Reina Valera (1995)

1^[1] Jehová habló a Moisés y le dijo: 2"Ejecuta la venganza de los hijos de Israel contra los madianitas; después irás a reunirte con tu pueblo".  3Entonces Moisés dijo al pueblo: "Armaos algunos de vosotros para la guerra contra Madián, y vayan a ejecutar la venganza de Jehová en Madián. 4Enviaréis a la guerra a mil de cada tribu de todas las tribus de los hijos de Israel". 5Así fueron aportados, de los millares de Israel, mil por cada tribu: doce mil hombres en pie de guerra. 6Moisés los envió a la guerra; mil de cada tribu envió. Finees, hijo del sacerdote Eleazar, fue a la guerra con los vasos del santuario y con las trompetas en sus manos para tocar. 7Pelearon contra Madián^[2] como Jehová lo mandó a Moisés, y mataron a todos los hombres. 8Además de estas víctimas, mataron también a los reyes de Madián, Evi, Requem, Zur, Hur y Reba: cinco reyes de Madián. También mataron a espada a Balaam hijo de Beor. 9Los hijos de Israel se llevaron cautivas a las mujeres de los madianitas con sus niños, y les arrebataron todas sus bestias, todos sus ganados y bienes. 10Incendiaron todas sus ciudades, aldeas y habitaciones. 11Tomaron todo el despojo y todo el botín, tanto de hombres como de bestias, 12y llevaron los cautivos, el botín y los despojos ante Moisés, ante el sacerdote Eleazar y ante la congregación de los hijos de Israel, al campamento en los llanos de Moab, que están junto al Jordán, frente a Jericó. 13Salieron Moisés y el sacerdote Eleazar, y todos los príncipes de la congregación, a recibirlos fuera del campamento. 14Pero Moisés se enojó contra los capitanes del ejército, contra los jefes de millares y de centenas que volvían de la guerra. 15Les dijo Moisés: "¿Por qué habéis dejado con vida a todas las mujeres? 16Ellas, por consejo de Balaam,^[3] fueron causa de que los hijos de Israel pecaran contra Jehová en lo tocante a Baal-peor,^[4] y por eso hubo mortandad en la congregación de Jehová. 17Matad, pues, ahora a todos los niños varones; matad también a toda mujer que haya tenido relaciones carnales con un hombre. 18Pero dejaréis con vida a todas las niñas entre las mujeres que no hayan conocido hombre. 19En cuanto a vosotros, cualquiera que haya dado muerte a una persona, y cualquiera que haya tocado un muerto, permaneced fuera del campamento siete días. Os purificaréis al tercer día y al séptimo, vosotros y vuestros cautivos. 20Asimismo purificaréis todo vestido, toda prenda de pieles, toda obra de pelo de cabra y todo utensilio de madera". 21El sacerdote Eleazar dijo a los hombres de guerra que venían de la guerra: "Esta es la ordenanza de la ley que Jehová ha mandado a Moisés: 22Ciertamente el oro y la plata, el bronce, el hierro, el estaño y el plomo, 23todo lo que resiste el fuego, por fuego lo haréis pasar, y quedará limpio, bien que en las aguas de purificación^[5] habrá de purificarse. Pero haréis pasar por agua todo lo que no resiste el fuego. 24Además lavaréis vuestros vestidos el séptimo día, y así quedaréis limpios; después entraréis en el campamento". 25Jehová habló a Moisés y le dijo: 26"Sacad la cuenta del botín que se ha hecho, tanto de las personas como de las bestias, tú y el sacerdote Eleazar, y los jefes de los padres de la congregación. 27Luego partirás por mitades el botín entre los que pelearon, los que salieron a la guerra y toda la congregación. 28Apartarás para Jehová el tributo de los hombres de guerra que salieron a la guerra; uno por cada quinientos, tanto de las personas como de los bueyes, de los asnos como de las ovejas. 29De la mitad de ellos lo tomarás, y darás al sacerdote Eleazar la ofrenda de Jehová. 30De la mitad perteneciente a los hijos de Israel tomarás uno por cada cincuenta, de las personas, los bueyes, los asnos, las ovejas y de todo animal, y los darás a los levitas, que tienen el cuidado del tabernáculo de Jehová". 31Moisés y el sacerdote Eleazar hicieron como Jehová mandó a Moisés. 32El total del botín, sin contar lo que tomaron los hombres de guerra fue de seiscientas setenta y cinco mil ovejas, 33setenta y dos mil bueyes, 34y sesenta y un mil asnos. 35En cuanto a las personas, las mujeres que no habían conocido hombre eran por todas treinta y dos mil. 36La mitad correspondiente a la parte de los que habían salido a la guerra sumó trescientas treinta y siete mil quinientas ovejas, 37y el tributo de las ovejas para Jehová fue de seiscientas setenta y cinco. 38De los bueyes: treinta y seis mil; y de ellos el tributo para Jehová fue de setenta y dos. 39De los asnos: treinta mil quinientos; y de ellos el tributo para Jehová fue de sesenta y uno. 40De las personas: dieciséis mil; y de ellas el tributo para Jehová fue de treinta y dos personas. 41Moisés dio el tributo, para ofrenda reservada a Jehová, al sacerdote Eleazar, como Jehová lo mandó a Moisés. 42La mitad perteneciente a los hijos de Israel, que apartó Moisés del botín de los hombres que habían ido a la guerra 43(la mitad para la congregación fue de trescientas treinta y siete mil quinientas ovejas, 44treinta y seis mil bueyes, 45treinta mil quinientos asnos 46y dieciséis mil personas). 47De esta mitad, correspondiente a los hijos de Israel, tomó Moisés uno de cada cincuenta, tanto de las personas como de los animales, y los dio a los levitas, que tenían el cuidado del tabernáculo de Jehová, como Jehová lo había mandado a Moisés. 48Se acercaron a Moisés los jefes de las tropas de aquel ejército, los jefes de millares y de centenas, 49y dijeron a Moisés: "Tus siervos han hecho el recuento de los hombres de guerra que están a cargo nuestro, y no falta ninguno. 50Por lo cual hemos traído a Jehová como ofrenda lo que cada uno ha hallado: alhajas de oro, brazaletes, manillas, anillos, zarcillos y cadenas,^[6] para hacer expiación por nuestras almas delante de Jehová".^[7] 51Moisés y el sacerdote Eleazar recibieron de ellos el oro y las alhajas, todas elaboradas. 52Todo el oro de la ofrenda que ofrecieron a Jehová los jefes de millares y de centenas sumó 16.750 siclos. 53Los hombres del ejército habían tomado cada uno su botín. 54Recibieron, pues, Moisés y el sacerdote Eleazar el oro de los jefes de millares y de centenas, y lo llevaron al Tabernáculo de reunión, como memorial de los hijos de Israel delante de Jehová.


Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary
 1   THE MIDIANITES SPOILED AND BALAAM SLAIN. (Num. 31:1-54)
the Lord spake unto Moses, Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites--a semi-nomad people, descended from Abraham and Keturah, occupying a tract of country east and southeast of Moab, which lay on the eastern coast of the Dead Sea. They seem to have been the principal instigators of the infamous scheme of seduction, planned to entrap the Israelites into the double crime of idolatry and licentiousness [Num 25:1-Num 25:3, Num 25:17-Num 25:18] by which, it was hoped, the Lord would withdraw from that people the benefit of His protection and favor. Moreover, the Midianites had rendered themselves particularly obnoxious by entering into a hostile league with the Amorites (Josh 13:21). The Moabites were at this time spared in consideration of Lot (Deut 2:9) and because the measure of their iniquities was not yet full. God spoke of avenging "the children of Israel" [Num 31:2]; Moses spoke of avenging the Lord [Num 31:3], as dishonor had been done to God and an injury inflicted on His people. The interests were identical. God and His people have the same cause, the same friends, and the same assailants. This, in fact, was a religious war, undertaken by the express command of God against idolaters, who had seduced the Israelites to practise their abominations.

 3   Arm some of yourselves--This order was issued but a short time before the death of Moses. The announcement to him of that approaching event [Num 31:2] seems to have accelerated, rather than retarded, his warlike preparations.

 5   there were delivered--that is, drafted, chosen, an equal amount from each tribe, to prevent the outbreak of mutual jealousy or strife. Considering the numerical force of the enemy, this was a small quota to furnish. But the design was to exercise their faith and animate them to the approaching invasion of Canaan.

 6   Moses sent . . . Eleazar the priest, to the war--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 (Deut 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--As neither the ark nor the Urim and Thummim were carried to the battlefield till a later period in the history of Israel, the "holy instruments" must mean the "trumpets" (Num 10:9). And this view is agreeable to the text, by simply changing "and" into "even," as the Hebrew particle is frequently rendered.

 7   they slew all the males--This was in accordance with a divine order in all such cases (Deut 20:13). But the destruction appears to have been only partial--limited to those who were in the neighborhood of the Hebrew camp and who had been accomplices in the villainous plot of Baal-peor (Num 25:1-Num 25:3), while a large portion of the Midianites were absent on their pastoral wanderings or had saved themselves by flight. (Compare Judg 6:1).

 8   the kings of Midian--so called, because each was possessed of absolute power within his own city or district; called also dukes or princes of Sihon (Josh 13:21), having been probably subject to that Amorite ruler, as it is not uncommon in the East to find a number of governors or pachas tributary to one great king.
Zur--father of Cozbi (Num 25:15).
Balaam also . . . they slew with the sword--This unprincipled man, on his dismissal from Balak, set out for his home in Mesopotamia (Num 24:25). But, either diverging from his way to tamper with the Midianites, he remained among them without proceeding farther, to incite them against Israel and to watch the effects of his wicked counsel; or, learning in his own country that the Israelites had fallen into the snare which he had laid and which he doubted not would lead to their ruin, he had, under the impulse of insatiable greed, returned to demand his reward from the Midianites. He was an object of merited vengeance. In the immense slaughter of the Midianitish people--in the capture of their women, children, and property and in the destruction of all their places of refuge--the severity of a righteous God fell heavily on that base and corrupt race. But, more than all others, Balaam deserved and got the just reward of his deeds. His conduct had been atrociously sinful, considering the knowledge he possessed, and the revelations he had received, of the will of God. For any one in his circumstances to attempt defeating the prophecies he had himself been the organ of uttering, and plotting to deprive the chosen people of the divine favor and protection, was an act of desperate wickedness, which no language can adequately characterize.

 13   Moses, and Eleazar the priest, . . . went forth to meet them without the camp--partly as a token of respect and congratulation on their victory, partly to see how they had executed the Lord's commands, and partly to prevent the defilement of the camp by the entrance of warriors stained with blood.

 14   And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host--The displeasure of the great leader, though it appears the ebullition of a fierce and sanguinary temper, arose in reality from a pious and enlightened regard to the best interests of Israel. No order had been given for the slaughter of the women, and in ancient war they were commonly reserved for slaves. By their antecedent conduct, however, the Midianitish women had forfeited all claims to mild or merciful treatment; and the sacred character, the avowed object of the war (Num 31:2-Num 31:3), made their slaughter necessary without any special order. But why "kill every male among the little ones"? It was designed to be a war of extermination, such as God Himself had ordered against the people of Canaan, whom the Midianites equalled in the enormity of their wickedness.

 19   abide without the camp seven days: whosoever hath killed any person . . . purify both yourselves and your captives--Though the Israelites had taken the field in obedience to the command of God, they had become defiled by contact with the dead. A process of purification was to be undergone, as the law required (Lev 15:13; Num 19:9-Num 19:12), and this purifying ceremony was extended to dress, houses, tents, to everything on which a dead body had lain, which had been touched by the blood-stained hands of the Israelitish warriors, or which had been the property of idolaters. This became a standing ordinance in all time coming (Lev 6:28; Lev 11:33; Lev 15:12).

 25   Take the sum of the prey that was taken--that is, of the captives and cattle, which, having been first lumped together according to ancient usage (Exod 15:9; Judg 5:30), were divided into two equal parts: the one to the people at large, who had sustained a common injury from the Midianites and who were all liable to serve: and the other portion to the combatants, who, having encountered the labors and perils of war, justly received the largest share. From both parts, however, a certain deduction was taken for the sanctuary, as a thank offering to God for preservation and for victory. The soldiers had greatly the advantage in the distribution; for a five-hundredth part only of their half went to the priest, while a fiftieth part of the congregation's half was given to the Levites.

 32   the booty, being the rest of the prey which the men of war had caught--Some of the captives having been killed (Num 31:17) and part of the cattle taken for the support of the army, the total amount of the booty remaining was in the following proportions:
Prey Total Amount Half to Soldiers Deducted to God Half to Congregation Deducted to Levites
Sheep 675,000 337,500 675 337,500 6,750
Beeves 72,000 36,000 72 36,000 720
Asses 61,000 30,500 61 30,500 610
Persons 32,000 16,000 32 16,000 320

 48   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 Israelitish soldier, was an astonishing miracle. So clearly betokening the direct interposition of Heaven, it might well awaken the liveliest feelings of grateful acknowledgment to God (Ps 44:2-Ps 44:3). The oblation they brought for the Lord "was partly an atonement" or reparation for their error (Num 31:14-Num 31:16), for it could not possess any expiatory virtue, and partly a tribute of gratitude for the stupendous service rendered them. It consisted of the "spoil," which, being the acquisition of individual valor, was not divided like the "prey," or livestock, each soldier retaining it in lieu of pay; it was offered by the "captains" alone, whose pious feelings were evinced by the dedication of the spoil which fell to their share. There were jewels to the amount of 16,750 shekels, equal to Ł87,869 16s. 5d. sterling.