Numbers 31:35-45

35 and thirty-two thousand persons in all, of women that had not known a man by lying with him.

36 And the half which was the portion of those that went out to war was in number three hundred and thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep.

37 And the tribute for the LORD, of the sheep was six hundred and seventy-five.

38 And the oxen were thirty-six thousand, of which the tribute for the LORD was seventy-two.

39 And the asses were thirty thousand five hundred, of which the tribute for the LORD was sixty-one.

40 And the persons were sixteen thousand, of which the tribute for the LORD was thirty-two persons.

41 And Moses gave the tribute, which was the LORD’s heave offering, unto Eleazar, the priest, as the LORD had commanded Moses.

42 And of the half pertaining to the sons of Israel, which Moses divided from the men that had gone to war,

43 (now the half that pertained unto the congregation was three hundred and thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep

44 and thirty-six thousand oxen

45 and thirty thousand five hundred asses

Numbers 31:35-45 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.