Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge, by R.A. Torrey, [ca. 1880], at sacred-texts.com
Numbers Chapter 31
Overview
Num 31:1, The Midianites are spoiled, and Balaam slain; Num 31:13, Moses is wroth with the officers, for saving the women alive; Num 31:19, How the soldiers, with their captives and spoil, are to be purified; Num 31:25, The proportion in which the prey is to be divided; Num 31:48, The voluntary oblation unto the treasury of the Lord.
Avenge: Num 31:3, Num 25:17, Num 25:18; Deu 32:35; Jdg 16:24, Jdg 16:28-30; Psa 94:1-3; Isa 1:24; Nah 1:2; Luk 21:22; Rom 12:19, Rom 13:4; Th1 4:6; Heb 10:30; Rev 6:10; Rev 18:20, Rev 19:2
the Midianites: Num 25:6, Num 25:14-18; Gen 25:1-4; Exo 2:16
gathered: Num 27:13; Gen 15:15, Gen 25:8, Gen 25:17; Jdg 2:10; Act 13:36
Arm some: Exo 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 (Num 31:2), 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. Num 25:11, Num 25:13; Exo 17:16; Lev 26:25; Jdg 5:2, Jdg 5:23; Kg2 9:7, Kg2 10:30; Jer 46:10; Jer 50:28
Of every tribe a thousand: Heb. A thousand of a tribe, a thousand of a tribe
a thousand: Lev 26:8; Jdg 7:2; Sa1 14:6
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: Num 25:7-13
the holy instruments: Num 14:44, Num 33:20-22; Exo 25:9; Jos 6:4-6, Jos 6:13-15; Sa1 4:4, Sa1 4:5, Sa1 4:17, Sa1 14:18; Sa1 23:9; Sa2 11:11
to blow: Num 10:8, Num 10:9; Ch2 13:12-15
all: Deu 20:13, Deu 20:14; Jdg 21:11; Sa1 27:9; Kg1 11:15, Kg1 11:16
the males: Jdg 6:1, Jdg 6:2, Jdg 6:33
the kings: Num 22:4; Jos 13:21, Jos 13:22
Balaam: Num 22:10, Num 24:25; Jos 13:22; Psa 9:16, Psa 10:2; Ti1 6:9, Ti1 6:10; Pe2 2:15; Jde 1:11; Rev 2:14, Rev 19:20
Num 31:15, Num 31:16; Deu 20:14; Ch2 28:5, Ch2 28:8-10
Jos 6:24; Sa1 30:1; Kg1 9:16; Isa 1:7; Rev 18:8
the plains of Moab: Num 22:1
went forth: Gen 14:17; Sa1 15:12, Sa1 30:21
without the camp: Num 31:12, Num 31:22-24, Num 5:2, Num 19:11
wroth: Num 12:3; Exo 32:19, Exo 32:22; Lev 10:16; Sa1 15:13, Sa1 15:14; Kg1 20:42; Kg2 13:19; Eph 4:26
battle: Heb. host of war
Deu 2:34, Deu 20:13, Deu 20:16-18; Jos 6:21, Jos 8:25, Jos 10:40, Jos 11:14; Sa1 15:3; Psa 137:8, Psa 137:9; Jer 48:10; Eze 9:6
these caused: Num 24:14, Num 25:1-3; Pro 23:27; Ecc 7:26; Pe2 2:15; Rev 2:14
in the matter: Num 25:18; Deu 4:3; Jos 22:17
and there: Num 25:9
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?" Jdg 21:11, Jdg 21:12
him: Heb. a male
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 Deu 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." Lev 25:44; Deu 20:14, Deu 21:10-14; Ch2 28:8-10; Isa 14:2
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. Num 5:2, Num 19:11-22; Ch1 22:8
raiment: Num 19:14-16, Num 19:22; Gen 35:2; Exo 19:10
that is made: Heb. instrument, or, vessel
abide: Isa 43:2; Zac 13:9; Mal 2:2, Mal 2:3; Mat 3:11; Co1 3:13; Pe1 1:7, Pe1 4:12; Rev 3:18
it shall be purified: Num 8:7, Num 19:9, Num 19:17
ye shall make: Lev 11:32, Lev 15:17; Eph 5:26; Tit 3:5, Tit 3:6; Pe1 3:21
Num 19:19; Lev 11:25, Lev 14:9, Lev 15:13
that was taken: Heb. of the captivity, Num 31:26
two parts: Jos 22:8; Sa1 30:4, Sa1 30:24, Sa1 30:25; Psa 68:12
levy: Gen 14:20; Jos 6:19, Jos 6:24; Sa2 8:11, Sa2 8:12; Ch1 18:11, Ch1 26:26, Ch1 26:27; Pro 3:9, Pro 3:10; Isa 18:7, Isa 23:18, Isa 60:9; Mat 22:21
one soul: Num 31:30, Num 31:47, Num 18:26
an heave: Num 18:26; Exo 29:27; Deu 12:12, Deu 12:19
one portion: Num 31:42-47
flocks: or, goats
and give: Num 31:28, Num 18:24-28; Co1 9:13, Co1 9:14
keep the: Num 3:7, Num 3:8, Num 3:25, Num 3:31, Num 3:36-39, Num 18:1-5, Num 18:23; Ch1 9:27-29, Ch1 23:32, Ch1 26:20-27; Act 20:28; Co1 4:2; Col 4:17; Heb 13:17
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 (Num 31:17). 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 acknowledgment 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 (Num 31:28), 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 (Num 31:30). 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:
Offering Recipients OfferingTypes To Soldiers To God To People To Levites TotalOfferings Sheep 337,500 675 337,500 6,750 675,000 Beeves 36,000 72 36,000 720 72,000 Asses 30,500 61 30,500 610 61,000 Persons 16,000 32 16,000 320 32,000 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!
Eleazar: Num 31:29-31, Num 18:8, Num 18:19; Mat 10:10; Co1 9:10-14; Gal 6:6; Ti1 5:17; Heb 7:4-6, Heb 7:9-12
the Levites: Num 18:21-24; Deu 12:17-19; Luk 10:1-8; Th1 5:12, Th1 5:13
kept the charge: Num 31:30; Psa 134:1; Isa 56:10, Isa 56:11
charge: Heb. hand
lacketh: Sa1 30:18, Sa1 30:19; Psa 72:14; Joh 18:9
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 favour, they now offer to Jehovah the golden jewels which they had found among the spoil, to the amount of 16,750 shekels, equal to 37,869, 16s. 5d. of our money.
an oblation: Psa 107:15, Psa 107:21, Psa 107:22, Psa 116:12, Psa 116:17
gotten: Heb. found
an atonement: Exo 30:12, Exo 30:15, Exo 30:16; Lev 17:11
offering: Heb. heave-offering, Num 31:52
a memorial: Num 16:40; Exo 30:16; Jos 4:7; Psa 18:49, Psa 103:1, Psa 103:2, Psa 115:1, Psa 145:7; Zac 6:14; Luk 22:19; Act 10:4