Numbers 31:42-52

42 Moses took the Israelites' half of the loot from the soldiers.

43 The community received 337,500 sheep and goats,

44 36,000 cattle,

45 30,500 donkeys,

46 and 16,000 people.

47 From the Israelites' half Moses collected one out of every 50 things, including people and animals, as the LORD commanded him. Then he gave all this to the Levites who were in charge of the work done at the LORD's tent.

48 Then the officers from the military divisions, the commanders of the companies and battalions of men, came to Moses.

49 They said to him, "Sir, we have counted all the soldiers under our command, and not one of them is missing.

50 So we have brought as gifts to the LORD the gold jewelry that each of us found--arm bands, bracelets, signet rings, earrings, and pendants. We offer them to make peace with the LORD."

51 Moses and the priest Eleazar took all the hand-crafted gold articles from them.

52 All the gold contributed to the LORD by the commanders weighed about 420 pounds.

Numbers 31:42-52 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.