Numbers 31

Nu 31:1-54.

THE

MIDIANITES

SPOILED AND

BALAAM

SLAIN.

1, 2. the Lord spake unto Moses, Avenge the children of Israel of the

Midianites--a semi-nomad people, descended from Abraham and Keturah,

occupying a tract of country east and southeast of Moab, which lay on

the eastern coast of the Dead Sea. They seem to have been the principal

instigators of the infamous scheme of seduction, planned to entrap the

Israelites into the double crime of idolatry and licentiousness

[Nu 25:1-3, 17, 18]

benefit of His protection and favor. Moreover, the Midianites had

rendered themselves particularly obnoxious by entering into a hostile

league with the Amorites

(Jos 13:21).

The Moabites were at this time spared in consideration of Lot

(De 2:9)

and because the measure of their iniquities was not yet full. God spoke

of avenging "the children of Israel"

[Nu 31:2];

Moses spoke of avenging the Lord

[Nu 31:3],

as dishonor had been done to God and an injury inflicted on His people.

The interests were identical. God and His people have the same cause,

the same friends, and the same assailants. This, in fact, was a

religious war, undertaken by the express command of God against

idolaters, who had seduced the Israelites to practise their

abominations.

3. Arm some of yourselves--This order was issued but a short time

before the death of Moses. The announcement to him of that approaching

event

[Nu 31:2]

seems to have accelerated, rather than retarded, his warlike

preparations.

5. there were delivered--that is, drafted, chosen, an equal amount

from each tribe, to prevent the outbreak of mutual jealousy or strife.

Considering the numerical force of the enemy, this was a small quota to

furnish. But the design was to exercise their faith and animate them

to the approaching invasion of Canaan.

6. Moses sent . . . Eleazar the priest, to the war--Although it is not

expressly mentioned, it is highly probable that Joshua was the general

who conducted this war. The presence of the priest, who was always with

the army

(De 20:2),

was necessary to preside over the Levites, who accompanied the

expedition, and to inflame the courage of the combatants by his sacred

services and counsels.

holy instruments--As neither the ark nor the Urim and Thummim were

carried to the battlefield till a later period in the history of Israel,

the "holy instruments" must mean the "trumpets"

(Nu 10:9).

And this view is agreeable to the text, by simply changing "and" into

"even," as the Hebrew particle is frequently rendered.

7. they slew all the males--This was in accordance with a divine order

in all such cases

(De 20:13).

But the destruction appears to have been only partial--limited to those

who were in the neighborhood of the Hebrew camp and who had been

accomplices in the villainous plot of Baal-peor

(Nu 25:1-3),

while a large portion of the Midianites were absent on their pastoral

wanderings or had saved themselves by flight. (Compare

Jud 6:1).

8. the kings of Midian--so called, because each was possessed of

absolute power within his own city or district; called also dukes or

princes of Sihon

(Jos 13:21),

having been probably subject to that Amorite ruler, as it is not

uncommon in the East to find a number of governors or pachas tributary

to one great king.

Zur--father of Cozbi

(Nu 25:15).

Balaam also . . . they slew with the sword--This unprincipled man,

on his dismissal from Balak, set out for his home in Mesopotamia

(Nu 24:25).

But, either diverging from his way to tamper with the Midianites, he

remained among them without proceeding farther, to incite them against

Israel and to watch the effects of his wicked counsel; or, learning in

his own country that the Israelites had fallen into the snare which he

had laid and which he doubted not would lead to their ruin, he had,

under the impulse of insatiable greed, returned to demand his reward

from the Midianites. He was an object of merited vengeance. In the

immense slaughter of the Midianitish people--in the capture of their

women, children, and property and in the destruction of all their

places of refuge--the severity of a righteous God fell heavily on that

base and corrupt race. But, more than all others, Balaam deserved and

got the just reward of his deeds. His conduct had been atrociously

sinful, considering the knowledge he possessed, and the revelations he

had received, of the will of God. For any one in his circumstances to

attempt defeating the prophecies he had himself been the organ of

uttering, and plotting to deprive the chosen people of the divine favor

and protection, was an act of desperate wickedness, which no language

can adequately characterize.

13. Moses, and Eleazar the priest, . . . went forth to meet them

without the camp--partly as a token of respect and congratulation on

their victory, partly to see how they had executed the Lord's commands,

and partly to prevent the defilement of the camp by the entrance of

warriors stained with blood.

14-18. And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host--The

displeasure of the great leader, though it appears the ebullition of a

fierce and sanguinary temper, arose in reality from a pious and

enlightened regard to the best interests of Israel. No order had been

given for the slaughter of the women, and in ancient war they were

commonly reserved for slaves. By their antecedent conduct, however, the

Midianitish women had forfeited all claims to mild or merciful

treatment; and the sacred character, the avowed object of the war

(Nu 31:2, 3),

made their slaughter necessary without any special order. But why "kill

every male among the little ones"? It was designed to be a war of

extermination, such as God Himself had ordered against the people of

Canaan, whom the Midianites equalled in the enormity of their

wickedness.

19-24. abide without the camp seven days: whosoever hath killed any

person . . . purify both yourselves and your captives--Though the

Israelites had taken the field in obedience to the command of God, they

had become defiled by contact with the dead. A process of purification

was to be undergone, as the law required

(Le 15:13;

Nu 19:9-12),

and this purifying ceremony was extended to dress, houses, tents, to

everything on which a dead body had lain, which had been touched by the

blood-stained hands of the Israelitish warriors, or which had been the

property of idolaters. This became a standing ordinance in all time

coming

(Le 6:28; 11:33; 15:12).

25-39. Take the sum of the prey that was taken--that is, of the

captives and cattle, which, having been first lumped together according

to ancient usage

(Ex 15:9;

Jud 5:30),

were divided into two equal parts: the one to the people at large, who

had sustained a common injury from the Midianites and who were all

liable to serve: and the other portion to the combatants, who, having

encountered the labors and perils of war, justly received the largest

share. From both parts, however, a certain deduction was taken for the

sanctuary, as a thank offering to God for preservation and for victory.

The soldiers had greatly the advantage in the distribution; for a

five-hundredth part only of their half went to the priest, while a

fiftieth part of the congregation's half was given to the Levites.

32-47. the booty, being the rest of the prey which the men of war had

caught--Some of the captives having been killed

(Nu 31:17)

and part of the cattle taken for the support of the army, the total

amount of the booty remaining was in the following proportions:

Prey

Total

Amount

Half to

Soldiers

Deducted

to God

Half to

Congregation

Deducted

to Levites

Sheep

675,000

337,500

337,500

6,750

Beeves

72,000

36,000

72

36,000

Asses

61,000

30,500

61

30,500

Persons

32,000

16,000

32

16,000

48-54. officers . . . said . . . there lacketh not one man of us--A

victory so signal, and the glory of which was untarnished by the loss

of a single Israelitish soldier, was an astonishing miracle. So clearly

betokening the direct interposition of Heaven, it might well awaken the

liveliest feelings of grateful acknowledgment to God

(Ps 44:2, 3).

The oblation they brought for the Lord "was partly an atonement" or

reparation for their error

(Nu 31:14-16),

for it could not possess any expiatory virtue, and partly a tribute of

gratitude for the stupendous service rendered them. It consisted of the

"spoil," which, being the acquisition of individual valor, was not

divided like the "prey," or livestock, each soldier retaining it in

lieu of pay; it was offered by the "captains" alone, whose pious

feelings were evinced by the dedication of the spoil which fell to

their share. There were jewels to the amount of 16,750 shekels,

equal to £87,869 16s. 5d. sterling.