

yours <02421> [keep alive for yourselves.]

It has been groundlessly asserted, that Moses here authorised the Israelites to make concubines of the whole number of female children; and an insidious objection against his writings has been grounded upon this monstrous supposition. But the whole tenor of the law, and especially a statute recorded in De 21:10-14, proves most decisively to the contrary. They were merely permitted to possess them as female slaves, educating them in their families, and employing them as domestics; for the laws concerning fornication, concubinage, and marriage, were in full force, and prohibited an Israelite even from marrying a captive, without delays and previous formalities; and if he afterwards divorced her, he was to set here at liberty, "because he had humbled her."

31:19

remain <02583> [abide.]

Though the Israelites had acted by the commission of God, yet they had contracted pollution by touching the dead; and the spoil having been used by idolaters, must also be purified in the prescribed manner.

31:20

garment <0899> [raiment.]

made ........... made <03627> [that is made. Heb. instrument, or, vessel.]

31:21

31:23

stand ............................... withstand <0935> [abide.]

purified <02398> [it shall be purified.]

pass through ............................. pass through <05674> [ye shall make.]

31:24

31:26

captured <07628> [that was taken. Heb. of the captivity.]

31:27

Divide <02673> [two parts.]

31:28

exact <07311> [levy.]

one life <0259 05315> [one soul.]

31:29

raised <08641> [an heave.]

31:30

one portion <0259 0270> [one portion.]

sheep <06629> [flocks, or, goats. and give.]

responsible .... care <08104 04931> [keep the.]

31:32

spoil <04455> [the booty.]

It appears from the enumeration here, that the Israelites, in this war with the Midianites, took 32,000 female prisoners, 61,000 asses, 72,000 beeves, and 675,000 sheep and small cattle; besides the immense number of males who fell in battle, and the women and children who were slain by the divine command. (ver. 17.) This booty was divided into equal parts, by which partition a far larger share was justly given to the warriors employed on the expedition, who were only 12,000, than to those, who being equally willing to go, were ordered to stay in the camp. Each party was to give a certain proportion to Jehovah, as their sovereign, in grateful acknowledgement that to him they owed their success. The soldiers to give to the Lord one out of every five hundred persons, beeves, asses, and sheep, (ver. 28,) and the people, who by staying at home risked nothing, and had no fatigue, were to give one out of fifty of each of the above to the Levites, who were far more numerous than the priests. (ver. 30.) The booty, its division among the soldiers and people, and the proportion given by each to the Lord and to the Levites, will be seen at one view by the following table:-- Sheep . . . . 675,000 To soldiers . . . 337,500 To God. . . . . . 675 To people . . . . 337,500 To Levites. . . . 6,750 Beeves. . . . 72,000 To soldiers . . . 36,000 To God. . . . . . 72 To people . . . . 36,000 To Levites. . . . 720 Asses . . . . 61,000 To soldiers . . . 30,500 To God. . . . . . 61 To people . . . . 30,500 To Levites. . . . 610 Persons . . . 32,000 To soldiers . . . 16,000 To God. . . . . . 32 To people . . . . 16,000 To Levites. . . . 320 It does not appear that a single ox, sheep, or ass, was required by Moses as his portion; or that there was any given to him by the people; and though he had a family as well as others, yet no provision was made for them above the common lot of Levites!

31:41

Eleazar <0499> [Eleazar.]

31:47

Levites <03881> [the Levites.]

responsible .... care <04931 08104> [kept the charge.]

31:49

authority <03027> [charge. Heb. hand. lacketh.]

31:50

brought <07126> [therefore brought.]

The officers of the army having mustered their men, found they had not lost a man in the contest with Midian! Penetrated with gratitude for this most remarkable interposition of Providence in their favour, they now offer to Jehovah the golden jewels which they had found among the spoil, to the amount of 16,750 shekels, equal to Å“37,869 16s. 5d. of our money.

offering <07133> [an oblation.]

found <04672> [gotten. Heb. found. an atonement.]

31:51

31:52

offering <08641> [offering. Heb. heave-offering.]

31:53

31:54

memorial <02146> [a memorial.]