Numbers 31:9

9 The Israelites took the Midianite women and their children captive, and they plundered all their cattle, flocks, and property.^[a]

Numbers 31:9 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 31:9

And the children of Israel took [all] the women of Midian
captives
The word "all" is not in the original text, nor should it be supplied; for if all had been taken, and carried captive, and put to death, as those were afterwards, how could there have been such an increase of the Midianites as there was in some time after this? see ( Judges 6:1-6 ) but the meaning is, that as many as fell into their hands they took and carried captive:

and their little ones;
both male and female:

and took the spoil of all their cattle, and all their flocks;
their oxen and their sheep, and also their asses, as appears by the following account:

and all their goods:
in their houses, their wealth and substance, gold, silver

Numbers 31:9 In-Context

7 They waged war against Midian, as the Lord had commanded Moses, and killed every male.

8 Along with the others slain by them, they killed the Midianite kings-Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword.

9 The Israelites took the Midianite women and their children captive, and they plundered all their cattle, flocks, and property.

10 Then they burned all the cities where the Midianites lived, as well as all their encampments,

11 and took away all the spoils of war and the captives, both human and animal.

Footnotes

• [a]. Gn 34:28-29; Dt 20:13-14