Numbers 31:15

15 Moshe asked them, "You let the women live?

Numbers 31:15 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 31:15

And Moses said unto them, have ye saved all the women alive?
] Which either had been reported to him, or he concluded, by seeing so many with them; and this question is put, not for information, but by way of reproof, and as chiding them for what they had done; for they might have received orders from him to put them to death, when he sent them out; and if so, there was the more reason to be angry with them; or he might conclude they would have done this of themselves, knowing what instruments of mischief these women had been to Israel.

Numbers 31:15 In-Context

13 Moshe, El'azar the cohen and all the community leaders went to meet them outside the camp.

14 But Moshe was angry with the army officers, the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds coming in from the battlefield.

15 Moshe asked them, "You let the women live?

16 Why, these are the ones who - because of Bil'am's advice -caused the people of Isra'el to rebel, breaking faith with ADONAI in the P'or incident, so that the plague broke out among ADONAI's community!

17 Now kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has ever slept with a man.