Numbers-Chapter-31
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“Ye shall NOT ADD TO
THE WORD which I command you, NEITHER SHALL
YE DIMINISH FROM IT, that ye may keep the commandments of יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloleichem, which I command you”. Davarim -
Deuteronomy 4:2. (JPS-1917).
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“Numbers Chapter 31”
With Rabbi,
Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
Introduction
This chapter addresses the collective responsibility
of the nation, acting against Midian to avenge the
incident at Baal-peor. It emphasizes the need for
spiritual rectification, the strict adherence to Divine law during conflict,
and the purification required of the warriors.
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Let us read Numbers Chapter
31, verses 1 to 54: (JPS-1917 version of the
Torah). Below this chapter you will find my commentary for this study.
1 “And יְהוָה - the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 2 ‘Avenge
the children of Israel
of the Midianites; afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people’. 3 And Moses spoke unto the people, saying: ‘Arm ye men from among you for the war, that they may go against Midian, to execute יְהוָה - the LORD’s vengeance on Midian. 4 Of every tribe a
thousand, throughout all the tribes of Israel, shall ye send to the war’. 5 So there were
delivered, out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand of every tribe,
twelve thousand armed for war. 6 And Moses sent
them, a thousand of every tribe, to the war, them and Phinehas
the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the
holy vessels and the trumpets for the alarm in his hand. 7 And
they warred against Midian, as יְהוָה - the LORD commanded Moses; and they slew every male. 8 And
they slew the kings of Midian with the rest of their
slain: Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, the five
kings of Midian; Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword. 9 And
the children of Israel
took captive the women of Midian and their little
ones; and all their cattle, and all their flocks, and all their goods, they
took for a prey. 10 And all their cities in the
places wherein they dwelt, and all their encampments, they burnt with
fire. 11 And they took all the spoil, and all
the prey, both of man and of beast. 12 And they
brought the captives, and the prey, and the spoil, unto Moses, and unto Eleazar the priest, and unto the congregation of the
children of Israel, unto the
camp, unto the plains of Moab,
which are by the Jordan at Jericho. 13 And
Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and all the princes of
the congregation, went forth to meet them without the camp. 14 And
Moses was wroth with the officers of the host, the captains of thousands and
the captains of hundreds, who came from the service of the war. 15 And Moses said unto them: ‘Have ye saved all the
women alive? 16 Behold, these caused the
children of Israel,
through the counsel of Balaam, to revolt so as to break faith with יְהוָה - the LORD in the matter of Peor, and so the
plague was among the congregation of יְהוָה - the LORD. 17 Now therefore kill every
male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying
with him. 18 But all the women children, that
have not known man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves. 19 And encamp ye without the camp seven days; whosoever
hath killed any person, and whosoever hath touched any slain, purify yourselves
on the third day and on the seventh day, ye and your captives. 20 And
as to every garment, and all that is made of skin, and all work of goats’ hair,
and all things made of wood, ye shall purify’. 21 And
Eleazar the priest said unto the men of war that went
to the battle: ‘This is the statute of the law which יְהוָה - the LORD hath commanded Moses: 22 Howbeit
the gold, and the silver, the brass, the iron, the tin, and the lead, 23 every thing that may abide the fire, ye shall make
to go through the fire, and it shall be clean; nevertheless it shall be
purified with the water of sprinkling; and all that abideth
not the fire ye shall make to go through the water. 24 And
ye shall wash your clothes on the seventh day, and ye shall be clean, and
afterward ye may come into the camp’. 25 And יְהוָה - the LORD spoke 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 heads of the fathers’ houses of
the congregation; 27 and divide the prey into two
parts: between the men skilled in war, that went out to battle, and all the
congregation; 28 and levy a tribute unto יְהוָה - the LORD of the men of war that went out to battle: one soul of five
hundred, both of the persons, and of the beeves, and of the asses, and of the
flocks; 29 take it of their half, and give it
unto Eleazar the priest, as a portion set apart for יְהוָה - the LORD. 30 And of the children of
Israel’s half, thou shalt take one drawn out of every fifty, of the persons, of
the beeves, of the asses, and of the flocks, even of all the cattle, and give
them unto the Levites, that keep the charge of the tabernacle of יְהוָה - the LORD’. 31 And Moses and Eleazar the priest did as יְהוָה - the LORD commanded Moses. 32 Now the
prey, over and above the booty which the men of war took, was six hundred
thousand and seventy thousand and five thousand sheep, 33 and
threescore and twelve thousand beeves, 34 and
threescore and one thousand asses, 35 and
thirty and two thousand persons in all, of the women that had not known man by
lying with him. 36 And the half, which was the
portion of them that went out to war, was in number three hundred thousand and
thirty thousand and seven thousand and five hundred sheep. 37 And
יְהוָה - the LORD’s tribute of the sheep was six
hundred and threescore and fifteen. 38 And the
beeves were thirty and six thousand, of which יְהוָה - the LORD’s tribute was threescore and
twelve. 39 And the asses were thirty thousand
and five hundred, of which יְהוָה - the LORD’s tribute was threescore and
one. 40 And the persons were sixteen thousand,
of whom יְהוָה - the LORD’s tribute was thirty and two
persons. 41 And Moses gave the tribute, which
was set apart for יְהוָה - the LORD, unto Eleazar the priest, as יְהוָה - the LORD commanded Moses. 42 And of
the children of Israel’s half, which Moses divided off from the men that warred 43 now the congregation’s half was three hundred
thousand and thirty thousand and seven thousand and five hundred sheep, 44 and thirty and six thousand beeves, 45 and
thirty thousand and five hundred asses, 46 and
sixteen thousand persons 47 even of the
children of Israel’s half, Moses took one drawn out of every fifty, both of man
and of beast, and gave them unto the Levites, that kept the charge of the
tabernacle of יְהוָה - the LORD; as יְהוָה - the LORD commanded Moses. 48 And the
officers that were over the thousands of the host, the captains of thousands,
and the captains of hundreds, came near unto Moses; 49 and
they said unto Moses: ‘Thy servants have taken the sum of the men of war that
are under our charge, and there lacketh not one man
of us. 50 And we have brought יְהוָה - the LORD’s offering, what every man hath
gotten, of jewels of gold, armlets, and bracelets, signet-rings, ear-rings, and
girdles, to make atonement for our souls before יְהוָה - the LORD’. 51 And Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of them, even all wrought
jewels. 52 And all the gold of the gift that
they set apart for יְהוָה - the LORD, of the captains of thousands, and of the captains of
hundreds, was sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekels. 53 For the men of war had
taken booty, every man for himself. 54 And
Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of the
captains of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the tent of meeting,
for a memorial for the children of Israel before יְהוָה - the LORD”.
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Below is my Commentary
on Numbers Chapter 31:
Verses 1-6: This section outlines the call for a unified, national effort to uphold
spiritual justice.
Verses 7-12: The defeat of the Midianite kings is discussed,
highlighting the downfall of those who subvert Divine blessings.
Verses 13-18: Moses emphasizes the need for complete rectification by addressing the
root causes of the previous moral failure.
Verses 19-24: The requirement for purification after battle highlights the sanctity of
life and the impact of shedding blood.
Verses 25-54: The division of spoils is detailed, ensuring equity among the people, and
concluding with a voluntary, grateful offering from the leaders.
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My Closing Message:
Numbers 31 teaches the importance of maintaining a moral compass and protecting
spiritual boundaries. It encourages gratitude for protection and highlights
that, even in challenging times, the pursuit of holiness remains paramount.
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Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
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