Numbers 31:51

_AND THE OFFICERS WHICH WERE OVER THOUSANDS OF THE HOST, THE CAPTAINS OF THOUSANDS, AND CAPTAINS OF HUNDREDS, CAME NEAR UNTO MOSES:_ Officers ... said ... there lacketh not one man of us. A victory so signal, and the glory of which was untarnished by the loss of a single Israelite soldier, was an astonishing miracle; and, so clearly betokening the direct interposition of heaven, might well awaken the liveliest feelings of grateful acknowledgment to God for the preservation of "our souls" х_ `AL_ (H5921) _ NAPSHITEEYNUW_ (H5315)] - our lives (Psalms 44:2). The oblation they brought for the Lord 'was partly an atonement,' or reparation for their error (Numbers 31:14), because it could not possess

51._And Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold. _It was fitting that this should be added, lest any should suppose that Eleazar made a profit by the liberality of others. Moses, therefore, relates, that whatever gold was offered, was faithfully laid up as an ornament for the sanctuary. When it is said, “for a memorial for the children of Israel,” it may be taken either actively or passively; viz., either that the gift may be a monument of their gratitude, or that it might conciliate favor for the people in the eyes of God; as if that offering of expiation brought before God, and represented, all those who thus professed themselves to be preserved by His grace. I prefer the latter sense myself, _i.e., _that this memorial was set before His eyes, in order that God might hereafter also be favorable to His people....

48-54 The success of the Israelites had been very remarkable, so small a company overcoming such multitudes, but it was still more wonderful that not one was slain or missing. They presented the gold they found among the spoils, as an offering to the Lord. Thus they confessed, that instead of claiming a reward for their service, they needed forgiveness of much that had been amiss, and desired to be thankful for the preservation of their lives, which might justly have been taken away....

AND MOSES AND ELEAZAR THE PRIEST TOOK THE GOLD OF THEM,.... For it seems the several things before mentioned were all of gold: EVEN ALL WROUGHT JEWELS; or "vessels of work" h or wrought vessels, or instruments, "chains, bracelets", c. which were all of gold, and curiously wrought. h כלי מעשה "vas operis", Montanus....

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)....

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

WAR AGAINST MIDIAN This chapter contains an account of the fulfilment of the decree of extermination passed upon the Midianites as being the occasion of Israel's apostasy in the plains of Moab: see on Numbers 25:16....

THE OLD TESTAMENT BOOK OF NUMBERS IN THE DESERT NUMBERS _MARION ADAMS_ CHAPTER 31 *ISRAEL’S WAR AGAINST THE COUNTRY CALLED MIDIAN – NUMBERS 31:1-12 V1 The *LORD said to Moses, V2 ‘Punish the *Midianites. Punish them for what they did to *Israel. After you have done this, you will die.’ V3 Moses said to the *Israelites, ‘Prepare some of your men for a war. The *LORD wants to punish the *Midianites. V4 Each *tribe must send 1000 men to fight them in a battle.’ V5 Each