Numbers 31:27

27 and divide the booty into two parts: half for the experienced soldiers who went out to battle, and half for the rest of the community.

Numbers 31:27 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 31:27

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 1 Samuel 30:25 ) ( Psalms 68:12 ) .

Numbers 31:27 In-Context

25 ADONAI said to Moshe,

26 "Take all the booty, both people and animals, you, El'azar the cohen and the leaders of clans in the community;

27 and divide the booty into two parts: half for the experienced soldiers who went out to battle, and half for the rest of the community.

28 From the portion of the soldiers who went out to battle, levy a tax for ADONAI consisting of one-five-hundredth of the persons, cattle, donkeys and sheep;

29 take it from their half and give it to El'azar the cohen as a portion set apart for ADONAI.