TSK - NUMBERS 31

  1  The Midianites are spoiled, and Balaam slain.
13  Moses is wroth with the officers, for saving the women
    alive.
19  How the soldiers, with their captives and spoil, are to be
    purified.
25  The proportion in which the prey is to be divided.
48  The voluntary oblation unto the treasury of the Lord.


VERSE 1
   * :1


VERSE 2 
 - Avenge.
   * :3; 25:17,18 De 32:35 Jud 16:24,28-30 Ps 94:1-3 Isa 1:24
   * Na 1:2 Lu 21:22 Ro 12:19; 13:4 1Th 4:6 Heb 10:30 Re 6:10
   * Re 18:20; 19:2
- the Midianites.
   * Nu 25:6,14-18 Ge 25:1-4 Ex 2:16
- gathered.
   * Nu 27:13 Ge 15:15; 25:8,17 Jud 2:10 Ac 13:36


VERSE 3 
 - Arm some.
   * Ex 17:9-13
- avenge the Lord.
  It was God's quarrel, not their own, that they were now to
  take up.  These people were idolaters, and had seduced the
  Israelites to practise the same abominations.  Idolatry is an
  offence against God; and the civil power has no authority to
  meddle with what belongs to Him, without especial directions,
  certified, as in this case, in the most unequivocal manner.
  Private revenge, ambition, or avarice were to have no place in
  this business:  Jehovah is to be avenged; and through Him, the
  children of Israel, (ver. 2,) because they were nearly ruined
  by their idolatries.  If Jehovah, instead of punishing sinners
  by earthquakes, pestilence, or famine,is pleased expressly to
  command any person or people to avenge his cause, this
  commission justifies, nay sanctifies, war, massacre, or
  devastation.  Though none at present shew such a commission,
  yet the Israelites could; and it is therefore absurd to
  censure Moses, Joshua, and Israel, for the dreadful slaughter
  made by them.  God himself passed sentence of condemnation,
  and employed them merely as ministers of his vengeance; and
  unless it could be proved that the criminals did not deserve
  their doom, or that God had no right to punish his rebellious
  creatures, such objectors only shew their enmity to God by
  becoming the unsolicited advocates of his enemies.

   * Nu 25:11,13 Ex 17:16 Le 26:25 Jud 5:2,23 2Ki 9:7; 10:30 Jer 46:10
   * Jer 50:28


VERSE 4 
 - Of every tribe a thousand.  Heb. A thousand of a tribe, a
  thousand of a tribe.  a thousand.
   * Le 26:8 Jud 7:2 1Sa 14:6

VERSE 5


VERSE 6 
 - a thousand.
  Twelve thousand in all--a small number in proportion to all
  Israel, or to the forces which they had to encounter.  As they
  were under the conduct of captains of thousands and hundreds,
  they probably had no general; for Phinehas seems to have
  accompanied them simply to take charge of "the holy
  instruments;" probably the ark and silver trumpets.

- Phinehas.
   * Nu 25:7-13
- the holy instruments.
   * Nu 14:44; 33:20-22 Ex 25:9 Jos 6:4-6,13-15 1Sa 4:4,5,17; 14:18
   * 1Sa 23:9 2Sa 11:11
- to blow.
   * Nu 10:8,9 2Ch 13:12-15


VERSE 7 
 - all.
   * De 20:13,14 Jud 21:11 1Sa 27:9 1Ki 11:15,16
- the males.
   * Jud 6:1,2,33


VERSE 8 
 - the kings.
   * Nu 22:4 Jos 13:21,22
- Zur.
   * Nu 25:15,18
- Balaam.
   * Nu 22:10; 24:25 Jos 13:22 Ps 9:16; 10:2 1Ti 6:9,10 2Pe 2:15
   * Jude 1:11 Re 2:14; 19:20

VERSE 9
    * :15,16 De 20:14 2Ch 28:5,8-10

VERSE 10
    * Jos 6:24 1Sa 30:1 1Ki 9:16 Isa 1:7 Re 18:8

VERSE 11
    * De 20:14 Jos 8:2


VERSE 12 
 - the plains of Moab.  See on ch.
   * Nu 22:1


VERSE 13 
 - went forth.
   * Ge 14:17 1Sa 15:12; 30:21
- without the camp.
   * :12,22-24; 5:2; 19:11


VERSE 14 
 - wroth.
   * Nu 12:3 Ex 32:19,22 Le 10:16 1Sa 15:13,14 1Ki 20:42 2Ki 13:19
   * Eph 4:26
- battle.  Heb. host of war.

VERSE 15
    * De 2:34; 20:13,16-18 Jos 6:21; 8:25; 10:40; 11:14 1Sa 15:3
   * Ps 137:8,9 Jer 48:10 Eze 9:6


VERSE 16 
 - these caused.
   * Nu 24:14; 25:1-3 Pr 23:27 Ec 7:26 2Pe 2:15 Re 2:14
- in the matter.
   * Nu 25:18 De 4:3 Jos 22:17
- and there.
   * Nu 25:9


VERSE 17 
 - kill every male.
  The sword of war should spare women and children, as incapable
  of resisting; but the sword of justice knows no distinction,
  except that of guilty or not guilty, or more or less guilty.
  This was the execution of a righteous sentence upon a guilty
  nation, in which the women were the greatest criminals; and it
  may safely be said, that their lives were forfeited by their
  personal transgressions.  With respect to the execution of the
  male infants, who cannot be supposed to have been guilty, God,
  the author and supporter of life, who has a right to dispose
  of it when and how he thinks proper, commanded it; and "shall
  not the Judge of all the earth do right?"

   * Jud 21:11,12
- him.  Heb. a male.


VERSE 18 
 - keep alive for yourselves.
  It has been groundlessly asserted, that Moses here authorised
  the Israelites to make concubines of the whole number of
  female children; and an insidious objection against his
  writings has been grounded upon this monstrous supposition.
  But the whole tenor of the law, and especially a statute
  recorded in De 21:10-14, proves most decisively to the
  contrary.  They were merely permitted to possess them as
  female slaves, educating them in their families, and employing
  them as domestics; for the laws concerning fornication,
  concubinage, and marriage, were in full force, and prohibited
  an Israelite even from marrying a captive, without delays and
  previous formalities; and if he afterwards divorced her, he
  was to set here at liberty, "because he had humbled her."

   * Le 25:44 De 20:14; 21:10-14 2Ch 28:8-10 Isa 14:2


VERSE 19 
 - abide.
  Though the Israelites had acted by the commission of God, yet
  they had contracted pollution by touching the dead; and the
  spoil having been used by idolaters, must also be purified in
  the prescribed manner.

   * Nu 5:2; 19:11-22 1Ch 22:8


VERSE 20 
 - raiment.
   * Nu 19:14-16,22 Ge 35:2 Ex 19:10
- that is made.  Heb. instrument, or, vessel.


VERSE 21 
 - See on ch.
   * Nu 30:16

VERSE 22


VERSE 23 
 - abide.
   * Isa 43:2 Zec 13:9 Mal 2:2,3 Mt 3:11 1Co 3:13 1Pe 1:7; 4:12
   * Re 3:18
- it shall be purified.
   * Nu 8:7; 19:9,17
- ye shall make.
   * Le 11:32; 15:17 Eph 5:26 Tit 3:5,6 1Pe 3:21

VERSE 24
    * Nu 19:19 Le 11:25; 14:9; 15:13

VERSE 25


VERSE 26 
 - that was taken.  Heb. of the captivity.
   * :26


VERSE 27 
 - two parts.
   * Jos 22:8 1Sa 30:4,24,25 Ps 68:12


VERSE 28 
 - levy.
   * Ge 14:20 Jos 6:19,24 2Sa 8:11,12 1Ch 18:11; 26:26,27 Pr 3:9,10
   * Isa 18:7; 23:18; 60:9 Mt 22:21
- one soul.
   * :30,47; 18:26


VERSE 29 
 - an heave.
   * Nu 18:26 Ex 29:27 De 12:12,19


VERSE 30 
 - one portion.  See ver.
   * :42-47
- flocks, or, goats.  and give.
   * :28; 18:24-28 1Co 9:13,14
- keep the.
   * Nu 3:7,8,25,31,36-39; 18:1-5,23 1Ch 9:27-29; 23:32; 26:20-27
   * Ac 20:28 1Co 4:2 Col 4:17 Heb 13:17

VERSE 31


VERSE 32 
 - the booty.
  It appears from the enumeration here, that the Israelites, in
  this war with the Midianites, took 32,000 female prisoners,
  61,000 asses, 72,000 beeves, and 675,000 sheep and small
  cattle; besides the immense number of males who fell in
  battle, and the women and children who were slain by the
  divine command.  (ver. 17.)  This booty was divided into equal
  parts, by which partition a far larger share was justly given
  to the warriors employed on the expedition, who were only
  12,000, than to those, who being equally willing to go, were
  ordered to stay in the camp.  Each party was to give a certain
  proportion to Jehovah, as their sovereign, in grateful
  acknowledgement that to him they owed their success.  The
  soldiers to give to the Lord one out of every five hundred
  persons, beeves, asses, and sheep, (ver. 28,) and the people,
  who by staying at home risked nothing, and had no fatigue,
  were to give one out of fifty of each of the above to the
  Levites, who were far more numerous than the priests.  (ver.
  30.)  The booty, its division among the soldiers and people,
  and the proportion given by each to the Lord and to the
  Levites, will be seen at one view by the following table:--

                Sheep . . . . 675,000
                       To soldiers . . . 337,500
                       To God. . . . . .     675
                       To people . . . . 337,500
                       To Levites. . . .   6,750

                Beeves. . . .  72,000
                       To soldiers . . .  36,000
                       To God. . . . . .      72
                       To people . . . .  36,000
                       To Levites. . . .     720

                Asses . . . .  61,000
                       To soldiers . . .  30,500
                       To God. . . . . .      61
                       To people . . . .  30,500
                       To Levites. . . .     610

                Persons . . .  32,000
                       To soldiers . . . 16,000
                       To God. . . . . .     32
                       To people . . . . 16,000
                       To Levites. . . .    320

  It does not appear that a single ox, sheep, or ass, was
  required by Moses as his portion; or that there was any given
  to him by the people; and though he had a family as well as
  others, yet no provision was made for them above the common
  lot of Levites!

   * :32

VERSE 33
    * :33

VERSE 34
    * :34

VERSE 35
    * :35

VERSE 36
    * :36

VERSE 37
    * :37

VERSE 38
    * :38

VERSE 39
    * :39

VERSE 40


VERSE 41 
 - Eleazar.
   * :29-31; 18:8,19 Mt 10:10 1Co 9:10-14 Ga 6:6 1Ti 5:17
   * Heb 7:4-6,9-12

VERSE 42
    * :42

VERSE 43
    * :43

VERSE 44
    * :44

VERSE 45
    * :45

VERSE 46


VERSE 47 
 - the Levites.
   * Nu 18:21-24 De 12:17-19 Lu 10:1-8 1Th 5:12,13
- kept the charge.  See on ver.
   * :30 Ps 134:1 Isa 56:10,11

VERSE 48


VERSE 49 
 - charge.  Heb. hand.  lacketh.
   * 1Sa 30:18,19 Ps 72:14 Joh 18:9


VERSE 50 
 - therefore brought.
  The officers of the army having mustered their men, found they
  had not lost a man in the contest with Midian!  Penetrated
  with gratitude for this most remarkable interposition of
  Providence in their favor, they now offer to Jehovah the
  golden jewels which they had found among the spoil, to the
  amount of 16,750 shekels, equal to œ37,869 16s.  5d. of our
  money.

- an oblation.
   * Ps 107:15,21,22; 116:12,17
- gotten.  Heb. found.  an atonement.
   * Ex 30:12,15,16 Le 17:11

VERSE 51
    * Nu 7:2-6


VERSE 52 
 - offering.  Heb. heave-offering.
   * :52

VERSE 53
    * De 20:14


VERSE 54 
 - a memorial.
   * Nu 16:40 Ex 30:16 Jos 4:7 Ps 18:49; 103:1,2; 115:1; 145:7 Zec 6:14
   * Lu 22:19 Ac 10:4



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