of the. Some codices, with Samaritan Pentateuch, The Targum of Jonathan ben Uzziel Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "and of the". tabernacle = habitation. Hebrew. mishkan. App-40 . read more
Numbers 31:28-29. A tribute unto the Lord—one soul of five hundred— As the word soul refers to the cattle as well as to the men, it would be better to render this, one life, or living being, of five hundred. God being the sovereign of the nation, this tribute was an homage of submission and gratitude justly due to him; and the custom was imitated by the heathens. The Philistines hung up the arms of Saul in the temple of Ashteroth; 1Sa 31:10 and the Greeks and Romans, in like manner, consecrated... read more
Numbers 31:30. Of the children of Israel's half, thou shall take one portion of fifty— The congregation, not having hazarded their lives, are enjoined to part with ten times as much as those who went to battle, and in such a proportion as the number of them that went to battle held to the whole number of warriors, which was about the fiftieth part; for that is the proportion between the twelve thousand men of war, and the whole company of warriors, which make up the number of six hundred... read more
3. Reprisal against the Midianites and the settlement of the Transjordanian tribes chs. 31-32Moses’ last campaign ch. 31The writer now recorded the fulfillment of God’s instructions to Moses that Israel should destroy the Midianites (Numbers 25:16-18). In this account, the aftermath of the battle receives more attention than the battle itself. Evidently God included this chapter here for two reasons at least. It records Israel’s victory over one of her enemies, and it explains the way she... read more
The warriors shared the booty equally with the Israelites who remained in the camp. They were no privileged class nor did they receive a special reward for their actions. They simply served one function and the other Israelites served another in carrying out the will of God (cf. 1 Samuel 30:24-25). From the warriors’ share 1/500 went to the priests and from the congregation’s share 1/50 went to the Levites (cf. Numbers 18:26).The 32 virgins that the priests received (Numbers 31:40) probably... read more
War against MidianThis 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 25:16-18.6. The holy instruments and the trumpets] On the use of the silver trumpets in time of war see on Numbers 10:9. It is not clear whether the ark was taken into battle on this occasion. It is possible to translate ’the holy instruments, even the trumpets.’ On other occasions,... read more
(28) And levy a tribute unto the Lord.—Literally, and thou shalt lift up (or, heave), &c. The portion assigned to the priests, which was taken from the prey that fell to the lot of the warriors, and which is described in Numbers 31:29 as “the heave offering of the Lord,” was one-five-hundredth part of the maidens and of the cattle which had fallen to their share. The maidens were probably employed as slaves, and the cattle used for the maintenance of the priests. Inasmuch, then, as the... read more
(30) One portion of fifty.—The Levites were much more numerous than the priests, and consequently it was ordered that they should have two per cent. of the spoil which fell to the congregation, whereas the priests had only one-fifth percent, of a like amount. The portion of the Levites, therefore, was 320 maidens, 6,750 sheep and goats, 720 oxen, and 610 asses. read more
WAR AND SETTLEMENT1. THE WAR WITH MIDIANNumbers 31:1-54THE command to vex and smite the Midianites {; Numbers 25:16-17} has already been considered. Israel had not the spiritual power which would have justified any attempt to convert that people. Degrading idolatry was to be held in abhorrence, and those who clung to it suppressed. Now the time comes for an exterminating war. While hordes of Bedawin occupy the hills and the neighbouring desert, there can be no security either for morals,... read more
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E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Numbers 31:29
give it. An extra portion in addition to Deuteronomy 18:1 , Deuteronomy 18:2 and Numbers 18:19 . So Abram, Genesis 14:20 . read more