Numbers 31:1-8

1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying,

2 Avenge the sons of Israel upon the Midianites; afterward thou shalt be gathered unto thy peoples.

3 And Moses spoke unto the people, saying, Arm some of yourselves unto the war and let them go against the Midianites and carry out the vengeance of the LORD in Midian.

4 A thousand out of every tribe throughout all the tribes of Israel shall ye send to the war.

5 So there were delivered out of the thousands of Israel a thousand of every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war.

6 And Moses sent them to the war; he sent a thousand of every tribe; and Phinehas, the son of Eleazar the priest, went to the war with the holy instruments, with the trumpets to blow in his hand.

7 And they fought against the Midianites as the LORD commanded Moses; and they slew all the males.

8 And they also slew the kings of Midian among the rest of those that were slain: namely, Evi and Rekem and Zur and Hur and Reba, five kings of Midian; they also slew Balaam, the son of Beor, with the sword.

Numbers 31:1-8 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.