Numbers 31:50

50 for which cause we offer, or bring, to thee free gifts of the Lord, all by ourselves, that that we might find of gold in the prey, girdles for the women's middles, and bands of the arms, and rings, and ornaments of the arm nigh the hand, and bands of the necks of women, that thou pray the Lord for us. (for which reason, we now freely bring to thee gifts for the Lord, from each of us, of that which we found in the spoils, yea, gold, and girdles for the women's middles, and arm bands, and rings, and bracelets, and women's necklaces, and we also ask that thou pray to the Lord for us.)

Numbers 31:50 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 31:50

We have therefore brought an oblation to the Lord
A freewill offering, out of the spoil, over and above the tribute levied out of the half that came unto them;

what every man hath gotten:
or "found" ^F6, in the houses, and upon the bodies of the slain, or of such that were taken captives:

of jewels of gold
either such as were set in gold; or rather, as the words may be rendered,

vessels of gold
^F7, as dishes, cups, spoons, and the like:

chains;
which were wore about the neck, or upon the arm, as Aben Ezra:

and bracelets;
for the hand, as the same writer, see ( Genesis 24:22 Genesis 24:30 ) ,

rings;
for the finger:

ear rings;
for the ear, as we render it, the word signifies something round:

and tablets;
which, according to the Targum of Jonathan, were ornaments that hung down between the breasts:

to make an atonement for our souls before the Lord;
not only this offering was brought as a token of gratitude and thankfulness, for sparing of everyone of their lives, and giving them such success and victory, and so large a spoil of the enemy; but also to expiate any sins they had been guilty of in going out, and coming in, and particularly for sparing the women they should have put to death, for which Moses was wroth with them, ( Numbers 31:14 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F6 (aum) "invenit", Pagninus, Montanus.
F7 (bhz ylk) "vas auri", Montanus; "vasa aurea", Vatablus.

Numbers 31:50 In-Context

48 And when the princes of the host, and the tribunes, and the centurions had nighed to Moses, [And when the princes of the host were gone to Moses, and the leaders of thousands, and rulers of hundreds,] (And then the leaders of the army, the tribunes, and the centurions, came to Moses,)

49 they said, We thy servants have told, (or totalled,) the number of fighters, which we had under our hand, or power, and soothly not one failed; (and they said, We thy servants have counted up again the number of the fighters, that we have under our command, and not one of them is missing;)

50 for which cause we offer, or bring, to thee free gifts of the Lord, all by ourselves, that that we might find of gold in the prey, girdles for the women's middles, and bands of the arms, and rings, and ornaments of the arm nigh the hand, and bands of the necks of women, that thou pray the Lord for us. (for which reason, we now freely bring to thee gifts for the Lord, from each of us, of that which we found in the spoils, yea, gold, and girdles for the women's middles, and arm bands, and rings, and bracelets, and women's necklaces, and we also ask that thou pray to the Lord for us.)

51 And Moses and Eleazar, the priest, took all the gold in diverse kinds, (And so Moses and Eleazar, the priest, received all these diverse things of gold,)

52 by the weight of the saintuary, sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekels, of the tribunes, and the centurions [of the leaders of thousands, and rulers of hundreds]. (by the measure of the sanctuary, sixteen thousand and seven hundred and fifty shekels, from the tribunes, and the centurions.)