Numbers 31

1 And the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God] said [to speak, communicate] to Moses [the Israelite leader, mediator], word study 2 “Take [exact punishment, revenge] vengeance [to avenge or punish] on the Midianites [the tribe of Midian, known for strife] for the Israelites [descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people]. After [subsequently, afterwards] that, you will be gathered [to gather, bring together] to your people [your nation, family].” word study 3 So Moses [the Israelite leader] told the people, “Arm [equip for war, prepare for battle] some of your men [warriors, fighting men] for war, that they may go against the Midianites [the descendants of Midian, a son of Abraham] and execute [carry out, bring to pass] the LORD’s [Yehovah, the supreme God] vengeance [punishment, revenge] on them [the Midianites, as a nation]. word study 4 Send into battle [to the war, as an army] a thousand [a large number, company] men from each [every] tribe [family group] of Israel [Jacob’s descendants, God’s chosen people] [throughout all the tribes, from every tribe].” word study 5 So a thousand [one thousand, a large company] men were recruited [delivered, set apart] from each tribe [a group of people] of Israel [the descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people]—twelve [two times ten] thousand [a large number, a multitude] armed [equipped, prepared] for war [battle, military campaign, a large group of people]. word study 6 And Moses [the leader of the Israelites] sent the thousand [a large company, a multitude] from each tribe [a group of people with a common heritage] into battle [to war, for combat], along with Phinehas [the son of Eleazar, a priest] son of Eleazar [God has helped] the priest [one who serves God and leads others in worship], who took with him the vessels [articles, utensils] of the sanctuary [the Holy Place, a sacred area] and the trumpets [instruments for signaling, for shouting] for signaling [to sound an alarm, to give a warning]. word study 7 Then they waged war [assembled for battle, served at war] against Midian [a son of Abraham, his country, and descendants], as the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] had commanded [given orders, appointed] Moses, and they killed [slew with intent, put to death] every [all, everything] male [man, male animal, emphasizing importance]. word study 8 Among the slain [killed, put to death] were Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba—the five [a complete set of] kings [rulers, royalty] of Midian [a son of Abraham, his country, and descendants]. They also killed [slew, put to death with intent] Balaam [a prophet, son of Beor] son of Beor [the father of Balaam, a famous prophet] with the sword [a cutting instrument, a tool for battle]. word study 9 The Israelites [sons of Jacob, God’s chosen people] captured [took captive, as prisoners of war] the Midianite [descendants of Midian, a son of Abraham] women [females, wives, and mothers] and their children [little ones, infants], and they plundered [violently took, seized as spoil] all their herds [livestock, cattle], flocks [sheep and goats], and goods [possessions, wealth, and riches]. word study 10 Then they burned [set on fire, kindled flames] all the cities [towns, villages] where the Midianites [the people of Midian] had lived, as well as all their encampments [fortresses, tent-circles], word study 11 and carried away [took, captured] all the plunder [spoils of war, booty] and spoils [prey, loot], both people [men, humans, including women and children] and animals [beasts, livestock]. word study 12 They brought the captives [prisoners, those taken in war], spoils [prey, plunder], and plunder [spoils of war, booty] to Moses [the Israelite leader], to Eleazar [God has helped, the high priest] the priest [one who serves God and leads others in worship], and to the congregation [gathering, assembly] of Israel [God’s chosen people] at the camp [encampment, army] on the plains [desert plain, Arabah] of Moab [the land of the descendants of Lot], by the Jordan [the river that flows from Lebanon to the Dead Sea] across from Jericho [the city of the moon, the first city conquered by the Israelites]. word study 13 And Moses [the Israelite leader], Eleazar [God has helped] the priest [one who serves God and leads others in worship], and all [everything, the entirety] the leaders [high-ranking officials, captains] of the congregation [a gathering of people, a crowd] went to meet [encounter, come face to face with] them outside [beyond the boundary, in the open] the camp [a group of people, an army]. word study 14 But Moses [the leader of Israel] was angry [wroth, intensely furious] with the officers [commanders, rulers] of the army [host, a large group]—the commanders [captains, leaders] of thousands [a large number, a company] and commanders [captains, leaders] of hundreds [a smaller unit]—who were returning [coming back, approaching] from the battle [war, conflict]. word study 15 “Have you [saved, preserved] spared all the women [females, girls, every female]?” he [Moses, the leader] asked them [the people, his followers]. word study 16 “Look [behold, take notice], these women caused the sons [descendants, children] of Israel, through the counsel [advice, guidance] of Balaam [a prophet from Mesopotamia], to turn unfaithfully [commit trespass, act treacherously] against the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] at Peor [a mountain east of the Jordan River, near Pisgah], so that the plague [a divine judgment, pestilence] struck the congregation [gathering, assembly] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God]. word study 17 So now [at this time, as commanded], kill [slay with intent, destroy] all [every single one] the boys [male children, infants], as well as every woman [female, wife] who has had [known intimately, been with] relations [carnal knowledge, lying with] with a man [male, husband], word study 18 but spare for yourselves every girl [virgin, who has not known a man] who has never had relations [intimate knowledge, lying with him] with a man [male, a husband]. word study 19 All of you [who have taken a life] who have killed a person [or slain someone] or touched the dead [or come near a slain body] are to remain outside [beyond the boundaries of] the camp for seven days [a complete week, a time of purification]. On the third day [a day of reflection] and the seventh day [a day of completion] you are to purify [make ceremonially clean, cleanse from sin] both yourselves [your own souls] and your captives [prisoners of war, those you have taken]. word study 20 And purify [make ceremonially clean] every garment [raiment, clothing, or covering] and leather good [article made of skin], everything made of goat’s hair [or she-goat’s hair], and every article [utensil or object] of wood [or tree].” word study 21 Then Eleazar [God has helped] the priest [one who serves God and leads others in worship] said to the soldiers [men of war] who had gone into battle [to the fight, to war], “This [this particular ordinance] is the statute [rule, ordinance] of the law [instruction, Torah] which the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] has commanded [given orders, appointed] Moses [the Israelite leader]: word study 22 Only the [precious, valuable] gold [money], silver [copper or bronze, a base metal], bronze [strong, harsh], iron [tin or alloy, a pliable metal], tin, and [heavy, dense] lead— word study 23 everything [all things, every item] that can withstand [endure, abide in] the fire [burning, flame]—must be put through [pass through, go through] the fire, and it will be clean [pure, ceremonially clean]. But it must still be purified [cleansed, made holy] with the water [liquid, source of refreshment] of purification [impurity, ceremonial uncleanness]. And everything [all things] that cannot withstand [endure, abide in] the fire [burning, flame] must pass through [go through, transition to] the water [source of refreshment, cleansing]. word study 24 On the seventh [special day of completion] day you are to [ritually] wash your clothes [garments, covering], and you will be [ceremonially] clean [pure, free from defilement]. After [following, subsequent to] that you may enter [come into, approach] the camp [gathered group, Israelite encampment].” word study 25 The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said [to speak, to command] to Moses [the Israelite leader, God’s chosen servant], word study 26 “You [as leader, thou] and Eleazar [God has helped, the high priest] the priest [one who serves God and leads others in worship] and the family [fatherly, ancestral] heads [chiefs, princes] of the congregation [a gathering of people, the community] are to take a count [sum, tally] of what was captured [taken as prey, spoils of war], both of man [human, Adam] and beast [animal, livestock]. word study 27 Then divide [to cut or split in two, like the parting of the Red Sea] the captives [prey, spoils of war] between [showing a location or choice] the troops [men skilled in war, soldiers] who went out [to come out, leave a place] to battle [war, conflict] and the rest [all, everything] of the congregation [a gathering of people, like a crowd or assembly]. word study 28 Set aside a tribute [tax, offering] for the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] from what belongs to the soldiers [men of war] who went into battle [to fight, to the war]: one [a single, unique] out of every five hundred, whether persons [people, souls], cattle [oxen, beeves], donkeys [asses], or sheep [flocks]. word study 29 Take it from their half [portion, share] and give it to Eleazar [God has helped] the priest [one who serves God, spiritual leader] as an offering [contribution, heave offering] to the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God]. word study 30 From the Israelites’ [children of God’s chosen people, descendants of Jacob] half, take one out of every fifty, whether persons [human beings, individuals], cattle [domesticated animals, livestock], donkeys [male donkeys, asses], sheep [flocks, herds], or other animals [beasts, creatures], and give them to the Levites [descendants of Levi, temple servants] who keep [guard, watch over, obey] charge [responsibility, duty] of the tabernacle [portable place of worship, sacred tent] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God].” word study 31 So Moses [the Israelite leader, prophet] and Eleazar [God has helped] the priest [one who serves God, leads worship] did as the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] had commanded [given orders, appointed] Moses [the receiver of God’s law], word study 32 and this plunder [spoils of war, booty] remained from the spoils [prey] the soldiers [men of war, army] had taken: 675,000 [six hundred thousand and seventy thousand and five thousand] sheep [flock, livestock], word study 33 72,000 cattle [oxen, beeves, domesticated animals], word study 34 61,000 donkeys [asses, male donkeys], word study 35 and 32,000 [thirty-two thousand persons in all, of the female sex] women [females, wives] who had not [lacking experience of] slept with [known by lying with, had intimate relations with] a man [male, Adam, the first human]. word study 36 This was the [half portion, share] half portion for those who had gone to war [battle, armed conflict]: 337,500 sheep [sheep, flock, livestock], word study 37 including a tribute [tax, offering] to the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] of 675 [six hundred and seventy-five, a specific count of sheep], word study 38 36,000 cattle [oxen, domesticated animals], including a tribute [tax, offering] to the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] of 72 [seventy-two, two and seventy], word study 39 30,500 donkeys [asses, male donkeys], including a tribute [tax, offering] to the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] of 61 [one and sixty], word study 40 and 16,000 [sixteen thousand] people [souls, living beings], including a tribute [tax, offering] to the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God] of 32 [thirty-two, two and thirty]. word study 41 Moses [the Israelite leader] gave the tribute [a tax or offering, the Lord’s heave offering] to Eleazar [God has helped, the high priest] the priest [one who serves God and leads worship] as an offering [a contribution, a gift] for the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], as the LORD [the supreme Commander] had commanded [given orders, appointed] Moses. word study 42 From the Israelites’ [children of Jacob, descendants of Abraham] half [portion, share], which Moses [the Israelite leader, prophet] had set apart [divided, separated] from the men [individuals, warriors] who had gone to [served in, fought in] war [battle, armed conflict], word study 43 this [portion, share] half [division, part] belonged to the congregation [gathering, assembly of people]: 337,500 [three hundred thirty-seven thousand, a multitude of] sheep [flock, herd], word study 44 36,000 cattle [oxen, beeves, domesticated animals for work or sacrifice], word study 45 30,500 donkeys [asses, male donkeys], word study 46 and 16,000 [sixteen thousand] people [persons, living beings] [including men, women, and children]. word study 47 From the Israelites’ [children of God’s chosen people] half, Moses [the leader of God’s people] took one out of every fifty [one of fifty] persons [men and women, human beings] and animals [beasts, livestock] and gave them to the Levites [descendants of Levi, the priestly tribe] who kept charge [were responsible for, took care of] of the tabernacle [the sacred tent, the place of God’s presence] of the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God], as the LORD [the supreme God, the Lawgiver] had commanded [given orders to, instructed] him. word study 48 Then the officers [leaders, commanders] who were over the units [divisions, companies] of the army [host, military forces]—the commanders [captains, rulers] of thousands [large groups, companies] and of hundreds [smaller units, battalions]—approached [came near, drew near to] Moses [the Israelite leader, prophet] word study 49 and said, “Your servants [faithful attendants, those who serve] have counted [taken the sum, reckoned] the soldiers [men of war, warriors] under our command [authority, leadership], and not one of us [no single individual, none] is missing [lacking, absent]. word study 50 So we have brought to the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] an offering [a gift, a sacrifice] of the gold [valuable, brilliant] articles [utensils, objects] each man [individual, person] acquired [found, obtained]—armlets [ornaments for the arm], bracelets [covers, lids], rings [signets], earrings [circular ornaments], and necklaces [golden ornaments]—to make atonement [to cover, to coat] for ourselves [our souls, our living beings] before the LORD [in His presence, face to face].” word study 51 So Moses [the Israelite leader] and Eleazar [God has helped] the priest [one who serves God and leads others in worship] received [to take, to get] from them all [everything, the whole] the articles [objects, utensils] made [crafted, wrought] out of gold [a valuable metal] [even all wrought jewels, every made vessel]. word study 52 All [every single part, the entirety] the gold [precious, valuable metal] that the commanders [rulers, captains] of thousands [large groups, companies] and of hundreds [smaller units, battalions] presented [offered, gave] as an offering [contribution, tribute] to the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] weighed [was measured, amounted to] 16,750 [sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty] shekels [units of weight, currency]. word study 53 Each of the soldiers [men of war, warriors] had taken [spoiled, seized] plunder [booty, spoil] for himself [as his own, personally]. word study 54 And Moses [the Israelite leader, God’s chosen servant] and Eleazar the priest [God’s appointed mediator, a descendant of Aaron] received the gold [a valuable metal] from the commanders [leaders, captains] of thousands [a large number, a multitude] and of hundreds [a smaller unit, a company] and brought it into the Tent of Meeting [the tabernacle, a sacred place of worship] as a memorial [a reminder, a token of remembrance] for the Israelites [God’s chosen people, the descendants of Jacob] before the LORD [Yehovah, the Almighty God, the One who is present]. word study