Deeper Commentary
Num 31:1 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying-
Yahweh was to be avenged upon Midian (:3), and so was Israel (:2).
Yahweh is His people and what is done to His people is done to Him. Just
as the Lord Jesus asked Saul to stop persecuting Him. The Father
and Son feel all done to their people as done to them. For the nature of
true love is that identifies with others.
Num 31:2 Avenge the children of Israel for the Midianites. Afterward you
shall be gathered to your people-
But in :3 we read of avenging Yahweh. The insults against God’s
people are against Him. Many of His children struggle today with a sense
of justice not having been done to them, and a desire to see some level of
justice or vengeance against their abusers. This day will come, if indeed
the injustice has been done to us because of our devotion to God; because
whatever is done to God’s people is done to Him.
Num 31:3 Moses spoke to the people, saying, Arm men from among you for the
war, that they may go against Midian, to execute Yahweh’s vengeance on
Midian-
See on :2,3. This conflict was apparently just before the people
entered the land of promise and approached Jericho. So this was to provide
them with battle experience, and more especially with experience of God's
saving grace; for not one of them was to perish in the conflict. The
victory was to so clearly be from God.
Moses personally was commanded to destroy the Midianites and then die. But he sends Phinehas to do this job, possibly reflecting his continued struggle with God's command to die without entering Canaan. Perhaps Moses ordered only 12000 men to go war against a much larger enemy because he hoped they would be defeated and thus delay his death. They took 32000 virgin women prisoner, so the combined force of the enemy would have been huge. Israel had 600000 soldiers available according to the census. We likewise might probe why in :2 God tells Moses to avenge Israel against Midian, whereas here in :3 Moses tell Israel that they are going to war only because Yahweh wants His vengeance against Midian- possibly making Yahweh out to be a vengeful God. In all this we see how Moses was weak at the very end, and yet still saved. Like Gideon, Samson, Jacob, David etc.
Num 31:4 Of every tribe one thousand, throughout all the tribes of Israel,
you shall send to the war-
A "thousand" is not necessarily 1,000, but can refer to a group,
family or military regiment. See on :5.
Num 31:5 So there were delivered out of the thousands of Israel a thousand
of every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war-
12,000 was a small army compared to what could have been raised- for
there were over 600,000 fighting men numbered amongst Israel at this time.
But throughout His military history, God has taken special pleasure in
using small numbers to defeat far larger ones, and that principle
continues in how He works today.
Num 31:6 Moses sent them one thousand of every tribe to the war, them and
Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the vessels of
the sanctuary and the trumpets for the alarm in his hand-
God chose Phinehas the priest to be the army commander, whereas
Joshua was the more obvious human choice for that job at this time. But
God wished to demonstrate that it is spiritual principle which must lead
His people rather than human strength and appropriacy. It was Phinehas who
had so well perceived the spiritual danger of the Moabites earlier (Num. 25:7).
Num 31:7 They warred against Midian, as Yahweh commanded Moses; and they
killed every male-
The idea is every adult male, for the children were initially taken captive
(:9). There is no record given of the strategy for the battle. The fact
there was not a single Israelite casualty all contributes towards the
impression that this was an unusual and Divine deliverance. It was given
to them to encourage them that the whole of Canaan could be conquered in
this way. For from this point they were based opposite Jericho, poised to
enter Canaan.
Num 31:8 They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of their slain:
Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian:
Balaam also the son of Beor they killed with the sword-
Zur's daughter Cozbi means "liar", the daughter of "the rock" (Zur)-
a fake god. For Yahweh alone is a rock to His people. Her message was
indeed a huge lie: that Yahweh and Baal worship could be fused through her
as a leader of Midian openly performing a sex act with a similarly ranking
leader of Israel. In the tabernacle of Yahweh (see on Num. 25:6,8). Zur
was one of the five leading princes of Midian who was later slain along
with Balaam. Balaam and Zur were clearly associated. And so it seems that
Balaam suggested that Zur's daughter Cozbi be used to lead Israel into
sin, so that their God would curse them- and Balaam would get his coveted
reward which he so obsessed about.
Num 31:9 The children of Israel took captive the women of Midian and their
little ones; and all their livestock, and all their flocks, and all their
goods, they took for a prey-
They were criticized for taking the women alive (:14,15). Although the
more specific commandments about engagement with enemies are given in
Deuteronomy, just a short time later, they were expected to use sanctified
common sense. They ought to have realized that the women who had led them
into sin in Num. 25 needed to be destroyed and not taken as trophies.
Whilst there was no specific command about this, they were expected to
have perceived it. We see again that the law of Moses was not presented as
a legal code to be obeyed in a literalistic way, but rather as a source of
principle intended to guide behaviour in matters not specifically covered
by the law.
Num 31:10 All their cities in the places in which they lived, and all
their encampments, they burnt with fire-
The phrase "burnt with fire" is used many times in the Pentateuch and
nearly always about sacrifices. These were to be offered to God rather
than lived in by the Israelites; for it was God's intention that all
Israel should go over Jordan, although He later made concessions to those
who wanted to inherit east of Jordan. But the destruction of the cities
east of Jordan reflects His desire that the people should not inherit
there at that time; the promise of Canaan was that they would live in the
houses which they had not built (Josh. 24:13).
Num 31:11 They took all the spoil and all the prey, both of man and of
animal-
"The prey" is literally "the jaws", and refers to the animals; "the
spoil" refers to the men. As the male adults were all killed, this must
refer to the underage males who would have been seen as good potential
slaves and were therefore "spoil". But they were later rebuked for this
(:17). They were intended to have worked out how to behave in this matter,
despite the lack of specific commandment. But the people failed to use the
law of Moses as it was intended to be- a springboard towards personal
engagement and relationship with God. Instead at best they used it as a
mere legal code. The areas where the law was silent were intended to be
those areas where the Israelites worked out the implications of God's
revealed will, and saw for themselves how to behave.
Num 31:12 They brought the captives and the prey and the spoil to Moses,
and to Eleazar the priest, and to the congregation of the children of
Israel, to the camp at the plains of Moab which are by the Jordan at
Jericho-
Eleazar had now effectively replaced the aged Phinehas. We note that
Israel were encamped opposite Jericho when they won this amazing victory.
It was clearly intended to encourage them that this is how all their
conflicts could go in Canaan. We too are given encouragement for later
trials and situations we will experience. Life is not at all a random
path. All is designed to confirm us in an upward spiral of faith and
spiritual achievement.
Num 31:13 Moses and Eleazar the priest and all the princes of the
congregation went forth to meet them outside of the camp-
The Lord Jesus suffered and died, shedding the blood of atonement,
"outside the camp" (Heb. 13:13). We are bidden go forth to the Lord Jesus
"outside the camp", just as those who "sought Yahweh" did when there was
no tabernacle (Ex. 33:7). The people watching Moses as he walked out to
it, without the camp, therefore looks ahead to a faithless Israel lining
the via Dolorossa and watching the Lord walk out to His place of
crucifixion. And we are to get behind Him and follow Him there, stepping
out from the mass of Israel. As the Lord Jesus suffered "outside the
camp", so various parts of the Mosaic sacrifices were to be burnt there
(Lev. 4:12,21; 8:17; 9:11; 16:27); and yet it was the blood of those
sacrifices which achieved atonement (Heb. 13:11; Num. 19:3,9). "Outside
the camp" was the place of excluded, condemned sinners (Lev. 13:46; 24:14;
Num. 5:3,4; 15:35,36; 31:13,19), and it was here that the Lord Jesus died,
in identification with us.
Num 31:14 Moses was angry with the officers of the army, the captains of
thousands and the captains of hundreds who came from the service of the
war-
As discussed on :9, they were intended to have worked out for
themselves, despite the lack of specific commandment, that taking these
women was wrong and a way of entering into temptation; see on :16. Moses'
anger was with the captains because this was a conscious policy decision
they had made, and it would lead the people into sin (:16).
Num 31:15 Moses said to them, Have you saved all the women alive?-
Moses was distressed that the Israelite army had failed to perceive
the spiritual reason for the battle- it was to stop the Midianites posing
a temptation to Israel with their women as they had in chapter 25.
Sometimes God’s people can fight His battles and even be given victory,
whilst failing to perceive the spiritual intent behind the war.
Num 31:16 Behold, these caused the children of Israel through the counsel
of Balaam, to commit trespass against Yahweh in the matter of Peor, and so
the plague was among the congregation of Yahweh-
"These..." could suggest that these were the very women who had
offered their bodies to the Israelites in return for worship of Baal Peor.
They were cult prostitutes and should have been destroyed.
Num 31:17 Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill
every woman who has known man by lying with him-
There is a harder side of God, the side we'd rather not see. God
almost seems to underline the hardness of it in the way He records His
word; thus He emphasizes that the "little ones" of the Canaanite cities
were to be killed by the sword (Dt. 2:34), the male babies of the
Midianites were to be killed by God's command (Num. 31:17; which was
exactly what Herod ordered). The unfulfilled believer will accept the
gracious side of God (which is undoubtedly the aspect more emphasized in
the Bible), but refuse to really accept this other side, while passively
admitting that this harder aspect of God is revealed in His word. But it's
all or nothing. We either accept the self-revelation of God in the Bible,
or we reject it- that's how He sees it. Our temptation is to
think that God sees things as we see them, to think that God is merely an
ideal human being. But the day of judgment will reveal otherwise (Ps.
50:21). He is God, not man. It is not for us to set the terms.
Num 31:18 But all the girls, who have not known man by lying with him,
keep alive for yourselves-
God makes concessions to human weakness. Having reminded Israel of how
they sinned with the Midianites, He allows them to keep unmarried
Midianites as wives (Num. 31:16,18).
Num 31:19 Encamp outside of the camp seven days: whoever has killed any
person and whoever has touched any slain, purify yourselves on the third
day and on the seventh day, you and your captives-
This all rather sounds like the laws for purification from 'leprosy',
which I elsewhere suggested was not Hansen's disease but a specific stroke
from God. This legislation was also geared against the men immediately
sleeping with the young women whom they had captured. They were to enter
into serious relationship with them, and not use them as sexual trophies
in hot blood. See on :46.
Num 31:20 As to every garment, and all that is made of skin, and all work
of goats’ hair, and all things made of wood, you shall purify yourselves-
As noted on :19, this recalls the legislation about 'leprosy', which
I have suggested was a specific stroke of Divine judgment. Their taking of
the Midianite women was seen by God as a serious sin, and they had as it
were been stricken with judgment for this and had to be cleansed from it.
Num 31:21 Eleazar the priest said to the men of war who went to the
battle, This is the statute of the law which Yahweh has commanded Moses-
They had been expected to follow the principles inculcated by the
law, although they hadn't been given specific legislation about spoil at
this point. But they had failed to grasp this and so now they were given
laws to precisely govern their behaviour. But these laws could have been
given before the event. They were given after it. Because it was God's
intention that Israel ought to have perceived the right course of action
on the basis of the principles so far revealed, rather than needing
endless sets of laws to define behaviour in every life situation. But they
failed in this, and so further law was given. See on :28.
Num 31:22 whatever gold, silver, brass, iron, tin and lead-
There appears to be an allusion to this passage in 1 Cor. 3:11-15:
"For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is already laid,
which is Jesus Christ. But if anyone builds on the foundation gold,
silver, costly stones, wood, hay, stubble, each man's work shall be
revealed. For the day of judgment shall declare it, because it will be
revealed by fire; and the fire itself shall test each man's work of what
sort it is. If anyone's work shall endure which he built thereon, he shall
receive a reward. If anyone's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss;
but he himself shall be saved, yet as having passed through fire".
Paul doesn't really quote in direct context, but uses words and phrases
apparently out of context, which was typical of Jewish midrash. 1
Cor. 3:12-15 likens all the faithful to material which can pass through
the fire of judgment- and this surely is a reference to the way that
Jericho was burnt with fire, and only the metals along with Rahab and her
family came through that fire to salvation (Josh. 6:24). And it's
the same idea here with the spoils from the Midianites. They represent our
converts in the war of preaching the gospel. Their worth will be revealed
at the last day. The fire of condemnation will as it were burn at them and
remove all their surface spirituality. And as through death comes life, so
through condemnation of the flesh comes salvation of the spirit.
Num 31:23 everything that may withstand the fire you shall make to go
through the fire, and it shall be clean; nevertheless it shall be purified
with the water for impurity; and all that doesn’t withstand the fire you
shall make to go through the water-
Num 31:24 You shall wash your clothes on the seventh day, and you shall be
clean; and afterward you shall come into the camp-
Lev. 14:9, 15:13 uses this as the ritual for the cleansing of the
leper. The people had been smitten with a stroke of punishment, which is
what 'leprosy' was rather than what we now know as leprosy. And they were
to repent and go through the cleansing process.
Num 31:25 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying-
The principle is that the fighters / achievers must not keep their
achievements for themselves but share them. This has never been popular,
and so at David's time it was as if this law was instituted for the first
time (1 Sam. 30:21-25).
Num 31:26 Take the sum of the prey that was taken, both of man and of
animal, you, and Eleazar the priest, and the heads of the fathers’
households of the congregation-
We note that the booty was not to be numbered (:32). The idea was
that people and animals could be used in the service of God in the
tabernacle. Whereas the general booty couldn't be.
Num 31:27 and divide the prey into two parts between the men skilled in
war who went out to battle, and all the congregation-
This kind of policy of sharing the spoils of war with the
congregation was repeated in Israelite history (1 Sam. 30:24,25; Ps.
68:12). It ensured that the minority called upon to do highly visible and
humanly heroic work didn’t do it for themselves nor to settle their own
scores, but always with an eye to benefitting the community of God’s
people.
Num 31:28 Levy a tribute to Yahweh of the men of war who went out to
battle: one soul of five hundred, of the persons, of the cattle, of the
donkeys, and of the flocks-
The idea of giving a portion of the spoils of war to Yahweh was
taught by Abraham's example (Gen. 14:20). I suggested on :21 that they had
been expected to follow the principles they already knew, without being
given specific laws for every situation. Perhaps they likewise should have
worked this out from Abraham's pattern of tithing the spoils of war. But
they didn't make the connection, and so had to be given this specific
legal command. See on :48.
Num 31:29 Take it of their half, and give it to Eleazar the priest, for
Yahweh’s wave offering-
The portion of meat to be waved was placed on the priests hands (Ex.
29:25), and then 'waved' or 'swung' towards the altar and then back- not
from right to left. The idea was that the offerings were first given to
God, recognizing they should be consumed on the altar to God; but then
given back to the priest by God. So they ate them having first recognized
that their food was really God's, all was of Him, and He had given it back
to them to eat. This should be our spirit in partaking of any food, as we
are the new priesthood. Our prayers of thanks for daily food should
include this feature. All things are God's and anything we 'offer' to Him
is only giving Him what He has given to us (1 Chron. 29:14,16). As
people and live animals were involved, this waving or swinging before God
must have been done in spirit.
Num 31:30 Of the children of Israel’s half, you shall take one drawn out
of every fifty, of the persons, of the cattle, of the donkeys, and of the
flocks, of all the livestock, and give them to the Levites, who perform
the duty of the tabernacle of Yahweh-
"Duty" is a military term, implying warfare. They were therefore to
be given the spoils of war, as their regimented, disciplined devotion to
serving God was to be seen as a kind of military service. Just as we too
fight the good fight of faith (Acts 20:28; 1 Tim. 1:18; Heb. 13:17).
Num 31:31 Moses and Eleazar the priest did as Yahweh commanded Moses-
The obedience of Moses to God is continually emphasized, and he thereby
became a type of the Lord Jesus (Heb. 3:2-5).
Num 31:32 Now the prey over and above the booty which the men of war took,
was six hundred and seventy-five thousand sheep-
The numbers given here are huge. We must remember that the term
"thousand" doesn't have to mean 1,000 as a number, but can refer to a
group or subdivision of some sort.
Num 31:33 seventy-two thousand head of cattle-
LXX "Oxen".
Num 31:34 sixty-one thousand donkeys-
We can summarize the distribution:
675000 Sheep: 337500 to the soldiers, 337500 to the congregation; 675 to
God, 6750 to the Levites
72000 Oxen; 36000 to the soldiers, 36000 to the congregation; 72 to God,
720 to the Levites
61000 Donkeys; 30500 to the soldiers, 30500 to the congregation; 61 to
God, 610 to the Levites
32000 People [virgin women and young girls]; 16000 to the soldiers, 16000
to the congregation; 32 to God, 320 to the Levites.
Num 31:35 and thirty-two thousand persons in all, of the women who had not
known man by lying with him-
This would indicate a huge number of the Midianites in total. To have
slain say 100,000 men without a single casualty (:49) was the kind of
miracle possible only in God's strength. But I have noted that "thousand"
and "hundred" may be technical terms for groups or subdivisions rather
than literal numbers.
Num 31:36 The half, which was the portion of those who went out to war,
was in number three hundred and thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep-
The apparently pointless repetition of the figures was perhaps to
show that indeed, not one person nor animal went missing, but the division
of the prey was made precisely as commanded. For at times like these,
things do tend to 'go missing'. But there was absolute integrity at this
point.
Num 31:37 and Yahweh’s tribute of the sheep was six hundred and
seventy-five-
We wonder whether this tribute given "to Yahweh" was the number of
animals sacrificed to Him, or whether they too were given to the Levites.
Num 31:38 The cattle were thirty-six thousand, of which Yahweh’s tribute
was seventy-two-
We wonder if the Lord had this in mind when sending out the otherwise
strange number of 72 apostles. They were "Yahweh's", dedicated to Him, to
serve as oxen in His service.
Num 31:39 The donkeys were thirty thousand five hundred, of which Yahweh’s
tribute was sixty-one-
The donkey was an unclean animal, and yet God was still able to find
a use for 61 unclean donkeys. We all have some way of being useful for Him
whatever our status.
Num 31:40 The persons were sixteen thousand, of whom Yahweh’s tribute was
thirty-two persons-
32 to God, 320 to the Levites makes 352 Midianite females devoted to
God. This is the numerical value of the word "Hebrew". These women were to
become true Hebrews, again indicating that racial purity was never
significant to God in defining His people.
Num 31:41 Moses gave the tribute which was Yahweh’s wave offering to
Eleazar the priest, as Yahweh commanded Moses-
Again the obedience of Moses to God is continually emphasized, and he
thereby became a type of the Lord Jesus (Heb. 3:2-5).
Num 31:42 Of the children of Israel’s half, which Moses divided off from
the men who warred-
Sharing the results of our own labour has never been popular, it's
why people don't like paying taxes. The ideal principle was as in 1 Sam.
30:21-25, that those who fought should have the same part as those who
didn't. But in this case there was a large concession to human weakness;
for the division was not proportionate per head of population. There were
far more people in Israel than the 12,000 soldiers who fought, and per
head, they each received far more than the other Israelites.
Num 31:43 (now the congregation’s half was three hundred and thirty-seven
thousand five hundred sheep-
We enquire how exactly such a huge number of animals was divided
amongst them. If proportionately, then each family would likely have
received a few sheep. So they each individually felt and saw the blessing
of the victory God had given.
Num 31:44 and thirty-six thousand head of cattle-
Or, oxen. The only time we read the figure 36,000 again is in the
number of soldiers in Issachar in 1 Chron. 7:4. But Issachar was a strong
ox (Gen. 49:14 LXX). I see no great semantic moment in this connection.
But as with many such connections which appear to have no great
interpretive significance, we sense here the same Divine mind throughout
all Scriptural revelation.
Num 31:45 and thirty thousand five hundred donkeys-
This huge number of donkeys implied they would be doing a lot of
travelling and transporting. And indeed this was the intention- for they
were about to enter Canaan and go to their specific inheritances. Although
many of the people didn't do so, and were satisfied just with a bit of
fertile land wherever they found it, this was the Divine intention which
He empowered potentially to be fulfilled.
Num 31:46 and sixteen thousand persons)-
We wonder why the term "persons", literally nephesh adam, is
used rather than "virgin females" or something similar. I suggest it is in
order to remind the Israelites that these females were persons and should
be valued as such; see on :19.
Num 31:47 even of the children of Israel’s half, Moses took one drawn out
of every fifty, both of man and of animal, and gave them to the Levites,
who performed the duty of the tabernacle of Yahweh; as Yahweh commanded
Moses-
"The duty" is "the warfare". They were therefore to be given the
spoils of war, as their regimented, disciplined devotion to serving God
was to be seen as a kind of military service. Just as we too fight the
good fight of faith (Acts 20:28; 1 Tim. 1:18; Heb. 13:17).
Num 31:48 The officers who were over the thousands of the army, the
captains of thousands, and the captains of hundreds, came near to Moses-
They had been commanded by God to give part of the spoils of war in
terms of the women and animals captured. The idea of giving a portion of
the spoils of war to Yahweh was taught by Abraham's example (Gen. 14:20).
I suggested on :21 that they had been expected to follow the principles
they already knew, without being given specific laws for every situation.
Perhaps they likewise should have worked this out from Abraham's pattern
of tithing the spoils of war. But they didn't make the connection, and so
had to be given this specific legal command to share out the people and
animals. But now they get the point, and of their own initiative come to
Moses and offer the rest of the spoils of war, apart from the people and
animals. The law of God is not a chain, a leash, for man is not a dog ever
seeking freedom from the Divinely imposed ties that bind. Rather is His
law a springboard to the freedom of serving God upon our own initiative.
And here we have a rare example of where men 'got it' and did just that.
See on :53.
Num 31:49 and they said to Moses, Your servants have taken the sum of the
men of war who are under our command, and there lacks not one man of us-
It’s usual for military men to consider themselves as an elite in
their own right. But these leading military leaders considered themselves
as nothing but servants to their spiritual leader. Humility in leadership
is vital amongst God’s people.
Num 31:50 We have brought Yahweh’s offering, what every man has gotten, of
jewels of gold, armlets, and bracelets, signet rings, earrings, and
necklaces-
Even in times of spiritual victory, we are to never lose sight of our
basic sinfulness and need for atonement with God.
T
They are clearly aware of their serious failure in taking the
Midianite women, which had resulted in their being stricken down in some
way (see on :19,24). But we wonder whether they had made the mistake which
many make- thinking that material wealth and donating it can somehow atone
fore sins. When it was the shedding of blood, and faith in the Lord's
future sacrifice foreshadowed in it, which alone is the basis for
atonement (Lev. 17:11).
Num 31:51 Moses and Eleazar the priest took their gold, even all the
worked jewels-
I suggested on :50 that this donation of wealth was given under the
misunderstanding that gold could atone for sin; when it was faith in God's
grace and His purification which was required. But despite that
misunderstanding, God still accepted their offering. As He accepts all
those who truly love Him, despite their misunderstandings.
Num 31:52 All the gold of the wave offering that they offered up to
Yahweh, of the captains of thousands and of the captains of hundreds, was
sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekels-
This was a significant amount, likely around 200 kg. of gold and
jewels (:51). They were so deeply moved by the principle of giving to
Yahweh they had just been taught, that they now of their freewill offered
this to Him. See on :48.
Num 31:53 (The men of war had taken booty, every man for himself)-
I suggested on :48 that the way they now offer that booty to God was
an act of repentance, realizing that indeed all they had taken "every man
for himself" should not have been taken "for himself". Rather it was to be
shared back to God as the giver of all. And they came to this position on
their own initiative.
Num 31:54 Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of the captains of
thousands and of hundreds and brought it into the Tent of Meeting, for a
memorial for the children of Israel before Yahweh-
Likewise the bronze from the censers of the rebels were made a
memorial for Israel "before Yahweh" by being made into plates around the
altar. So we can assume that something was made from this gold and it
remained in the tabernacle.
Previous Chapter
