[[📚 Explore the Bible Books]] [[Numbers Overview]] [[Numbers 30]] [[Numbers 32]] # Numbers 31 📖 > [!info] Table of Contents > [[#📜 Scripture Text (NET)]] [[#📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary]] [[#🧠 Chapter Summary]] [[#🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application]] [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]] > [[#🤔 Interesting Facts]] [[#🔗 Related Passages/Cross Reference]] [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]] ## 📜 Scripture Text (NET) (The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005) ### Conquest of the Midianites [[#Verse 01.]] Then the Lord said to Moses,  [[#Verse 02.]] “On behalf of the people of Israel, take revenge on the Midianites for leading them into idolatry. After that, you will die and join your ancestors.” [[#Verse 03.]] So Moses said to the people, “Choose some men, and arm them to fight the Lord’s war of revenge against Midian.  [[#Verse 04.]] From each tribe of Israel, send 1,000 men into battle.”  [[#Verse 05.]] So they chose 1,000 men from each tribe of Israel, a total of 12,000 men armed for battle.  [[#Verse 06.]] Then Moses sent them out, 1,000 men from each tribe, and Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest led them into battle. They carried along the holy objects of the sanctuary and the trumpets for sounding the charge.  [[#Verse 07.]] They attacked Midian as the Lord had commanded Moses, and they killed all the men. [[#Verse 08.]] All five of the Midianite kings—Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba—died in the battle. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword. [[#Verse 09.]] Then the Israelite army captured the Midianite women and children and seized their cattle and flocks and all their wealth as plunder.  [[#Verse 10.]] They burned all the towns and villages where the Midianites had lived.  [[#Verse 11.]] After they had gathered the plunder and captives, both people and animals,  [[#Verse 12.]] they brought them all to Moses and Eleazar the priest, and to the whole community of Israel, which was camped on the plains of Moab beside the Jordan River, across from Jericho.  [[#Verse 13.]] Moses, Eleazar the priest, and all the leaders of the community went to meet them outside the camp.  [[#Verse 14.]] But Moses was furious with all the generals and captains who had returned from the battle. [[#Verse 15.]] “Why have you let all the women live?” he demanded.  [[#Verse 16.]] “These are the very ones who followed Balaam’s advice and caused the people of Israel to rebel against the Lord at Mount Peor. They are the ones who caused the plague to strike the Lord’s people.  [[#Verse 17.]] So kill all the boys and all the women who have had intercourse with a man.  [[#Verse 18.]] Only the young girls who are virgins may live; you may keep them for yourselves.  [[#Verse 19.]] And all of you who have killed anyone or touched a dead body must stay outside the camp for seven days. You must purify yourselves and your captives on the third and seventh days.  [[#Verse 20.]] Purify all your clothing, too, and everything made of leather, goat hair, or wood.” [[#Verse 21.]] Then Eleazar the priest said to the men who were in the battle, “The Lordhas given Moses this legal requirement:  [[#Verse 22.]] Anything made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, tin, or lead—  [[#Verse 23.]] that is, all metals that do not burn—must be passed through fire in order to be made ceremonially pure. These metal objects must then be further purified with the water of purification. But everything that burns must be purified by the water alone.  [[#Verse 24.]] On the seventh day you must wash your clothes and be purified. Then you may return to the camp.” ### Division of the Plunder [[#Verse 25.]] And the Lord said to Moses,  [[#Verse 26.]] “You and Eleazar the priest and the family leaders of each tribe are to make a list of all the plunder taken in the battle, including the people and animals.  [[#Verse 27.]] Then divide the plunder into two parts, and give half to the men who fought the battle and half to the rest of the people. [[#Verse 28.]] From the army’s portion, first give the Lord his share of the plunder—one of every 500 of the prisoners and of the cattle, donkeys, sheep, and goats.  [[#Verse 29.]] Give this share of the army’s half to Eleazar the priest as an offering to the Lord. [[#Verse 30.]] From the half that belongs to the people of Israel, take one of every fifty of the prisoners and of the cattle, donkeys, sheep, goats, and other animals. Give this share to the Levites, who are in charge of maintaining the Lord’s Tabernacle.”  [[#Verse 31.]] So Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the Lord commanded Moses. [[#Verse 32.]] The plunder remaining from everything the fighting men had taken totaled 675,000 sheep and goats, [[#Verse 33.]] 72,000 cattle,  [[#Verse 34.]] 61,000 donkeys,  [[#Verse 35.]] and 32,000 virgin girls. [[#Verse 36.]] Half of the plunder was given to the fighting men. It totaled 337,500 sheep and goats,  [[#Verse 37.]] of which 675 were the Lord’s share;  [[#Verse 38.]] 36,000 cattle, of which 72 were the Lord’s share;  [[#Verse 39.]] 30,500 donkeys, of which 61 were the Lord’s share; [[#Verse 40.]] and 16,000 virgin girls, of whom 32 were the Lord’s share.  [[#Verse 41.]] Moses gave all the Lord’s share to Eleazar the priest, just as the Lord had directed him. [[#Verse 42.]] Half of the plunder belonged to the people of Israel, and Moses separated it from the half belonging to the fighting men.  [[#Verse 43.]] It totaled 337,500 sheep and goats,  [[#Verse 44.]] 36,000 cattle,  [[#Verse 45.]] 30,500 donkeys,  [[#Verse 46.]] and 16,000 virgin girls.  [[#Verse 47.]] From the half-share given to the people, Moses took one of every fifty prisoners and animals and gave them to the Levites, who maintained the Lord’s Tabernacle. All this was done as the Lord had commanded Moses. [[#Verse 48.]] Then all the generals and captains came to Moses  [[#Verse 49.]] and said, “We, your servants, have accounted for all the men who went out to battle under our command; not one of us is missing!  [[#Verse 50.]] So we are presenting the items of gold we captured as an offering to the Lord from our share of the plunder—armbands, bracelets, rings, earrings, and necklaces. This will purify our lives before the Lord and make us right with him.” [[#Verse 51.]] So Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from all the military commanders—all kinds of jewelry and crafted objects.  [[#Verse 52.]] In all, the gold that the generals and captains presented as a gift to the Lord weighed about 420 pounds.  [[#Verse 53.]] All the fighting men had taken some of the plunder for themselves. [[#Verse 54.]] So Moses and Eleazar the priest accepted the gifts from the generals and captains and brought the gold to the Tabernacle as a reminder to the Lord that the people of Israel belong to him. ## ==📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary== ###### Overall. ###### Verse 01. ###### Verse 02. ###### Verse 03. ###### Verse 04. ###### Verse 05. ###### Verse 06. ###### Verse 07. ###### Verse 08. ###### Verse 09. ###### Verse 10. ###### Verse 11. ###### Verse 12. ###### Verse 13. ###### Verse 14. ###### Verse 15. ###### Verse 16. ###### Verse 17. ###### Verse 18. ###### Verse 19. ###### Verse 20. ###### Verse 21. ###### Verse 22. ###### Verse 23. ###### Verse 24. ###### Verse 25. ###### Verse 26. ###### Verse 27. ###### Verse 28. ###### Verse 29. ###### Verse 30. ###### Verse 31. ###### Verse 32. ###### Verse 33. ###### Verse 34. ###### Verse 35. ###### Verse 36. ###### Verse 37. ###### Verse 38. ###### Verse 39. ###### Verse 40. ###### Verse 41. ###### Verse 42. ###### Verse 43. ###### Verse 44. ###### Verse 45. ###### Verse 46. ###### Verse 47. ###### Verse 48. ###### Verse 49. ###### Verse 50. ###### Verse 51. ###### Verse 52. ###### Verse 53. ###### Verse 54. ## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights - coming soon. %% PRIVATE NOTES (only I see this) Write down things that are not straight from commentary but interesting facts that ground the text in history. %% ## 🧠 Chapter Summary - coming soon. %% PRIVATE NOTES (only I see this) Write a short paragraph (3–5 sentences) summarizing what happens in this chapter. - What is the main event or teaching? - How does this chapter fit the book’s overall story? - What stands out immediately? Anything Apologetic to point out? %% ## 🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application - coming soon. %% PRIVATE NOTES (only I see this) - 📌 Observation 1 - 📌 Observation 2 - 📌 Observation 3 - (Add more as needed.) %% %% #### Today, I can apply this chapter by: - ✅ Application 1 - ✅ Application 2 Make these very practical: - "Trust God's timing in an uncertain situation." - "Speak truth even when it’s unpopular." Think: - What do we learn about God here? - What do we learn about people? - Are there promises, commands, or warnings? %% ## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember - coming soon. %% PRIVATE NOTES (only I see this) - 📖 [Verse Reference] – "Quote of important verse." - 📖 [Verse Reference] – "Quote of another important verse." (You can link to deeper notes if you want later.) %% ## 🔗 Related Passages/Cross Reference - 🔗 coming soon. - 🔗 coming soon. %% Examples: - John 1:1 and Genesis 1 - Romans 5 and Genesis 3 %% ## 🙏 Devotional Reflection - coming soon. %% PRIVATE NOTES (only I see this) Write 3–6 sentences reflecting on: - How this chapter encourages your faith, - Convicts your heart, - Reveals God's character. Optional format: "In light of this chapter, I am challenged to..." or "I am comforted by..." %% ##### 📂 Internal Links/Personal Notes