New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Numbers 31
1
The Lord spoke to Moses. He said,
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"Pay the people of Midian back for what they did to the Israelites. After that, you will join the members of your family who have already died."
Reference
3
So Moses said to the people, "Prepare some of your men for battle. They must go to war against Midian. They will carry out the Lord's plan to punish Midian.
Reference
Parallel theme
Leviticus 26:25
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Send 1,000 men from each of the tribes of Israel into battle."
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So Moses prepared 12,000 men for battle. There were 1,000 from each tribe. They came from the families of Israel.
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Moses sent them into battle. He sent 1,000 from each tribe. The priest Phinehas went along with them. Phinehas was the son of Eleazar. Phinehas took some articles from the sacred tent with him. He also took the trumpets. The trumpet blasts would tell the people what to do and when to do it.
Reference
References Moses
Numbers 14:44
7
They fought against Midian, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. They killed every man.
Reference
8
Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur and Reba were among the men they killed. Those men were the five kings of Midian. The people of Israel also killed Balaam, the son of Beor, with a sword.
Reference
People
9
They captured the women and children of Midian. They took for themselves all of the herds, flocks and goods.
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They burned up all of the towns where the people of Midian had settled. They also burned up all of their camps.
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They brought back to Israel's camp the prisoners and everything else they had taken. They took them to Moses and to the priest Eleazar. They brought them to the whole community. Israel was camped on the flatlands of Moab. They were by the Jordan River across from Jericho.
Reference
References Israel
Numbers 22:1
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Moses and the priest Eleazar went to meet them outside the camp. So did all of the leaders of the community.
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Moses was angry with the officers of the army who had returned from the battle. Some of them were the commanders of thousands of men. Others were the commanders of hundreds.
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"The women followed Balaam's advice. They caused the people of Israel to turn away from the Lord. The people worshiped the god Baal that was worshiped at Peor. So a plague struck them.
Reference
Parallel theme
2 Peter 2:15
Numbers 24:14
Proverbs 23:27
Numbers 25:18
References Israel
Revelation 2:14
References Lord
Deuteronomy 4:3
Joshua 22:17
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Kill all of the boys. And kill every woman who has made love to a man.
Reference
Parallel theme
Deuteronomy 7:2
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But save for yourselves every woman who has never made love to a man.
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"All of you who have killed anyone must stay outside the camp for seven days. And all of you who have touched anyone who was killed must do the same thing. On the third and seventh days you must make yourselves pure. You must also make your prisoners pure.
Reference
Parallel theme
Numbers 5:2
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Make all of your clothes pure and clean. Everything that is made out of leather, goat hair or wood must be made pure."
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Then the priest Eleazar spoke to the soldiers who had gone into battle. He said, "Here is what the law the Lord gave Moses requires.
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All of your gold, silver, bronze, iron, tin and lead
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must be put through fire. So must everything else that doesn't burn up. Then those things will be 'clean.' But they must also be made pure with the special water. In fact, everything that won't burn up must be put through that water.
Reference
24
On the seventh day wash your clothes. And you will be 'clean.' Then you can come into the camp."
Reference
Parallel theme
Leviticus 11:25
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The Lord spoke to Moses. He said,
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"Here is what you and the priest Eleazar and the family heads of the community must do. You must count all of the people and animals you took.
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Divide up some of what you took with the soldiers who fought in the battle. Divide up the rest with the others in the community.
Reference
Parallel theme
Joshua 22:8
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"Set apart a gift for me. Take something from the soldiers who fought in the battle. Set apart one out of every 500 people, cattle, donkeys, sheep and goats.
Reference
29
Take my gift from the soldiers' half. Give it to the priest Eleazar. It is my share.
30
"Also take something from the half that belongs to the people of Israel. Choose one out of every 50 people, cattle, donkeys, sheep, goats or other animals. Give them to the Levites. They are accountable for taking care of my holy tent."
Reference
31
So Moses and the priest Eleazar did just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
32
What the soldiers took included 675,000 sheep.
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There were also 72,000 cattle
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and 61,000 donkeys.
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And there were 32,000 women who had never made love to a man.
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Here is the half that belonged to those who had fought in the battle. There were 337,500 sheep.
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From among them, the Lord's gift was 675.
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There were 36,000 cattle. From among them, the Lord's gift was 72.
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There were 30,500 donkeys. From among them, the Lord's gift was 61.
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There were 16,000 women. From among them, the Lord's gift was 32.
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Moses gave the gift to the priest Eleazar. It was the Lord's share. Moses did just as the Lord had commanded him.
Reference
42
The other half belonged to the people of Israel. Moses set it apart from what belonged to the fighting men.
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The community's half was 337,500 sheep,
44
36,000 cattle,
45
30,500 donkeys
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and 16,000 women.
47
Moses chose one out of every 50 people and animals. He gave them to the Levites. They were accountable for taking care of the Lord's holy tent. Moses did just as the Lord had commanded him.
Reference
Temple
Numbers 31:30
48
Then the army officers went to Moses. Some of them were the commanders of thousands of men. Others were the commanders of hundreds.
49
All of them said to Moses, "We have counted the soldiers under our command. Not a single one is missing.
Reference
50
"So we've brought an offering to the Lord. We've brought the gold articles each of us took in the battle. We've also brought armbands, bracelets, rings, earrings and necklaces. We've brought them to pay for our sin in the sight of the Lord."
Reference
References Lord
Exodus 30:12
51
Moses and the priest Eleazar accepted the beautiful gold articles from the army officers.
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The gold that was received from the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds weighed 420 pounds. Moses and Eleazar offered all of it as a gift to the Lord.
53
Each soldier had taken things from the battle for himself.
Reference
Parallel theme
Deuteronomy 20:14
Summary of Numbers 31
The numbers 31 chapter narrates Israel's war against Midian and its aftermath. God commanded Moses to take vengeance on the Midianites for leading Israel astray at Peor. This would be Moses' last undertaking as God prepared to take him to his people. Moses gave precise instructions about cleansing, dividing, and dedicating the plunder.
God commanded Moses to exact vengeance on the Midianites before he would be gathered unto his people. Moses summoned the people to war and selected one thousand men from the twelve tribes of Israel, making up twelve thousand soldiers in total.
Phinehas, the son of Eleazar the priest, went forth with the troops. He bore the holy instruments and the trumpets for sounding the assemblies of the people. The priest and the holy vessels signified that Israel was not waging this war on an ad hoc basis but was answering a divine command.
The Israelites warred against Midian and slew all the males. The five kings of Midian also perished, namely, Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba. Balaam, the son of Bosor, was also killed, and the chapter draws a connection between him and the events at Peor.
The Israelites took captive the women of Midian, their children, their livestock, and their property. They set fire to the cities and villages of the Midianites and brought the plunder and captives before Moses, Eleazar, and the congregation of Israel.
Moses was furious upon hearing that the women were allowed to live, seeing it as an affront to Israel's holiness. They had been the ones to lead the Israelites astray at Peor, having followed Balaam's counsel (see Numbers 25).
Moses ordered that the males and the females who had participated in the sin be put to death. The young women were to be kept as slaves. The chapter provides exacting details about the war and is one of the harshest in all of Scripture, relating to the laws of war in the Old Testament.
Moses gave instructions regarding the ceremonial cleanness of the soldiers. They were to be unclean if they had killed or been contaminated by a dead body and should dwell outside the camp for seven days. On the third and the seventh day, the people and the captives were to purify themselves, as well as their clothing. Similar instructions applied to items that had come into contact with death.
The chapter gives precise instructions about objects taken from the enemy. Objects that withstood fire should pass through it, and other items should be cleansed with the water of separation. The soldiers were to wash their clothing on the seventh day and only then return to the camp.
After the instructions regarding cleansing, the Lord gave Moses orders concerning the division of the plunder. The Israelites had taken sheep, cattle, donkeys, and people as plunder. Moses ordered that half of the spoil should go to the soldiers that had fought the battle, and the other half should be divided among the rest of the congregation.
From the soldiers' share, one out of every five hundred persons and animals was to be allocated to the Lord as a contribution from the people. This offering was to belong to Eleazar the priest.
The division of the plunder among the congregation was to be in a similar ratio, namely, one out of every fifty. This allotment was to go to the Levites, who had ministered at the tabernacle, as their inheritance. They did not possess land like the other Israelites.
The final section of the chapter narrates the actions of the officers. Upon counting the number of Israelite soldiers that had gone to war, they discovered that not one of the twelve thousand men had perished. The officers were overwhelmed with awe and brought a guilt offering to the Lord.
The officers brought gold adornments and ornaments of silver, copper, iron, and jewels as an atonement for their souls before the Lord. The weight of the gold that the officers brought amounted to sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekels.
Moses and Eleazar received the gold offerings and brought it to the tabernacle as a memorial to the children of Israel before the Lord.
The chapter is a challenging one, for it narrates events that are connected with war, death, and captivity. It should be read in the context of the whole Bible, especially Numbers, which recounts Israel's history on its way to the promised land. The chapter presents the war as a divine judgment and not as an ideological mission. Israel was commanded by God to take vengeance on the Midianites for leading the children of Israel astray at Peor.
The chapter is also part of a wider theological context. All Israel's campaigns and experiences are framed within the covenant that God made with the children of Abraham. The Israelites were commanded to be holy because He was holy. The events at Peor had been a most grievous sin, and the war against Midian was a divine judgment.
The chapter's final significant context is the detailed instructions regarding the division of the plunder. The Israelites were not to consider the war as an end in itself. They had chivalric virtues, such as respect and courtesy toward women, but the war was part of a larger ideological and theological context. Even when conquering the lands and people of their enemies, the Israelites were to divide the plunder according to God's instructions. Moses reminds the people that they were God's covenant people, and He had promised them the land of Canaan.
Finally, the chapter provides insight into the final days of Moses. God had told him that this would be one of his last undertakings before he died. The book of Numbers moves toward its conclusion, and Moses is preparing the people for their entry into the promised land. The chapter narrates Moses' experiences as an Israelite leader, marking his final confrontation with death.
The chapter contains many themes. The most important one is that of judgment, as Israel waged war against Midian because they had been the cause of the grievous sin at Peor. The chapter touches on several other themes, including war, death, plunder, chivalry, ceremonial cleanness, and worship. It concludes with the officers bringing part of their share of the gold as an offering to the Lord. The context in which the officers brought it is most significant, as it shows that Israel was God's covenant people, and He had promised them the land of Canaan.
God commanded Moses to exact vengeance on the Midianites before he would be gathered unto his people. Moses summoned the people to war and selected one thousand men from the twelve tribes of Israel, making up twelve thousand soldiers in total.
Phinehas, the son of Eleazar the priest, went forth with the troops. He bore the holy instruments and the trumpets for sounding the assemblies of the people. The priest and the holy vessels signified that Israel was not waging this war on an ad hoc basis but was answering a divine command.
The Israelites warred against Midian and slew all the males. The five kings of Midian also perished, namely, Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba. Balaam, the son of Bosor, was also killed, and the chapter draws a connection between him and the events at Peor.
The Israelites took captive the women of Midian, their children, their livestock, and their property. They set fire to the cities and villages of the Midianites and brought the plunder and captives before Moses, Eleazar, and the congregation of Israel.
Moses was furious upon hearing that the women were allowed to live, seeing it as an affront to Israel's holiness. They had been the ones to lead the Israelites astray at Peor, having followed Balaam's counsel (see Numbers 25).
Moses ordered that the males and the females who had participated in the sin be put to death. The young women were to be kept as slaves. The chapter provides exacting details about the war and is one of the harshest in all of Scripture, relating to the laws of war in the Old Testament.
Moses gave instructions regarding the ceremonial cleanness of the soldiers. They were to be unclean if they had killed or been contaminated by a dead body and should dwell outside the camp for seven days. On the third and the seventh day, the people and the captives were to purify themselves, as well as their clothing. Similar instructions applied to items that had come into contact with death.
The chapter gives precise instructions about objects taken from the enemy. Objects that withstood fire should pass through it, and other items should be cleansed with the water of separation. The soldiers were to wash their clothing on the seventh day and only then return to the camp.
After the instructions regarding cleansing, the Lord gave Moses orders concerning the division of the plunder. The Israelites had taken sheep, cattle, donkeys, and people as plunder. Moses ordered that half of the spoil should go to the soldiers that had fought the battle, and the other half should be divided among the rest of the congregation.
From the soldiers' share, one out of every five hundred persons and animals was to be allocated to the Lord as a contribution from the people. This offering was to belong to Eleazar the priest.
The division of the plunder among the congregation was to be in a similar ratio, namely, one out of every fifty. This allotment was to go to the Levites, who had ministered at the tabernacle, as their inheritance. They did not possess land like the other Israelites.
The final section of the chapter narrates the actions of the officers. Upon counting the number of Israelite soldiers that had gone to war, they discovered that not one of the twelve thousand men had perished. The officers were overwhelmed with awe and brought a guilt offering to the Lord.
The officers brought gold adornments and ornaments of silver, copper, iron, and jewels as an atonement for their souls before the Lord. The weight of the gold that the officers brought amounted to sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekels.
Moses and Eleazar received the gold offerings and brought it to the tabernacle as a memorial to the children of Israel before the Lord.
The chapter is a challenging one, for it narrates events that are connected with war, death, and captivity. It should be read in the context of the whole Bible, especially Numbers, which recounts Israel's history on its way to the promised land. The chapter presents the war as a divine judgment and not as an ideological mission. Israel was commanded by God to take vengeance on the Midianites for leading the children of Israel astray at Peor.
The chapter is also part of a wider theological context. All Israel's campaigns and experiences are framed within the covenant that God made with the children of Abraham. The Israelites were commanded to be holy because He was holy. The events at Peor had been a most grievous sin, and the war against Midian was a divine judgment.
The chapter's final significant context is the detailed instructions regarding the division of the plunder. The Israelites were not to consider the war as an end in itself. They had chivalric virtues, such as respect and courtesy toward women, but the war was part of a larger ideological and theological context. Even when conquering the lands and people of their enemies, the Israelites were to divide the plunder according to God's instructions. Moses reminds the people that they were God's covenant people, and He had promised them the land of Canaan.
Finally, the chapter provides insight into the final days of Moses. God had told him that this would be one of his last undertakings before he died. The book of Numbers moves toward its conclusion, and Moses is preparing the people for their entry into the promised land. The chapter narrates Moses' experiences as an Israelite leader, marking his final confrontation with death.
The chapter contains many themes. The most important one is that of judgment, as Israel waged war against Midian because they had been the cause of the grievous sin at Peor. The chapter touches on several other themes, including war, death, plunder, chivalry, ceremonial cleanness, and worship. It concludes with the officers bringing part of their share of the gold as an offering to the Lord. The context in which the officers brought it is most significant, as it shows that Israel was God's covenant people, and He had promised them the land of Canaan.