Numbers 31:1-8

1 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
2 Avenge the wrongs of the children of Israel on the Madianites, and afterwards thou shalt be added to thy people.
3 And Moses spoke to the people, saying, Arm some of you, and set yourselves in array before the Lord against Madian, to inflict vengeance on Madian from the Lord.
4 Send a thousand of each tribe from all the tribes of the children of Israel to set themselves in array.
5 And they numbered of the thousands of Israel a thousand of tribe, twelve thousands; armed for war.
6 And Moses sent them away a thousand of every tribe with their forces, and Phinees the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest: and the holy instruments, and the signal trumpets in their hands.
7 And they set themselves in array against Madian, as the Lord commanded Moses; and they slew every male.
8 And they slew the kings of Madian together with their slain ; even Evi and Rocon, and Sur, and Ur, and Roboc, five kings of Madian; and they slew with the sword Balaam the son of Beor with their slain.

Numbers 31:1-8 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.

Footnotes 3

The Brenton translation of the Septuagint is in the public domain.