Numbers 31:1--32:42
vengeance <05358> [Avenge.]
Midianites <04084> [the Midianites.]
gathered <0622> [gathered.]
you ........... execute ... Lord's <03068 05414> [avenge the Lord.]
It was God's quarrel, not their own, that they were now to take up. These people were idolaters, and had seduced the Israelites to practise the same abominations. Idolatry is an offence against God; and the civil power has no authority to meddle with what belongs to Him, without especial directions, certified, as in this case, in the most unequivocal manner. Private revenge, ambition, or avarice were to have no place in this business: Jehovah is to be avenged; and through Him, the children of Israel, (ver. 2,) because they were nearly ruined by their idolatries. If Jehovah, instead of punishing sinners by earthquakes, pestilence, or famine,is pleased expressly to command any person or people to avenge his cause, this commission justifies, nay sanctifies, war, massacre, or devastation. Though none at present shew such a commission, yet the Israelites could; and it is therefore absurd to censure Moses, Joshua, and Israel, for the dreadful slaughter made by them. God himself passed sentence of condemnation, and employed them merely as ministers of his vengeance; and unless it could be proved that the criminals did not deserve their doom, or that God had no right to punish his rebellious creatures, such objectors only shew their enmity to God by becoming the unsolicited advocates of his enemies.
thousand men .... tribe ..... tribes <04294 0505> [Of every tribe a thousand. Heb. A thousand of a tribe, a thousand of a tribe. a thousand.]
thousand <0505> [a thousand.]
Twelve thousand in all--a small number in proportion to all Israel, or to the forces which they had to encounter. As they were under the conduct of captains of thousands and hundreds, they probably had no general; for Phinehas seems to have accompanied them simply to take charge of "the holy instruments;" probably the ark and silver trumpets.
Phinehas <06372> [Phinehas.]
holy articles <03627 06944> [the holy instruments.]
signal <08643> [to blow.]
male <02145> [all.]
male <02145> [the males.]
kings ................. kings <04428> [the kings.]
Zur <06698> [Zur.]
Balaam <01109> [Balaam.]
plains ... Moab <04124 06160> [the plains of Moab.]
<03318> [went forth.]
outside ... camp <04264 02351> [without the camp.]
furious <07107> [wroth.]
war <04421> [battle. Heb. host of war.]
resulted <01961 02007> [these caused.]
counsel ............... matter <01697> [in the matter.]
plague <04046> [and there.]
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.]
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."
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.
garment <0899> [raiment.]
made ........... made <03627> [that is made. Heb. instrument, or, vessel.]
stand ............................... withstand <0935> [abide.]
purified <02398> [it shall be purified.]
pass through ............................. pass through <05674> [ye shall make.]
captured <07628> [that was taken. Heb. of the captivity.]
Divide <02673> [two parts.]
exact <07311> [levy.]
one life <0259 05315> [one soul.]
raised <08641> [an heave.]
one portion <0259 0270> [one portion.]
sheep <06629> [flocks, or, goats. and give.]
responsible .... care <08104 04931> [keep the.]
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!
Eleazar <0499> [Eleazar.]
Levites <03881> [the Levites.]
responsible .... care <04931 08104> [kept the charge.]
authority <03027> [charge. Heb. hand. lacketh.]
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.]
offering <08641> [offering. Heb. heave-offering.]
memorial <02146> [a memorial.]
Reubenites .... Gadites <01121> [the children.]
Jazer <03270> [Jazer.]
[Jaazer.]
<04725> [the place.]
Ataroth <05852> [Ataroth.]
Nimrah <05247> [Nimrah.]
[Beth-nimrah]
[Nimrim. Heshbon.]
Sebam <07643> [Shebam.]
[Shibmah.]
[Sibmah. Beon.]
[Baal-meon.]
found <04672> [if we have.]
cross <05674> [bring us.]
remain <03427> [shall ye sit here.]
frustrate <05106> [wherefore.]
frustrate <05106> [discourage. Heb. break.]
twenty <06242> [from twenty.]
wholeheartedly <04390> [because.]
followed ... wholeheartedly <0310 04390> [wholly followed me. Heb. fulfilled after me.]
wholeheartedly <04390> [for.]
wander <05128> [wander.]
generation <01755> [until all.]
brood <08635> [an increase.]
increase <05595> [to augment.]
turn <07725> [if ye turn.]
once <03254> [he will yet.]
destruction <07843> [ye shall.]
This proposal was very equitable, and it was honestly made and faithfully executed; though it did not imply that all men capable of bearing arms should go, and so leave their families and possessions defenceless, but only a sufficient detachment of them. Among the inhabitants of the land were the Ammonites, Moabites, Idumeans, and the remains of the Midianites and Amorites; and as it was impossible for the women and children to keep the defenced cities, when placed in them, many of the men of war must of course stay behind. In the last census (ch. 26), the tribe of Reuben consisted of 43,730 men; the tribe of Gad 40,500; and the tribe of Manasseh 52,700; the half of which is 26,350; which together amount to 110,580. Now from Jos 4:13, we learn, that of these tribes only 40,000 armed men passed over Jordan to assist their brethren: consequently 70,580 men were left behind for the defence of the women, the children, and the flocks: which was amply sufficient for this purpose.
inheritance <05157> [we will.]
inheritance <05159> [because.]
side .................. side <05676> [on this side.]
land ......................... land <0776> [land.]
return <07725> [ye shall.]
obligation <05355> [be guiltless.]
land ......................... land <0776> [this land.]
do <06213> [if ye will.]
know .... sin <02403 03045> [be sure your sin.]
If the persons concerned prevaricated, and so imposed on men, or if they afterwards refused to fulfil their engagement, God would most certainly detect and expose their wickedness, and inflict condign punishment upon them. Of all the ways, says Dr. South, to be taken for the prevention of that great plague of mankind, Sin, there is none so rational and efficacious as to confute and baffle those motives by which men are induced to embrace it; and among all such motives, the heart of man seems to be chiefly overpowered and prevailed upon by two, viz. secrecy in committing sin, and impunity with respect to its consequences. Accordingly, Moses, in this chapter, having to deal with a company of men suspected of a base and fraudulent design, though couched under a very fair pretence, as most such designs are, endeavours to quash it in its very conception, by secretly applying himself to encounter those secret motives and arguments, which he knew were the most likely to encourage them in it. And this he does very briefly, but effectually, by assuring them, that how covertly and artificially soever they might carry on their dark project, yet their sin would infallibly find them out. Though the subject and occasion of these words are indeed particular, yet the design of them is manifestly of an universal import, as reaching the case of all transgressors, in their first entrance on any sinful act or course.
servants <05650> [thy servants.]
armed <02502> [armed.]
lord <0113> [as my lord.]
Moses <04872> [Moses.]
half ... tribe <02677 07626> [half the.]
realm .......... realm <04467> [the kingdom.]
Dibon <01769> [Dibon.]
Eusebius says that Dibon was a large town, near the river Arnon. Burckhardt says, that when he was about an hour's distance north of the Modjeb or Arnon, he was shown to the N. E. the ruins of Diban, the ancient Dibon, situated in the low ground of the Koura, or plains of Moab.
Aroer <06177> [Aroer.]
Aroer was situated, according to Eusebius, on a mountain on the north bank of the river Arnon. This is confirmed by Burckhardt, who says it is called Araayr, and is seated on the edge of the precipice, at the foot of which the river flows.
Jazer <03270> [Jaazer.]
[Jazer]
Beth Nimrah <01039> [Beth-nimrah.]
Probably the same as Nimrim in Jer 48:34, and the Bethnabris mentioned by Eusebius, five miles north from Livias. Burckhardt says, that "in the valley of the Jordan, south of Abou Obeida, are the ruins of Nemrim, probably the Beth-nimrah of the Scriptures."
[Nimrah. fenced cities.]
Heshbon <02809> [Heshbon.]
[Eleahleh.]
Elealeh is placed, by Eusebius, a mile from Heshbon. It is now called El Aal, "the high," and is situated on a hill.
Nebo <05015> [Nebo.]
Baal Meon <01186> [Baal-meon.]
This town is placed, by Eusebius and Jerome, nine miles from Heshbon, at the foot of mount Abarim.
name ..... renamed ... cities <08034 05892 07121> [gave other names unto the cities. Heb. they called by names the names of the cities.]
Jair <02971> [Jair.]
Havvoth Jair <02334> [Havoth-jair.]
