1Und Jehova redete zu Mose und sprach: 2Nimm Rache für die Söhne Israels an den Midianitern, hernach wirst du gesammelt werden zu deinem Volke. 3Da redete Mose zum Volke, und sprach: Rüstet unter euch Männer zum Heere aus, daß ihr über Midian herfallen, um Rache Jehova's zu nehmen an Midian. 4Tausend von jedem Stamme, aus allen Stämmen Israels, sendet zum Heere. 5Da zählte man aus den Familien Israels Tausend von jedem Stamme, zwölf tausend Mann, gerüstet zum Heere. 6Mose schickte diese Tausend von jedem Stamme zum Heere, sie und Pinehas, den Sohn Eleasars, den Priester, welcher die heiligen Geräthe und die Trommeten zum Lärmblasen in seiner Hand hatte. 7So zogen sie aus gegen Midian, wie Jehova dem Mose geboten hatte, und tödteten alles Männliche. 8Auch die Könige von Midian tödteten sie außer ihren Erschlagenen, nämlich: Evi, Rekem, und Zur, und Hur, und Reba, fünf Könige von Midian; auch Bileam, den Sohn Beors, tödteten sie mit dem Schwerte. 9Und die Söhne Israels führten gefangen fort die Weiber der Midianiter, und ihre Kinder, und all ihr Vieh, und all ihre Habe; und alle ihre Güter machten sie zur Beute. 10Und alle ihre Städte nach ihren Wohnsitzen, und alle ihre Hirtendörfer verbrannten sie mit Feuer. 11Und sie nahmen die ganze Beute, und Alles, was sie genommen hatten, an Menschen und Vieh; 12und sie brachten vor Mose, und vor Eleasar, den Priester, und vor die Gemeinde der Söhne Israels, die Gefangenen, und was sie genommen und erbeutet hatten, in das Lager, in die Ebenen Moabs, am Jordan, Jericho gegenüber. 13Und Mose, und Eleasar, der Priester, und alle Fürsten der Gemeinde zogen aus, ihnen entgegen, vor das Lager hinaus. 14Da zürnte Mose über die Befehlshaber des Heeres, die Anführer von Tausenden, und die Anführer von Hunderten, die vom Kriegszuge kamen; 15und Mose sprach zu ihnen: Habet ihr alle Weiber leben lassen? 16Siehe! Diese waren den Söhnen Israels auf den Rath Bileams die Verführung zum Frevel gegen Jehova wegen Beors; daher die Plage über die Gemeinde Jehova's kam. 17So tödtet denn alles Männliche unter den Kindern; und tödtet alle Weiber, die einen Mann erkannt haben durch Beischlaf eines Mannes. 18Aber alle jungen Mädchen, die noch keinen Beischlaf des Mannes erkannt haben, erhaltet euch am Leben. 19Dann lagert euch außerhalb des Lagers sieben Tage. Jeder, der einen Menschen umgebracht hat, und Jeder, der einen erschlagenen angerührt hat; ihr sollet euch entsündigen am dritten Tage, und am siebenten Tage, ihr und eure Gefangenen. 20Auch alle Kleider, und alle ledernen Geräthe, und Alles, was aus Ziegenhaaren gemacht ist, und alle hölzernen Geräthe sollet ihr entsündigen. 21Da sprach Eleasar, der Priester, zu den Männern vom Heere, die in den Krieg gezogen waren: Dieß ist die Satzung des Gesetzes, die Jehova dem Mose geboten hat: 22Gold, und Silber, Erz, Eisen, Zinn, und Blei; 23Alles, was durch das Feuer geht, lasset durch das Feuer gehen, daß es rein werde; doch soll es durch Reinigungswasser entsündigt werden. Alles aber, was nicht durch das Feuer geht, lasset durch das Wasser gehen. 24Und waschet eure Kleider am siebenten Tage, dann seyd ihr rein; und nachher dürfet ihr in's Lager kommen. 25Und Jehova redete zu Mose und sprach: 26Nimm die Gesamtzahl des Erbeuteten und der Gefangenen, von Menschen und Vieh, du, und Eleasar, der Priester, und die väterlichen Häupter der Gemeinde, 27und theilet die Beute zwischen denen, die den Krieg geführt haben; die zum Heere ausgezogen, und zwischen der ganzen Gemeinde. 28Aber hebe Jehova eine Abgabe von den Kriegsmännern, die zum Heere auszogen, Eins von fünf hundert, von Menschen, und vom Rindvieh, und von Eseln, und vom Kleinvieh. 29Von ihrer Hälfte nehmet es, und gib es Eleasar, dem Priester, als Hebopfer Jehova's. 30Und von der Hälfte der Söhne Israels nimm Eins von fünfzig, von Menschen, und vom Rindvieh, und von Eseln, und vom Kleinvieh, von allem Vieh; und gib es den Leviten, die besorgen, was an der Wohnung Jehova's zu besorgen ist. 31Und Mose und Eleasar, der Priester, machten es, wie Jehova dem Mose geboten hatte. 32Und es war die Ausbeute, was nämlich von der Beute übrig war, die das Kriegsvolk erbeutet hatte: sechsmal hundert fünf und siebenzig tausend Stücke Kleinvieh, 33und zwei und siebenzig tausend Stücke Rindvieh, 34und ein und sechzig tausend Esel. 35Und der Menschen, der Weiber, die noch keinen Beischlaf des Mannes erkannt hatten, waren zwei und dreißig tausend. 36Also betrug die Hälfte, nämlich der Antheil derer, die zum Heere ausgezogen waren, an Kleinvieh: dreimal hundert sieben und dreißig tausend fünf hundert Stücke; 37davon die Abgabe an Jehova an Kleinvieh: sechs hundert fünf und siebenzig Stücke; 38und an Rindvieh: sechs und dreißig tausend Stücke; davon die Abgabe an Jehova: zwei und siebenzig; 39und an Eseln: dreißig tausend fünf hundert; davon die Abgabe an Jehova: ein und sechzig; 40und an Menschen: sechzehn tausend; davon die Abgabe an Jehova: zwei und dreißig Seelen. 41Und Mose gab die Abgabe als Hebopfer Jehova's Eleasar, dem Priester, wie Jehova dem Mose geboten hatte, 42nämlich von der Hälfte der Söhne Israels, denen Mose von den Kriegsleuten die Hälfte abgeben ließ. 43Hingegen die Hälfte der Gemeinde betrug an Kleinvieh: dreimal hundert sieben und dreißig tausend fünf hundert Stücke; 44und an Rindvieh: sechs und dreißig tausend Stücke; 45und an Eseln: dreißig tausend fünf hundert; 46an Menschen: sechzehn tausend Seelen. 47Und Mose nahm von der Hälfte der Söhne Israels Eins von fünfzig, von Menschen, und von Vieh, und gab es den Leviten, die besorgten, was in der Wohnung Jehova's zu besorgen war, wie Jehova dem Mose geboten hatte. 48Da traten vor Mose die Befehlshaber, die über die Abtheilugen im Heere gesetzt waren, nämlich die Anführer von Tausenden, und die Anführer von Hunderten; 49und sprachen zu Mose: Deine Knechte haben die Zahl der Kriegsleute aufgenommen, die unter uns stehen; und es fehlt von ihnen nicht Einer; 50darum bringen wir Jehova die Opfergabe, was Jeder erhalten hat an goldenen Geschmeiden: Armbänder, und Handbänder, und Siegelringe, und Ohrringe, und Goldküchelchen, um uns zu versöhnen vor Jehova. 51Da nahm Mose, und Eleasar, der Priester, von ihnen das Gold, allerlei verfertigtes Geschmeide; 52und das ganze Gold, welches sie Jehova zum Hebopfer darbrachten, betrug sechzehn tausend sieben hundert fünfzig Sekel, das von den Anführern der Tausende, und von den Anführern der Hunderte. 53Die Kriegsleute hatten Jeder für sich Beute gemacht. 54Und es nahm Mose, und Eleasar, der Priester, das Gold von den Anführern der Tausende und Hunderte, und brachten es in's Versammlungszelt, zur Erinnerung der Söhne Israels vor Jehova.
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.