Numbers 31:25-47

Division of the Spoils

25 The LORD said to Moses,

26 “You and Eleazar the priest and the family heads of the congregation are to take a count of what was captured, both of man and beast.

27 Then divide the captives between the troops who went out to battle and the rest of the congregation.

28 Set aside a tribute for the LORD from what belongs to the soldiers who went into battle: one out of every five hundred, whether persons, cattle, donkeys, or sheep.

29 Take it from their half and give it to Eleazar the priest as an offering to the LORD.

30 From the Israelites’ half, take one out of every fifty, whether persons, cattle, donkeys, sheep, or other animals, and give them to the Levites who keep charge of the tabernacle of the LORD.”

31 So Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the LORD had commanded Moses,

32 and this plunder remained from the spoils the soldiers had taken: 675,000 sheep,

33 72,000 cattle,

34 61,000 donkeys,

35 and 32,000 women who had not slept with a man.

36 This was the half portion for those who had gone to war: 337,500 sheep,

37 including a tribute to the LORD of 675,

38 36,000 cattle, including a tribute to the LORD of 72,

39 30,500 donkeys, including a tribute to the LORD of 61,

40 and 16,000 people, including a tribute to the LORD of 32.

41 Moses gave the tribute to Eleazar the priest as an offering for the LORD, as the LORD had commanded Moses.

42 From the Israelites’ half, which Moses had set apart from the men who had gone to war,

43 this half belonged to the congregation: 337,500 sheep,

44 36,000 cattle,

45 30,500 donkeys,

46 and 16,000 people.

47 From the Israelites’ half, Moses took one out of every fifty persons and animals and gave them to the Levites who kept charge of the tabernacle of the LORD, as the LORD had commanded him.

Numbers 31:25-47 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.