Numbers 31:6

_AND MOSES SENT THEM TO THE WAR, A THOUSAND OF EVERY TRIBE, THEM AND PHINEHAS THE SON OF ELEAZAR THE PRIEST, TO THE WAR, WITH THE HOLY INSTRUMENTS, AND THE TRUMPETS TO BLOW IN HIS HAND._ MOSES SENT THEM ... AND PHINEAS THE SON OF ELEAZAR THE PRIEST. Although it is not expressly mentioned, it is highly probable that Joshua was the general who conducted this war. The presence of the priest, who was always with the army (Deuteronomy 20:2), was necessary to preside over the Levites who accompanied the expedition, and to inflame the courage of the combatants by his sacred services and counsels. HOLY INSTRUMENTS. Since neither the ark nor the Urim and Thummim were carried to the battlefield until a later period in the history of Israel, the "holy instruments" must mean the "trumpets" (N

1-6 All who, without commission from God, dare to execute private revenge, and who, from ambition, covetousness, or resentment, wage war and desolate kingdoms, must one day answer for it. But if God, instead of sending an earthquake, a pestilence, or a famine, be pleased to authorize and command any people to avenge his cause, such a commission surely is just and right. The Israelites could show such a commission, though no persons now can do so. Their wars were begun and carried on expressly by Divine direction, and they were enabled to conquer by miracles. Unless it can be proved that the wicked Canaanites did not deserve their doom, objectors only prove their dislike to God, and their love to his enemies. Man makes light of the evil of sin, but God abhors it. This explains the terrible executions of the nations which had filled the measure of their sins....

Verse Numbers 31:6. _A THOUSAND OF EVERY TRIBE_] Twelve thousand men in the whole. _And Phinehas, the son of Eleazar_; some think he was made general in this expedition, but this is not likely. The ark and its contents must proceed to this battle, because the battle was the Lord's, and he dwelt between the cherubim over the ark; and _Phinehas_, who had before got a grant in the eternal priesthood, was chosen to accompany the ark in place of his father _Eleazar_, who was probably now too far advanced in years to undergo the fatigue. Who then was general? _Joshua_, without doubt, though not here mentioned, because the battle being the Lord's, he alone is to have the supreme direction, and all the glory. Besides, it was an extraordinary war, and not conducted on the common principle, for we do not find that peace was offered to the Midianites, and that they refused...

PHINEHAS - He was marked out as the fitting director of the expedition by his conduct (compare Numbers 25:7) in the matter of Zimri and Cozbi. WITH THE HOLY INSTRUMENTS, AND THE TRUMPETS - Or rather, “with the holy instruments, to wit, the trumpets,” for the trumpets themselves seem to be the instruments intended....

AND MOSES SENT THEM TO THE WAR,.... Being mustered and armed: A THOUSAND OF [EVERY] TRIBE, THEM AND PHINEHAS THE SON OF ELEAZAR THE PRIEST TO THE WAR; which looks as if Phinehas was the general of this army; for Moses went not to the war, and no mention is made of Joshua, nor might it be proper for him, he being the successor of Moses, who was quickly to die; but it seems rather that there was no one person that had the command of the whole, but every captain commanded his own company; since, when Moses met them, and was angry with them for sparing the women, he does not address anyone as the chief commander, but all the officers, Numbers 31:14, however, it was very proper and prudent to send Phinehas with them, both on account of his office as a priest, to encourage the people, and because of his extraordinary zeal against the Midianites for what they had done, as appea

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 EXTERMINATION OF THE MIDIANITES. This story of a war of extermination, waged to avenge the wiles practised on Israel by Midian (as described in Numbers 25:6) is marked by various fanciful elements, such as (_a)_ the huge number massacred (for if the girls and unmarried women amounted to 32,000, the married women and the males of all ages must have been three times as many); (_b)_ the vast quantity of spoil taken; (_c_) the complete immunity of the Israelite force from all loss of life. If any war with Midian occurred at this time, it certainly did not result in the extermination of the people, who were a powerful tribe in the period of the Judges (Judges 6). The real object of the story (whether it has any basis in fact or not) is to illustrate by means of an ostensibly historical occurrence the laws relating to purification, and the division of booty taken in war....

PHINEHAS. Compare Numbers 25:7. INSTRUMENTS. vessels. TRUMPETS. alarm trumpets, which were also prayer trumpets. Compare Numbers 10:9; Numbers 10:10....

_The utter destruction of every Midianite_, with the exception of the virgins who are to be kept as spoil....

OF EVERY TRIBE A THOUSAND— Six thousand of the Midianites taken prisoners in the war (see the following verses) give us a sufficient proof of the strength of that nation, and that the laws of prudence required a numerous army to attack them; but a people favoured by heaven, and led on by the God of hosts, had a method of fighting superior to all human prudence. It pleased God, that Moses should command but a small army in this expedition, that the victory might appear owing to him, and not to man. A body of twelve thousand men was sent against Midian, (Numbers 31:5.) being a detachment of one thousand out of every tribe. Phinehas (Numbers 31:6.) was probably their general; at least, the words of Moses seem to suggest this opinion. Besides, the commission of revenging the injury done to the Israelites could not