Numbers 31:3-13

3 Moses addressed the people: "Recruit men for a campaign against Midian, to exact God's vengeance on Midian,

4 a thousand from each tribe of Israel to go to war."

5 A fighting force of a thousand from each tribe of Israel - twelve thousand in all - was recruited.

6 Moses sent them off to war, a thousand from each tribe, and also Phinehas son of Eleazar, who went as priest to the army, in charge of holy vessels and the signaling bugles.

7 They attacked Midian, just as God had commanded Moses, and killed every last man.

8 Among the fallen were Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba - the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword.

9 The People of Israel took the Midianite women and children captive and took all their animals and herds and goods as plunder.

10 They burned to the ground all the towns in which Midianites lived and also their tent camps.

11 They looted and plundered everything and everyone - stuff and people and animals.

12 They took it all - captives and booty and plunder - back to Moses and Eleazar the priest and the company of Israel where they were camped on the Plains of Moab, at Jordan-Jericho.

13 Moses, Eleazar, and all the leaders of the congregation went to meet the returning army outside the camp.

Numbers 31:3-13 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.