Numbers 31:32

_AND THE BOOTY, BEING THE REST OF THE PREY WHICH THE MEN OF WAR HAD CAUGHT, WAS SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND AND SEVENTY THOUSAND AND FIVE THOUSAND SHEEP,_ The booty, being the rest of the prey. Some of the captives having been killed (Numbers 31:17), and find part of the cattle taken for the support of the army, the total amount of the booty remaining was in the following proportions: Sheep, 675,000: half to soldiers, 337,500; deducted to God, 675: half to congregation, 337,500; deducted to the Levites, 6,750. Beeves, 72,000: half to soldiers, 36,000; deducted to God, 72: half to congregation, 36,000; deducted to the Levites, 720. Asses, 61,000: half to soldiers, 30,500; deducted to God, 61: half to congregation, 30,500; deducted to the Levites, 610. Persons, 32,000: half to soldiers, 16,000; deducted to God, 32: half to congregation, 16,000; deducted to the Levites, 320....

25-47 Whatever we have, God justly claims a part. Out of the people's share God required one in fifty, but out of the soldiers' share only one in five hundred. The less opportunity we have of honouring God with personal services, the more should we give in money or value....

Verse Numbers 31:32. _THE BOOTY_] It appears from the enumeration here that the Israelites, in this war against the Midianites, took 32,000 female prisoners, 61,000 asses, 72,000 beeves, 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, Numbers 31:17. And it does not appear that in this expedition, a single man of Israel fell! This was naturally to be expected, because the battle was the Lord's, Numbers 31:49. As the booty was divided into two equal parts, Numbers 31:22, one for the s

Compare Numbers 31:11, and render “And the prey” (i. e., the live prey) “in addition to the spoil which the men of war seized, etc.” The “spoil” is described in Numbers 31:50. The number of sheep, beeves, asses, and persons taken is given in this and following verses in round thousands. Hence, the Lord’s tribute (Numbers 31:29, Numbers 31:37, etc.), being the 500th part of the half, comes out also in round numbers. The enormous amount both of live stock and of personal ornament was characteristic of the Midianites. When they invaded Israel in the days of the Judges, their

Ver. 32-47. AND THE BOOTY, BEING THE REST OF THE PREY WHICH THE MEN OF WAR HAD CAUGHT,.... The remainder of it, besides what they had eaten in their return from the war, and during their seven days' stay without the camp: from hence to the end of Numbers 31:47 is only an account of the prey or booty taken, which in general were 675,000 sheep, 72,000 beeves or oxen, 61,000 asses, and 32,000 females who had never known man; the half out of these, which fell to the share of the soldiers, were 337,500 sheep, 36,000 beeves or oxen, 30,500 asses, and 16,000 females, out of which were given as an heave offering to the Lord six hundred and seventy five sheep, seventy two beeves or oxen, sixty one asses, and thirty two women: the half divided unto the children of Israel consisted of 337,500 sheep, 36,000 beeves or oxen, 30,500 asses, and 16,000 women, out of which one in fifty, both of women and...

7. THE WAR AGAINST THE MIDIANITES CHAPTER 31 _ 1. The command to fight Midian (Numbers 31:1)_ 2. The war (Numbers 31:7) 3. The cleansing (Numbers 31:13) 4. The spoil taken (Numbers 31:25) 5. The oblation of the officers (Numbers 31:48) War is commanded next by the Lord. The Lord said to Moses, “Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites; afterward shalt thou be gathered to thy people.” This is, therefore, the last thing in the official life of Moses. This war against Midian had been com

THE DIVISION OF THE BOOTY. The principle of equal division between those who went forth to fight, and those who remained in the camp was observed by David (1 Samuel 30:22), who seems to have been the first to establish such a rule. The tax of ⅟? 500 of the combatants'share for the priests and of ⅟? 50 of the residue for the Levites is not elsewhere mentioned. NUMBERS 31:50. ANKLE CHAINS: the use of these made the steps of the wearers short and tripping (Isaiah 3:16 *, Isaiah 3:20). But some translate bracelets (_cf._ 2 Samuel 1:10),

_The apportionment of the spoil_. Those who fought and those who remained behind were to receive equal shares. This was an ancient custom, which was traced to the action of David (1 Samuel 30:24 f.). But before the appropriation by individuals, a religious tax was to be paid. The fighters were to pay from their share 1/500th to the priests, and the others 1/50th to the Levites. Such a tax is not mentioned elsewhere in the O.T., but perhaps, like the foregoing regulation, it had an ancient custom behind it. Mohammed, whose religion was ultimately based on the O.T., enjoined a similar tax of 1/5th (_Koran_viii. 42, cited by Gray)....

AND THE BOOTY, BEING THE REST, &C.— Hence it appears, that Midian must have been an extremely populous and fertile country; for the sum total of the divided booty was as in the following table, wherein the reader will see, at one view, what portion fell to the share of the soldiers, the congregation, the Levites, and the LORD. Sheep, 675,000 {To the soldiers, 337,500} To the Lord from the soldiers, 675 {To the people, 337,500} To the Levites from the people, 6750 Beeves, 72,000 {To the soldiers, 36,000} To the Lord from the soldiers, 72 {To the people, 36,000} To the Levites from the people, 720 Asses, 61,000 {To the soldiers, 30,500} To the Lord from the soldiers, 61 {To the people, 30,500} To the Levites from the people, 610 Persons, 32,000 {To the soldiers, 16,000} To the Lord from the soldiers, 32 {To the people, 16,000} To the Levites from the people, 320 To this must be add...

D. DIVISION OF THE BOOTY vv. 25-54 TEXT Numbers 31:25. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 26. Take the sum of the prey that was taken, both of man and of beast, thou, and Eleazar the priest, and the chief fathers of the congregation: 27. And divide the prey into two parts; between them that took the war upon them, who went out to battle, and between all the congregation. 28. And levy a tribute unto the Lord of the men of war which went out to battle: one soul of five hundred, both of the persons, and of the beeves, and of the asses, and of the sheep: 29. Take it of their half, and give it unto Eleazar the priest, for a heave offering of the Lord. 30. And of the children of Israel's half, thou shalt take one portion of fifty, of the persons, of the beeves, of the asses, and of the flocks, of all manner of beasts, and given them unto the Levites, Which keep the charge of the tabe