Numbers 31:27

27 And thou shalt part evenly the prey betwixt them that fought and went out to battle, and betwixt all the other multitude. (And thou shalt evenly divide the spoils between those who went out to the battle and fought, and all the other multitude.)

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 And the Lord said to Moses,

26 Take ye the sum, or the number, of those things that be taken, from man till to beast, thou, and Eleazar, [the] priest, and all the princes of the common people.

27 And thou shalt part evenly the prey betwixt them that fought and went out to battle, and betwixt all the other multitude. (And thou shalt evenly divide the spoils between those who went out to the battle and fought, and all the other multitude.)

28 And thou shalt separate a part to the Lord, of them that have fought, and were in battle, one soul of five hundred, as well of men, as of oxen, and of asses, and of sheep. (And thou shalt take a tribute, or a tax, for the Lord, from those who fought, and were in the battle, one soul out of five hundred, of people, and of oxen, and of donkeys, and of sheep.)

29 And thou shalt give that part to Eleazar, the priest, for those be the first fruits of the Lord. (And thou shalt give that portion to Eleazar, the priest, for they be the first fruits, or a special contribution, for the Lord.)