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Numbers 31-32
New English Translation

The Midianite War

31 [a] The Lord spoke to Moses: 2 “Exact vengeance[b] for the Israelites from the Midianites[c]—after that you will be gathered to your people.”[d]

3 So Moses spoke to the people: “Arm[e] men from among you for the war, to attack the Midianites and to execute[f] the Lord’s vengeance on Midian. 4 You must send to the battle 1,000 men from every tribe throughout all the tribes of Israel.”[g] 5 So 1,000 from every tribe, 12,000 armed for battle in all, were provided out of the thousands of Israel.

Campaign Against the Midianites

6 So Moses sent them to the war, 1,000 from every tribe, with Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest, who was in charge[h] of the holy articles[i] and the signal trumpets. 7 They fought against the Midianites, as the Lord commanded Moses, and they killed every male.[j] 8 They killed the kings of Midian in addition to those slain—Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba—five Midianite kings.[k] They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword.[l]

9 The Israelites took the women of Midian captive along with their little ones, and took all their herds, all their flocks, and all their goods as plunder. 10 They burned[m] all their towns[n] where they lived and all their encampments. 11 They took all the plunder and all the spoils, both people and animals. 12 They brought the captives and the spoils and the plunder to Moses, to Eleazar the priest, and to the Israelite community, to the camp on the rift valley plains[o] of Moab, along the Jordan River[p] across from Jericho.[q] 13 Moses, Eleazar the priest, and all the leaders of the community went out to meet them outside the camp.

The Death of the Midianite Women

14 But Moses was furious with the officers of the army, the commanders over thousands and commanders over hundreds, who had come from service in the war. 15 Moses said to them, “Have you allowed all the women to live?[r] 16 Look, these people through the counsel of Balaam caused the Israelites to act treacherously against the Lord in the matter of Peor—which resulted in the plague among the community of the Lord! 17 Now therefore kill every boy,[s] and kill every woman who has been intimate with a man in bed.[t] 18 But all the young women[u] who have not experienced a man’s bed[v] will be yours.[w]

Purification After Battle

19 “Any of you who has killed anyone or touched any of the dead, remain outside the camp for seven days; purify yourselves and your captives on the third day, and on the seventh day. 20 You must purify each garment and everything that is made of skin, everything made of goats’ hair, and everything made of wood.”[x]

21 Then Eleazar the priest said to the men of war who had gone into the battle, “This is the ordinance of the law that the Lord commanded Moses: 22 ‘Only the gold, the silver, the bronze, the iron, the tin, and the lead, 23 everything that may stand the fire, you are to pass through the fire,[y] and it will be ceremonially clean, but it must still be purified with the water of purification. Anything that cannot withstand the fire you must pass through the water. 24 You must wash your clothes on the seventh day, and you will be ceremonially clean, and afterward you may enter the camp.’”

The Distribution of Spoils

25 Then the Lord spoke to Moses: 26 “You and Eleazar the priest, and all the family leaders of the community, take the sum[z] of the plunder that was captured, both people and animals. 27 Divide the plunder into two parts, one for those who took part in the war—who went out to battle—and the other for all the community.

28 “You must exact[aa] a tribute for the Lord from the fighting men who went out to battle: one life out of 500, from the people, the cattle, and from the donkeys and the sheep. 29 You are to take it from their half share and give it to Eleazar the priest for a raised offering to the Lord. 30 From the Israelites’ half share you are to take one portion out of fifty of the people, the cattle, the donkeys, and the sheep—from every kind of animal—and you are to give them to the Levites, who are responsible for the care of the Lord’s tabernacle.”

31 So Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the Lord commanded Moses. 32 The spoil that remained of the plunder that the fighting men[ab] had gathered[ac] was 675,000 sheep, 33 72,000 cattle, 34 61,000 donkeys, 35 and 32,000[ad] young women who had not experienced a man’s bed.[ae]

36 The half portion of those who went to war numbered 337,500 sheep; 37 the Lord’s tribute from the sheep was 675. 38 The cattle numbered[af] 36,000; the Lord’s tribute was 72. 39 The donkeys were 30,500, of which the Lord’s tribute was 61. 40 The people were 16,000, of which the Lord’s tribute was 32 people.[ag]

41 So Moses gave the tribute, which was the Lord’s raised offering, to Eleazar the priest, as the Lord commanded Moses.

42 From the Israelites’ half share that Moses had separated from the fighting men,[ah] 43 there were 337,500 sheep from the portion belonging to the community, 44 36,000 cattle, 45 30,500 donkeys, 46 and 16,000 people.

47 From the Israelites’ share Moses took one of every fifty people and animals and gave them to the Levites who were responsible for the care of the Lord’s tabernacle, just as the Lord commanded Moses.

48 Then the officers who were over the thousands of the army, the commanders over thousands and the commanders over hundreds, approached Moses 49 and said to him,[ai] “Your servants have taken a count[aj] of the men who were in the battle, who were under our authority,[ak] and not one is missing. 50 So we have brought as an offering for the Lord what each man found: gold ornaments, armlets, bracelets, signet rings, earrings, and necklaces, to make atonement for ourselves[al] before the Lord.”[am] 51 Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold from them, all of it in the form of ornaments. 52 All the gold of the offering they offered up to the Lord from the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds weighed 16,750 shekels.[an] 53 Each soldier had taken plunder for himself. 54 So Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from the commanders of thousands and commanders[ao] of hundreds and brought it into the tent of meeting as a memorial[ap] for the Israelites before the Lord.

The Petition of the Reubenites and Gadites

32 [aq] Now the Reubenites and the Gadites possessed a very large number of cattle. When they saw that the lands of Jazer and Gilead were ideal for cattle,[ar] 2 the Gadites and the Reubenites came and addressed Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the leaders of the community. They said, 3 “Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam,[as] Nebo, and Beon,[at] 4 the land that the Lord subdued[au] before the community of Israel, is ideal for cattle, and your servants have cattle.” 5 So they said, “If we have found favor in your sight,[av] let this land be given to your servants for our inheritance. Do not have us cross[aw] the Jordan River.”[ax]

Moses’ Response

6 Moses said to the Gadites and the Reubenites, “Must your brothers go to war while you[ay] remain here? 7 Why do you frustrate the intent[az] of the Israelites to cross over into the land that the Lord has given them? 8 Your fathers did the same thing when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to see the land. 9 When[ba] they went up to the Eshcol Valley and saw the land, they frustrated the intent of the Israelites so that they did not enter[bb] the land that the Lord had given[bc] them. 10 So the anger of the Lord was kindled that day, and he swore, 11 ‘Because they have not followed me wholeheartedly,[bd] not[be] one of the men twenty years old and upward[bf] who came from Egypt will see the land that I swore to give[bg] to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, 12 except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, and Joshua son of Nun, for they followed the Lord wholeheartedly.’ 13 So the Lord’s anger was kindled against the Israelites, and he made them wander in the wilderness for forty years, until all that generation that had done wickedly before[bh] the Lord was finished.[bi] 14 Now look, you are standing in your fathers’ place, a brood of sinners, to increase still further the fierce wrath of the Lord against the Israelites. 15 For if you turn away from following him, he will once again abandon[bj] them in the wilderness, and you will be the reason for their destruction.”[bk]

The Offer of the Reubenites and Gadites

16 Then they came very close to him and said, “We will build sheep folds here for our flocks and cities for our families,[bl] 17 but we will maintain ourselves in armed readiness[bm] and go before the Israelites until whenever we have brought them to their place. Our descendants will be living in fortified towns as a protection against[bn] the inhabitants of the land. 18 We will not return to our homes until every Israelite has his inheritance. 19 For we will not accept any inheritance on the other side of the Jordan River[bo] and beyond, because our inheritance has come to us on this eastern side of the Jordan.”

20 Then Moses replied,[bp] “If you will do this thing, and if you will arm yourselves for battle before the Lord, 21 and if all your armed men cross the Jordan before the Lord until he drives out his enemies from his presence 22 and the land is subdued before the Lord, then afterward you may return and be free of your obligation to the Lord and to Israel. This land will then be your possession in the Lord’s sight.

23 “But if you do not do this, then look, you will have sinned[bq] against the Lord. And know that your sin will find you out. 24 So build cities for your descendants and pens for your sheep, but do what you have said[br] you would do.”

25 So the Gadites and the Reubenites replied to Moses, “Your servants will do as my lord commands. 26 Our children, our wives, our flocks, and all our livestock will be there in the cities of Gilead, 27 but your servants will cross over, every man armed for war, to do battle in the Lord’s presence, just as my lord says.”

28 So Moses gave orders about them to Eleazar the priest, to Joshua son of Nun, and to the heads of the families of the Israelite tribes. 29 Moses said to them: “If the Gadites and the Reubenites cross the Jordan with you, each one equipped for battle in the Lord’s presence, and you conquer the land,[bs] then you must allot them the territory of Gilead as their possession. 30 But if they do not cross over with you armed, they must receive possessions among you in Canaan.” 31 Then the Gadites and the Reubenites answered, “Your servants will do what the Lord has spoken.[bt] 32 We will cross armed in the Lord’s presence into the land of Canaan, and then the possession of our inheritance that we inherit will be ours on this side of the Jordan River.”[bu]

Land Assignment

33 So Moses gave to the Gadites, the Reubenites, and to half the tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph the realm of King Sihon of the Amorites, and the realm of King Og of Bashan, the entire land with its cities and the territory surrounding them.[bv] 34 The Gadites rebuilt Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer, 35 Atroth Shophan, Jazer, Jogbehah, 36 Beth Nimrah, and Beth Haran as fortified cities, and constructed pens for their flocks. 37 The Reubenites rebuilt Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim, 38 Nebo, Baal Meon (with a change of name), and Sibmah. They renamed[bw] the cities they built.

39 The descendants of Machir son of Manasseh went to Gilead, took it, and dispossessed the Amorites who were in it. 40 So Moses gave Gilead to Machir, son of Manasseh, and he lived there.[bx] 41 Now Jair son of Manasseh went and captured their small towns and named them Havvoth Jair.[by] 42 Then Nobah went and captured Kenath and its villages and called it Nobah after his own name.

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 31:1 sn This lengthy chapter records the mobilization of the troops (vv. 1-5), the war itself (vv. 6-13), the death of the captive women (vv. 14-18), the purification of the nations (vv. 19-24), and the distribution of the spoils (vv. 25-54). For more detail, see G. W. Coats, “Moses in Midian,” JBL 92 (1973): 3-10; and W. J. Dumbrell, “Midian—a Land or a League?” VT 25 (1975): 323-37.
  2. Numbers 31:2 tn The imperative is followed by its cognate accusative to stress this vengeance. The Midianites had attempted to destroy Israel with their corrupt pagan practices, and now will be judged. The accounts indicate that the effort by Midian was calculated and evil.
  3. Numbers 31:2 sn The war was commanded by the Lord and was to be divine vengeance on the Midianites. So it was holy war. No Israelites then could take spoils in this—it was not a time for plunder and aggrandizement. It was part of the judgment of God upon those who would destroy or pervert his plan and his people.
  4. Numbers 31:2 sn This would be the last major enterprise that Moses would have to undertake. He would soon die and “be gathered to his people” as Aaron was.
  5. Numbers 31:3 tn The Niphal imperative, literally “arm yourselves,” is the call to mobilize the nation for war. It is followed by the jussive, “and they will be,” which would then be subordinated to say “that they may be.” The versions changed the verb to a Hiphil, but that is unnecessary: “arm some of yourselves.”
  6. Numbers 31:3 tn Heb “give.”
  7. Numbers 31:4 sn Some commentators argue that given the size of the nation (which they reject) the small number for the army is a sign of the unrealistic character of the story. The number is a round number, but it is also a holy war, and God would give them the victory. They are beginning to learn here, and at Jericho, and later against these Midianites under Gideon, that God does not want or need a large army in order to obtain victory.
  8. Numbers 31:6 tn The Hebrew text uses the idiom that these “were in his hand,” meaning that he had the responsibility over them.
  9. Numbers 31:6 sn It is not clear what articles from the sanctuary were included. Tg. Ps.-J. adds (interpretively) “the Urim and Thummim.”
  10. Numbers 31:7 sn Many modern biblical scholars assume that this passage is fictitious. The text says that they killed every male, but Judges accounts for the Midianites. The texts can be harmonized rather simply—they killed every Midianite who was in the battle. Midianite tribes and cities dotted the whole region, but that does not mean Israel went and killed every single one of them. There apparently was a core of Midianites whom Balaam had influenced to pervert Israel.
  11. Numbers 31:8 sn Here again we see that there was no unified empire, but Midianite tribal groups.
  12. Numbers 31:8 sn And what was Balaam doing among the Midianites? The implication is strong. This pagan diviner had to submit to the revealed will of God in the oracles, but he nonetheless could be hired. He had been a part of the attempt to destroy Israel that failed; he then apparently became part of the plan, if not the adviser, to destroy them with sexual immorality and pagan ritual.
  13. Numbers 31:10 tn Heb “burned with fire.”
  14. Numbers 31:10 tn The ban applied to the encampments and forts of this group of Midianite tribes living in the region of Moab.
  15. Numbers 31:12 sn This is the area of the rift valley basin to the north of the Dead Sea and east of the Jordan. See the note at Num 21:1.
  16. Numbers 31:12 tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
  17. Numbers 31:12 tn Again this expression, “the Jordan of Jericho,” is used. It describes the intended location along the Jordan River, the Jordan next to or across from Jericho.
  18. Numbers 31:15 tn The verb is the Piel perfect of the word חָיָה (khayah, “to live”). In the Piel stem it must here mean “preserve alive,” or “allow to live,” rather than make alive.
  19. Numbers 31:17 tn Heb “every male among the little ones.”sn The command in holy war to kill women and children seems in modern times a terrible thing to do (and it was), and something they ought not to have done. But this criticism fails to understand the situation in the ancient world. The entire life of the ancient world was tribal warfare. God’s judgment is poured out on whole groups of people who act with moral abandonment and in sinful pursuits. See E. J. Young, My Servants, the Prophets, 24; and J. W. Wenham, The Enigma of Evil.
  20. Numbers 31:17 tn Heb “every woman, who is a knower of a man by the bed of a male.”
  21. Numbers 31:18 tn Or “girls.” The Hebrew indicates they would be female children, making the selection easy.
  22. Numbers 31:18 tn Heb “who have not known a man’s bed.” The verb יָדָע (yadaʿ) “to know,” “be intimate with,” is used as a euphemism for sexual relations.
  23. Numbers 31:18 sn Many contemporary scholars see this story as fictitious, composed by the Jews during the captivity. According to this interpretation, the spoils of war here indicate the wealth of the Jews in captivity, which was to be given to the Levites and priests for the restoration of the sanctuary in Jerusalem. The conclusion drawn from this interpretation is that returning Jews had the same problem as the earlier ones: to gain a foothold in the land. Against this interpretation of the account is a lack of hard evidence, a lack which makes this interpretation appear contrived and subjective. If this was the intent of a later writer, he surely could have stated this more clearly than by making up such a story.
  24. Numbers 31:20 sn These verses are a reminder that taking a life, even if justified through holy war, still separates one from the holiness of God. It is part of the violation of the fallen world, and only through the ritual of purification can one be once again made fit for the presence of the Lord.
  25. Numbers 31:23 sn Purification by fire is unique to this event. Making these metallic objects “pass through the fire” was not only a way of purifying (burning off impurities), but it seems to be a dedicatory rite as well to the Lord and his people. The aspect of passing through the fire is one used by these pagans for child sacrifice.
  26. Numbers 31:26 tn The idiom here is “take up the head,” meaning take a census, or count the totals.
  27. Numbers 31:28 tn The verb is the Hiphil, “you shall cause to be taken up.” The perfect with vav (ו) continues the sequence of the instructions. This raised offering was to be a tax of one-fifth of one percent for the Lord.
  28. Numbers 31:32 tn Heb “people.”
  29. Numbers 31:32 tn Heb “had plundered.”
  30. Numbers 31:35 sn Here again we encounter one of the difficulties of the book, the use of the large numbers. Only 12,000 soldiers fought the Midianites, but they brought back this amount of plunder, including 32,000 girls. Until a solution for numbers in the book can be found, or the current translation confirmed, one must remain cautious in interpretation.
  31. Numbers 31:35 tn Heb “who have not known a man’s bed.” The verb יָדָע (yadaʿ) “to know,” “be intimate with,” is used as a euphemism for sexual relations.
  32. Numbers 31:38 tn The word “numbered” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
  33. Numbers 31:40 tn Heb “soul.”
  34. Numbers 31:42 tn Heb “the men who were fighting.”
  35. Numbers 31:49 tn Heb “to Moses”; the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“him”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  36. Numbers 31:49 tn Heb “lifted up the head.”
  37. Numbers 31:49 tn Heb “in our hand.”
  38. Numbers 31:50 tn Heb “our souls.”
  39. Numbers 31:50 sn The expression here may include the idea of finding protection from divine wrath, which is so common to Leviticus, but it may also be a thank offering for the fact that their lives had been spared.
  40. Numbers 31:52 sn Or about 420 imperial pounds.
  41. Numbers 31:54 tn The Hebrew text does not repeat the word “commanders” here, but it is implied.
  42. Numbers 31:54 tn The purpose of the offering was to remind the Lord to remember Israel. But it would also be an encouragement for Israel as they remembered the great victory.
  43. Numbers 32:1 sn While the tribes are on the other side of Jordan, the matter of which tribes would settle there has to be discussed. This chapter begins the settlement of Israel into the tribal territories, something to be continued in Joshua. The chapter has the petitions (vv. 1-5), the response by Moses (vv. 6-15), the proposal (vv. 16-27), and the conclusion of the matter (vv. 28-42). For literature on this subject, both critical and conservative, see S. E. Loewenstein, “The Relation of the Settlement of Gad and Reuben in Numbers 32:1-38, Its Background and Its Composition,” Tarbiz 42 (1972): 12-26; J. Mauchline, “Gilead and Gilgal, Some Reflections on the Israelite Occupation of Palestine,” VT 6 (1956): 19-33; and A. Bergmann, “The Israelite Tribe of Half-Manasseh,” JPOS 16 (1936): 224-54.
  44. Numbers 32:1 tn Heb “the place was a place of/for cattle.”
  45. Numbers 32:3 tc Smr and the LXX have Sibmah. Cf. v. 38.
  46. Numbers 32:3 tn Cf. Baal Meon in v. 38.
  47. Numbers 32:4 tn The verb is the Hiphil perfect of נָכָה (nakhah), a term that can mean “smite, strike, attack, destroy.”
  48. Numbers 32:5 tn Heb “eyes.”
  49. Numbers 32:5 tn The verb is the Hiphil jussive from עָבַר (ʿavar, “to cross over”). The idea of “cause to cross” or “make us cross” might be too harsh, but “take across” with the rest of the nation is what they are trying to avoid.
  50. Numbers 32:5 tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
  51. Numbers 32:6 tn The vav (ו) is a vav disjunctive prefixed to the pronoun; it fits best here as a circumstantial clause, “while you stay here.”
  52. Numbers 32:7 tn Heb “heart.” So also in v. 9.
  53. Numbers 32:9 tn The preterite with vav (ו) consecutive is here subordinated to the parallel yet chronologically later verb in the next clause.
  54. Numbers 32:9 tn The infinitive construct here with ל (lamed) is functioning as a result clause.
  55. Numbers 32:9 tn The Lord had not given it yet, but was going to give it. Hence, the perfect should be classified as a perfect of resolve.
  56. Numbers 32:11 tn The clause is difficult; it means essentially that “they have not made full [their coming] after” the Lord.
  57. Numbers 32:11 tn The sentence begins with “if they see….” This is the normal way for Hebrew to express a negative oath—“they will by no means see….” The sentence is elliptical; it is saying something like “[May God do so to me] if they see,” meaning they won’t see. Of course here God is taking the oath, which is an anthropomorphic act. He does not need to take an oath, and certainly could not swear by anyone greater, but it communicates to people his resolve.
  58. Numbers 32:11 tc The LXX adds “those knowing bad and good.”
  59. Numbers 32:11 tn The words “to give” are not in the Hebrew text but have been supplied in the translation for clarity.
  60. Numbers 32:13 tn Heb “in the eyes of.”
  61. Numbers 32:13 tn The verb is difficult to translate, since it has the idea of “complete, finish” (תָּמָם, tamam). It could be translated “consumed” in this passage (so KJV, ASV); NASB “was destroyed.”
  62. Numbers 32:15 tn The construction uses a verbal hendiadys with the verb “to add” serving to modify the main verb.
  63. Numbers 32:15 tn Heb “and you will destroy all this people.”
  64. Numbers 32:16 tn Heb “our little ones.”
  65. Numbers 32:17 tn The MT has חֻשִׁים (khushim); the verbal root is חוּשׁ (khush, “to make haste” or “hurry”). But in light of the Greek and Latin Vulgate the Hebrew should probably be emended to חֲמֻשִׁים (hamushim), a qal passive participle meaning “in battle array.” See further BDB 301 s.v. I חוּשׁ, BDB 332 s.v. חֲמֻשִׁים; HALOT 300 s.v. I חושׁ, חישׁ; HALOT 331 s.v. I חמשׁ.
  66. Numbers 32:17 tn Heb “from before.”
  67. Numbers 32:19 tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
  68. Numbers 32:20 tn Heb “said to them.”
  69. Numbers 32:23 tn The nuance of the perfect tense here has to be the future perfect.
  70. Numbers 32:24 tn Heb “that which goes out/has gone out of your mouth.”
  71. Numbers 32:29 tn Heb “and the land is subdued before you.”
  72. Numbers 32:31 tn Heb “that which the Lord has spoken to your servants, thus we will do.”
  73. Numbers 32:32 tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
  74. Numbers 32:33 tn Heb “the land with its cities in the borders of the cities of the land all around.”
  75. Numbers 32:38 tn Heb “called names.”
  76. Numbers 32:40 tn Heb “in it.”
  77. Numbers 32:41 sn Havvoth Jair. The Hebrew name means “villages of Jair.”
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