Numbers 31

P. The sacred war against Midian The narrative in this chapter is of a peculiar character. It belongs to a late date in Hebrew Biblical literature, when the practice was becoming common of conveying religious instruction by means of narrative. One form of narrative uttered with a purely religious or moral purpose was the Parable, of which a few instances are found in the O.T., and many in the New. But another form, which was very common in post-Biblical literature, is known as the Midrash. ‘The Midrash may be defined as an imaginative development of a thought or theme suggested by Scripture, especially a didactic or homiletic exposition, or an edifying religious story’ (Driver). It is certain that such stories existed within the period of the O.T., for there are two references to them (2 Chronicles 13:22; 2 Chronicles 24:27 R.V. ‘commentary’). The Midrash referred to in these passages was probably a writing which emphasized the religious truths underlying the narratives of the kings by enlarging upon the narratives themselves in an imaginative manner.

They were not intended to be, in any strict sense, historical, though they introduced historical personages and events. The present chapter has all the appearance of a Midrash. The writer wishes to convey three pieces of instruction which he felt to be important:—(1) the victorious success which should ideally attend a holy war, waged against an enemy who had enticed Israel into grievous sin (Numbers 31:1-18); (2) the purification necessary after contact with the dead (Numbers 31:19-24); (3) the right method of dividing the spoil (Numbers 31:25-54). In each case he develops a thought or theme suggested by Scripture:—(1) is based on Numbers 25:6-9; (2) on ch. 19; (3) probably on 1 Samuel 30:24 f. It is not unlikely that the story as a whole is based on a real historical tradition of a fight with Midian, but the numbers of the slain and of the spoil are alone enough to shew that in its present form it is imaginative and ideal.

Numbers 31:1-18

1–18. The utter destruction of every Midianite, with the exception of the virgins who are to be kept as spoil.

Numbers 31:2

2. This command is anticipated by an editor in Numbers 25:16 ff. See note there.

Numbers 31:4

4. The selection of 1,000 soldiers from each tribe is purely artificial. The larger ones could send a much greater number.

Numbers 31:5

5. and there were delivered] The use of this verb εַ ?ιִ ?ξָּ ?ρְ ?ψεּ would, if the reading were certain, mark the chapter as a late composition. It occurs in Numbers 31:16 (see, however, note), but not elsewhere in the O.T., while it is frequent in post-Biblical Heb. and in Aramaic. But LXX. has καὶἐξηρίθμησαν, and perhaps the true reading is εַ ?ιִ ?ξָּ ?τְ ?ψεּ ‘and there were numbered.’

Numbers 31:6

6. The war being of a strictly religious character, the soldiers were apparently led not by Moses or Joshua but by Phinehas the priest, who had previously displayed his zeal against the Midianites (Numbers 25:6-8). Eleazar the chief priest is represented as staying behind in the camp, perhaps from fear of pollution by contact with the dead. the vessels of the sanctuary] The word rendered ‘vessels’ is a general term which may denote any utensils or objects. It has been suggested that the writer had in mind the ephod containing the Urim and Tummim by which Phinehas could enquire of God concerning the conduct of the battle; but it is doubtful whether that right would be ascribed to any but the high priest (cf. Numbers 27:21).

Numbers 31:7-12

7–12. In this ideal picture of the war nothing is said of the place where the battle was fought, nor the length of time occupied by it, nor any details of the fight. It was a rapid and sweeping conquest.

Numbers 31:8

8. The five names of the kings may have been derived from an historical kernel of the story. They occur in the same order in Joshua 13:21; but there the tradition is different, since they are not only ‘princes of Midian’ but ‘chiefs of Sihon,’ who were slain in the battle against Sihon. There, as here, Balaam is mentioned in conjunction with them. Zur] is mentioned in Numbers 25:15 as the head of a Midianite family. Balaam also] See on Numbers 25:6.

Numbers 31:10

10. their encampments] A word specially used to denote the circular encampment of a nomad tribe: cf. Genesis 25:16.

Numbers 31:15-18

15–18. Commands to complete the destruction of the enemy. All male children and all women who are not virgins are to be killed in cold blood. This cruel command ascribed to Moses dates from an age when the Jews were approaching their narrowest and hardest state of exclusiveness, when piety consisted in rigid separateness from everything foreign. It need cause no difficulty to Christians who have received the command ‘Love your enemies.’

Numbers 31:16

16. The wording of this verse is obscure in the Heb., but the R.V. gives the general sense. The rendering ‘to commit trespass’ is obtained by adopting a probable emendation, μִ ?ξְ ?ςֹ ?μ, for the late and difficult word μִ ?ξְ ?ρψ ‘to deliver’ (see Numbers 31:5). through the counsel of Balaam] Perhaps better in the matter of Balaam. This is a reference to an incident which is now lost, but which probably preceded Numbers 25:6 (see note there). with regard to the matter of Peor] The writer refers in this clause to the quite distinct narrative in Numbers 25:1-5. In Revelation 2:14 reference is made to the enticement by Balaam both to idolatry and to immorality.

Numbers 31:19-24

19–24. The purification necessary after contact with the dead. Moses bids all who are defiled to remain outside the camp for seven days and perform the requisite ritual of purification.

Numbers 31:20

20. all that is made of skin] such as sandals, saddles, coverings for packages &c. work of goats’ hair] such as tent-coverings (Exodus 25:4) and bed-coverings (1 Samuel 19:13; 1 Samuel 19:16).

Numbers 31:21-24

21–24. Further injunctions given by Eleazar, drawing a distinction between objects which could not stand purification by fire, and metals which could.

Numbers 31:23

23. the water of impurity] Its preparation and use are described in ch. 19. to go through water] i.e. ordinary pure water, not the ‘water of impurity’ as R.V. suggests. Objects which will stand the fire must pass through it, and then their purification must be completed by the application of the specially prepared mixture. Objects, on the other hand, which cannot stand the fire, must pass through ordinary water instead of fire. It is perhaps implied that their purification must afterwards be completed, as in the former case, by the special mixture.

Numbers 31:25-54

25–54. The apportionment of the spoil. Those who fought and those who remained behind were to receive equal shares. This was an ancient custom, which was traced to the action of David (1 Samuel 30:24 f.). But before the appropriation by individuals, a religious tax was to be paid. The fighters were to pay from their share 1/500th to the priests, and the others 1/50th to the Levites. Such a tax is not mentioned elsewhere in the O.T., but perhaps, like the foregoing regulation, it had an ancient custom behind it. Mohammed, whose religion was ultimately based on the O.T., enjoined a similar tax of 1/5th (Koran viii. 42, cited by Gray).

Numbers 31:28

28. levy a tribute] lit. ‘lift off a fixed proportion.’ The verb has the technical sense which is more often found in the corresponding subst. terûmâh (Numbers 31:29); see on Numbers 31:9. one soul out of (every) five hundred] The word nephesh (‘soul’) denotes the life or animating principle of every living creature, man or beast, and here stands for an ‘individual’ person or a ‘head’ of cattle. the beeves] an archaic plural of ‘beef,’ used for the live animals; cf. Shakespeare, Merch. of Venice, 1. iii. 68, ‘flesh of muttons, beefs or goats.’ The word occurs in R.V. and A.V. five times in this chapter, and in Leviticus 22:19; Leviticus 22:21 (R.V. in the latter verse ‘herd’).

Numbers 31:32

32. over and above the booty] the remainder of the booty. The revisers connected the words with Numbers 31:53 (see marg. there), but that is concerned only with the private looting of gold ornaments. Here ‘the booty’ is synonymous with ‘the prey,’ and the words may be paraphrased ‘the prey, or rather that which remained of it.’ That which was captured on the field of battle would be diminished from a variety of causes, e.g. the necessary slaughter of animals for food, possibly the death from hardships on the return journey of some among the prisoners who were ill or infirm; also by the slaughter commanded in Numbers 31:17.

Numbers 31:49

49. The officers report the safe return of every single Israelite soldier. No element of success must be absent from the ideal picture of a sacred victory.

Numbers 31:50

50. jewels of gold] Golden ornaments were taken from the Midianites when Gideon won his victory (Judges 8:24-26). They were worn by roving nomads and traders, such as the Midianites were (cf. Genesis 37:28), more than by the members of settled communities. This seems to be the meaning of the parenthesis in Judges 8:24, where ‘Ishmaelites’ is apparently a general term for nomads.