Numbers 31:1-11

1 The LORD said to Moses,

2 "Get even with the Midianites for what they did to the Israelites. After that you will join your ancestors [in death]."

3 Moses said to the people, "Some of your men must get ready to go to war against the Midianites. The LORD will use them to get even with Midian.

4 Send 1,000 men from each of the tribes of Israel."

5 So 1,000 men from each tribe were supplied from the divisions of Israel--12,000 men ready for war.

6 Then Moses sent them off to war, 1,000 men from each tribe along with Phinehas, son of the priest Eleazar. Phinehas took with him the holy articles and the trumpets for the fanfare.

7 They went to war against Midian, as the LORD commanded Moses, and killed every man.

8 Among those killed were the five kings of Midian--Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba. They also killed Balaam, son of Beor, in battle.

9 The Israelites took the Midianite women and children as prisoners of war. They also took all their animals, their livestock, and their valuables as loot.

10 They burned all the cities where the Midianites lived and all their settlements.

11 Then they took everything as loot, including all the people and animals,

Numbers 31:1-11 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 31

This chapter contains an order to make war upon Midian, which was accordingly done, Nu 31:1-12, but Moses was wroth, because they saved the women alive, who, through the counsel of Balaam, had been the cause of sin, and of the plague for it in Israel, and therefore orders them, and the male children, to be slain, Nu 31:13-18, and then directs to the purification of the soldiers, their captives and spoil, Nu 31:19-24, and by the command of God an account is taken of the prey, and a division of it made between the soldiers and the congregation, and out of each part a tribute is levied for the Lord, Nu 31:25-31 and the sum of the whole booty is given, Nu 31:32-35 and of the part which belonged to the soldiers, and of the tribute given to the Lord, Nu 31:36-41 and of the part which belonged to the children of Israel, Nu 31:42-47 and besides the above tribute to the Lord, the officers made a voluntary oblation out of their spoil, both by way of gratitude for sparing their lives, and to make atonement for their souls, Nu 31:48-54.