Numbers 31, War with Midian

(This DRAFT study has been done fairly quickly, without the further guide of commentaries. I hope to improve on it later.)

The Midianites and Moabites have been enemies during the wilderness wanderings.

Numbers 31:1-2, Finish off the Midianites

The LORD said to Moses, "Take vengeance on the Midianites for the Israelites. After that, you will be gathered to your people."

YHWH instructs Moses to conquer the Midianites, as his last campaign before his death.

Numbers 31:3-8, Arming for battle

So Moses said to the people, "Arm some of your men to go to war against the Midianites and to carry out the LORD's vengeance on them. Send into battle a thousand men from each of the tribes of Israel." 

So twelve thousand men armed for battle, a thousand from each tribe, were supplied from the clans of Israel. Moses sent them into battle, a thousand from each tribe, along with Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, who took with him articles from the sanctuary and the trumpets for signaling. They fought against Midian, as the LORD commanded Moses, and killed every man. Among their victims were Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur and Reba--the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword.

Twelve thousand armed Israelite men attack and defeat the Midianites. They kill the five kings of Midian, along with the prophet Balaam, previously hired by Balak. Zur is noted, in Numbers 25:14-15, as the father of the Midianite woman who brazenly walked in front of Israelite elders into the tent of Zimri for sex. One can read into the two passages a deliberate attempt by Moab to undermine the Israelite worship of YHWH.

Like other passages and other clans, the claim to have "killed every man", is contradicted by later engagements with Midianites. (For example, in Judges 6, the Midianites oppress Israel and God raises Gideon to campaign against them.) Commentators suggest that phrases like this may be (1) a classical ANE hyperbolic statement, or (2) a statement about a particular subtribe.

Numbers 31:9-12, Capture of women, children, herds and flocks

The Israelites captured the Midianite women and children and took all the Midianite herds, flocks and goods as plunder. They burned all the towns where the Midianites had settled, as well as all their camps. They took all the plunder and spoils, including the people and animals, and brought the captives, spoils and plunder to Moses and Eleazar the priest and the Israelite assembly at their camp on the plains of Moab, by the Jordan across from Jericho.

The Midianite land is plundered. Flocks, women and children are captured.

Numbers 31:13-18, Why did you allow the Midianites to live?

Moses, Eleazar the priest and all the leaders of the community went to meet them outside the camp. Moses was angry with the officers of the army--the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds--who returned from the battle.

  

"Have you allowed all the women to live?" he asked them. "They were the ones who followed Balaam's advice and were the means of turning the Israelites away from the LORD in what happened at Peor, so that a plague struck the LORD's people. Now kill all the boys. And kill every woman who has slept with a man, but save for yourselves every girl who has never slept with a man.

Moses is angry that the soldiers allowed Midianites to live. Apparently Balaam had been working to turn the Israelites against YHWH, possibly by the seduction practiced in Numbers 25:1-3. This will explain the command to kill the women who slept with a man. Those women who are virgins would not have participated in the sin of enticing Israelite men to worship Baal of Peor as described in Numbers 25.

Numbers 31:19-20, From uncleanliness to ceremonial purity

"All of you who have killed anyone or touched anyone who was killed must stay outside the camp seven days. On the third and seventh days you must purify yourselves and your captives. Purify every garment as well as everything made of leather, goat hair or wood."

Touching a dead body (even in battle) made one ritually unclean. So those who did so must step through a ceremonial purification.

Numbers 31:21-24, Purifying metals

Then Eleazar the priest said to the soldiers who had gone into battle, "This is the requirement of the law that the LORD gave Moses: Gold, silver, bronze, iron, tin, lead and anything else that can withstand fire must be put through the fire, and then it will be clean. But it must also be purified with the water of cleansing. And whatever cannot withstand fire must be put through that water. On the seventh day wash your clothes and you will be clean. Then you may come into the camp."

 

As the soldiers are purified, there are also steps for purifying the metals used or recovered.

Numbers 31:25-30, Divide the spoils

The LORD said to Moses, "You and Eleazar the priest and the family heads of the community are to count all the people and animals that were captured. Divide the spoils between the soldiers who took part in the battle and the rest of the community.

 

From the soldiers who fought in the battle, set apart as tribute for the LORD one out of every five hundred, whether persons, cattle, donkeys, sheep or goats. Take this tribute from their half share and give it to Eleazar the priest as the LORD's part. From the Israelites' half, select one out of every fifty, whether persons, cattle, donkeys, sheep, goats or other animals. Give them to the Levites, who are responsible for the care of the LORD's tabernacle."

The plunder is to be divided. Half is given to the soldiers involved in the battle and the other half to the general population. The soldiers are then to give tribute to the priesthood and some to the Levites.

Numbers 31:31-40, Plunder totals

So Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the LORD commanded Moses. The plunder remaining from the spoils that the soldiers took was 675,000 sheep, 72,000 cattle, 61,000 donkeys and 32,000 women who had never slept with a man.

The half share of those who fought in the battle was: 337,500 sheep, of which the tribute for the LORD was 675; 36,000 cattle, of which the tribute for the LORD was 72; 30,500 donkeys, of which the tribute for the LORD was 61; 16,000 people, of which the tribute for the LORD was 32.

The animals and women plundered from the Midianites are described here. Half of the shares will go to the soldiers, half to the people with a fraction to the temple.

Numbers 31:41-47, The part for the priests and Levites

Moses gave the tribute to Eleazar the priest as the LORD's part, as the LORD commanded Moses. The half belonging to the Israelites, which Moses set apart from that of the fighting men-- the community's half--was 337,500 sheep, 36,000 cattle, 30,500 donkeys and 16,000 people.

From the Israelites' half, Moses selected one out of every fifty persons and animals, as the LORD commanded him, and gave them to the Levites, who were responsible for the care of the LORD's tabernacle.
 

Half of the tribute goes to the Israelites, minus 2%, one out of fifty, going to the Levites.

Numbers 31:48-50, Not one is missing

Then the officers who were over the units of the army--the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds--went to Moses and said to him, "Your servants have counted the soldiers under our command, and not one is missing. So we have brought as an offering to the LORD the gold articles each of us acquired--armlets, bracelets, signet rings, earrings and necklaces--to make atonement for ourselves before the LORD."

All of the 12,000 soldiers have survived the battle. The soldiers come together to make this offering.

Numbers 31:51-54, Soldiers give from their booty

Moses and Eleazar the priest accepted from them the gold--all the crafted articles. All the gold from the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds that Moses and Eleazar presented as a gift to the LORD weighed 16,750 shekels.

 

Each soldier had taken plunder for himself. Moses and Eleazar the priest accepted the gold from the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds and brought it into the Tent of Meeting as a memorial for the Israelites before the LORD.

There is unanimity from the soldiers in the support for the tabernacle.

First published October 6, 2025; updated October 6, 2025

Numbers 30, Vows by Women

(This DRAFT study has been done fairly quickly, without the further guide of commentaries. I hope to improve on it later.)

Numbers 30:1-2, A man is responsible for his oath

Moses said to the heads of the tribes of Israel: "This is what the LORD commands: When a man makes a vow to the LORD or takes an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word but must do everything he said.

One should take oaths seriously. But vows by women are different than vows by men....

Numbers 30:3-5, Oaths by a daughter

"When a young woman still living in her father's house makes a vow to the LORD or obligates herself by a pledge and her father hears about her vow or pledge but says nothing to her, then all her vows and every pledge by which she obligated herself will stand. But if her father forbids her when he hears about it, none of her vows or the pledges by which she obligated herself will stand; the LORD will release her because her father has forbidden her.

A woman living in her father's house is filtered through her father. The father can forbid that oath and thus release her from it.

(One is sharply reminded, throughout this chapter, that the Israelites were immersed in the culture of the ANE, which was patriarchal. No attempt will be made to overthrow that culture but instead to navigate it.)

Numbers 30:6-8, A married woman

"If she marries after she makes a vow or after her lips utter a rash promise by which she obligates herself and her husband hears about it but says nothing to her, then her vows or the pledges by which she obligated herself will stand. But if her husband forbids her when he hears about it, he nullifies the vow that obligates her or the rash promise by which she obligates herself, and the LORD will release her.

The vow of a married woman is filtered through her husband. If she made a vow before she married, the husband can over rule it or nullify it.

Numbers 30:9, Widow or divorced woman

"Any vow or obligation taken by a widow or divorced woman will be binding on her."

The woman who is single, due to divorce or widowhood, is responsible for her own vows.

Numbers 30:10-15, Married woman (part 2

If a woman living with her husband makes a vow or obligates herself by a pledge under oath and her husband hears about it but says nothing to her and does not forbid her, then all her vows or the pledges by which she obligated herself will stand. But if her husband nullifies them when he hears about them, then none of the vows or pledges that came from her lips will stand. Her husband has nullified them, and the LORD will release her. Her husband may confirm or nullify any vow she makes or any sworn pledge to deny herself. But if her husband says nothing to her about it from day to day, then he confirms all her vows or the pledges binding on her. He confirms them by saying nothing to her when he hears about them. If, however, he nullifies them some time after he hears about them, then he is responsible for her guilt."

The vow of a married woman is filtered through her husband.

Numbers 30:16, Regulations for women

These are the regulations the LORD gave Moses concerning relationships between a man and his wife, and between a father and his young daughter still living in his house.

The chapter summarizes the rules for vows for women.

Some Random Thoughts

As mentioned above, we are sharply reminded, throughout this chapter, that the Israelites were immersed in the culture of the ANE, which was patriarchal. No attempt will be made to overthrow that culture but instead to navigate it. 

Implied in this chapter (but not explicitly stated) is that a woman fell into one of three classes: daughter, wife, or single but recently married. There is no place for "single, never married, living independently." In the ANE, a single woman, unprotected by father or husband, was likely not to survive, unless she turned to prostitution.

Although this chapter protects a woman from rash vows, nothing in this chapter protects a man frrom rash vows! See Jepthah's vow in Judges 11 for a warning!

First published October 4, 2025; updated October 4, 2025

Numbers 29, The High Holy Days

(This DRAFT study has been done fairly quickly, without the further guide of commentaries. I hope to improve on it later.)

We continue to describe sacred festivals that will be given in the new land.

Numbers 29:1-6, Rosh Hashanah

"`On the first day of the seventh month hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work. It is a day for you to sound the trumpets. As an aroma pleasing to the LORD, prepare a burnt offering of one young bull, one ram and seven male lambs a year old, all without defect. With the bull prepare a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil; with the ram, two-tenths; and with each of the seven lambs, one-tenth. Include one male goat as a sin offering to make atonement for you. These are in addition to the monthly and daily burnt offerings with their grain offerings and drink offerings as specified. They are offerings made to the LORD by fire--a pleasing aroma.

The Feast of Trumpets is the same as Rosh Hashanah. This is the beginning of the High Holy Days in the seventh month of the liturgical year.

Numbers 29:7-11, Day of Atonement

"`On the tenth day of this seventh month hold a sacred assembly. You must deny yourselves and do no work. Present as an aroma pleasing to the LORD a burnt offering of one young bull, one ram and seven male lambs a year old, all without defect. With the bull prepare a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil; with the ram, two-tenths; and with each of the seven lambs, one-tenth. Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the sin offering for atonement and the regular burnt offering with its grain offering, and their drink offerings.

The Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, is the most holy of the Jewish festivals.

Numbers 29:12-16, Festival of Tabernacles

 "`On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work. Celebrate a festival to the LORD for seven days. Present an offering made by fire as an aroma pleasing to the LORD, a burnt offering of thirteen young bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect. With each of the thirteen bulls prepare a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil; with each of the two rams, two-tenths; and with each of the fourteen lambs, one-tenth. Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.

The Festival of Booths, sometimes called the Feast of Tabernacles, or Sukkot, ends the weeks of High Holy Days.

Numbers 29:17-19, The second day

"`On the second day prepare twelve young bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect. With the bulls, rams and lambs, prepare their grain offerings and drink offerings according to the number specified.Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular  burnt offering with its grain offering, and their drink offerings.

The second day of the feast involves twelve young bulls.

Numbers 29:20-22, The third day

"`On the third day prepare eleven bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect. With the bulls, rams and lambs, prepare their grain offerings and drink offerings according to the number specified. Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.

The third day of the feast involves eleven young bulls. The number of bulls goes down as the days progress. (One is reminded of The Twelve Days of Christmas....)

Numbers 29:23-38, Eight days of sacrifices

"`On the fourth day prepare ten bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect. With the bulls, rams and lambs, prepare their grain offerings and drink offerings according to the number specified. Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.

 

"`On the fifth day prepare nine bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without  defect. With the bulls, rams and lambs, prepare their grain offerings and drink offerings according to the number specified. Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.

"`On the sixth day prepare eight bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect. With the bulls, rams and lambs, prepare their grain offerings and drink offerings according to the number specified. Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.

"`On the seventh day prepare seven bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect.  With the bulls, rams and lambs, prepare their grain offerings and drink offerings according to the number specified. Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.

"`On the eighth day hold an assembly and do no regular work. Present an offering made by fire as an aroma pleasing to the LORD, a burnt offering of one bull, one ram and seven male lambs a year old, all without defect.With the bull, the ram and the lambs, prepare their grain offerings and drink offerings  according to the number specified. Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.

The festival ends after eight days. That eighth day, like the first day of the festival, and also like Rosh Hashanah, there is to be no work.

Numbers 29:39, Additional offerings

"`In addition to what you vow and your freewill offerings, prepare these for the LORD at your appointed feasts: your burnt offerings, grain offerings, drink offerings and fellowship offerings.'"

Much of this chapter echoes Leviticus 23:23-43.

Numbers 29:40, Moses obeys

Moses told the Israelites all that the LORD commanded him.

As commanded, Moses passes on these instructions to the people of Israel.

First published October 3, 2025; updated October 3, 2025

Numbers 28, Special Offerings

(This DRAFT study has been done fairly quickly, without the further guide of commentaries. I hope to improve on it later.)

Moses will be succeeded by Joshua. The people prepare to enter the land. We now have some more sacrifices and offerings. (I think some of this will be repeated in Deuteronomy.)

Numbers 28:1-8, Two lambs without defect

 The LORD said to Moses,"Give this command to the Israelites and say to them: `See that you present to me at the appointed time the food for my offerings made by fire, as an aroma pleasing to me.' Say to them: `This is the offering made by fire that you are to present to the LORD: two lambs a year old without defect, as a regular burnt offering each day. Prepare one lamb in the morning and the other at twilight, together with a grain offering of a tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with a quarter of a hin of oil from pressed olives.

This is the regular burnt offering instituted at Mount Sinai as a pleasing aroma, an offering made to the LORD by fire. The accompanying drink offering is to be a quarter of a hin of fermented drink with each lamb. Pour out the drink offering to the LORD at the sanctuary. Prepare the second lamb at twilight, along with the same kind of grain offering and drink offering that you prepare in the morning. This is an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the LORD.

A lamb sacrifice and drink offering are described.

Numbers 28:9-10, Sabbath offering

"`On the Sabbath day, make an offering of two lambs a year old without defect, together with its drink offering and a grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil. This is the burnt offering for every Sabbath, in addition to the regular burnt offering and its drink offering.

The Sabbath day is to include another offering.

Numbers 28:11-15, First of the month

"`On the first of every month, present to the LORD a burnt offering of two young bulls, one ram and seven male lambs a year old, all without defect. With each bull there is to be a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil; with the ram, a grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil; and with each lamb, a grain offering of a tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil. This is for a burnt offering, a pleasing aroma, an offering made to the LORD by fire. With each bull there is to be a drink offering of half a hin of wine; with the ram, a third of a hin; and with each lamb, a quarter of a hin. This is the monthly burnt offering to be made at each new moon during the year. Besides the regular burnt offering with its drink offering, one male goat is to be presented to the LORD as a sin offering.

The monthly offering, involving young bulls, is described.

Numbers 28:16-23, The Passover

"`On the fourteenth day of the first month the LORD's Passover is to be held. On the fifteenth day of this month there is to be a festival; for seven days eat bread made without yeast. On the first day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work. Present to the LORD an offering made by fire, a burnt offering of two young bulls, one ram and seven male lambs a year old, all without defect. With each bull prepare a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil; with the ram, two-tenths; and with each of the seven lambs, one-tenth. Include one male goat as a sin offering to make atonement for you. Prepare these in addition to the regular morning burnt offering.

In this way prepare the food for the offering made by fire every day for seven days as an aroma pleasing to the LORD; it is to be prepared in addition to the regular burnt offering and its drink offering. On the seventh day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work.

Another special sacrifice occurs on the Passover.

Numbers 28:26-31, Firstfruits

"`On the day of firstfruits, when you present to the LORD an offering of new grain during the Feast of Weeks, hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work. Present a burnt offering of two young bulls, o ne ram and seven male lambs a year old as an aroma pleasing to the LORD.With each bull there is to be a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil; with the ram, two-tenths; and with each of the seven lambs, one-tenth. Include one male goat to make atonement for you. Prepare these together with their drink offerings, in addition to the regular burnt offering and its grain offering. Be sure the animals are without defect.

The Feast of First Fruits, sometimes called the Festival of Weeks, follows the Passover.

This chapter echoes the material in Leviticus 23:4-22.

First published October 2, 2025; updated October 2, 2025

Numbers 27, Two Questions of Succession

(This DRAFT study has been done fairly quickly, without the further guide of commentaries. I hope to improve on it later.)

As the Israelites approach the invasion of Canaan, two questions arise.

1. Since land will be distributed by tribes and families, and inheritance passes down through the male line, what happens to families with only daughters?
2. Who will follow Moses as leader?

Numbers 27:1-4, Five daughters

The daughters of Zelophehad son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Makir, the son of Manasseh, belonged to the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph. The names of the daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah. They approached the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders and the whole assembly, and said, "Our father died in the desert. He was not among Korah's followers, who banded together against the LORD, but he died for his own sin and left no sons. Why should our father's name disappear from his clan because he had no son? Give us property among our father's relatives."

What happens if a man has only daughters? How, in a patriarchal society, is his name preserved?

Numbers 27:5-11, Zelophehad's daughters to inherit

So Moses brought their case before the LORD and the LORD said to him, "What Zelophehad's daughters are saying is right. You must certainly give them property as an inheritance among their father's relatives and turn their father's inheritance over to them.

"Say to the Israelites, `If a man dies and leaves no son, turn his inheritance over to his daughter.
 If he has no daughter, give his inheritance to his brothers. If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father's brothers. If his father had no brothers, give his inheritance to the nearest relative in his clan, that he may possess it. 

This is to be a legal requirement for the Israelites, as the LORD commanded Moses.'"

The daughters are to inherit property among their father's relatives. This account will be expanded and completed in Numbers 36.

Numbers 27:12-14, Look upon future Israel

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go up this mountain in the Abarim range and see the land I have given the Israelites. After you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was, for when the community rebelled at the waters in the Desert of Zin, both of you disobeyed my command to honor me as holy before their eyes." (These were the waters of Meribah Kadesh, in the Desert of Zin.)

Moses is instructed to hike up a mountain in the Abarim range and gaze on the future land of Israel.

Numbers 27:15-17, Leadership succession

Moses said to the LORD, "May the LORD, the God of the spirits of all mankind, appoint a man over this community to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the LORD's people will not be like sheep without a shepherd."

Moses asks for a successor.

Numbers 27:18-21, Joshua

So the LORD said to Moses, "Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay your hand on him. Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire assembly and commission him in their presence. Give him some of your authority so the whole Israelite community will obey him. He is to stand before Eleazar the priest, who will obtain decisions for him by inquiring of the Urim before the LORD. At his command he and the entire community of the Israelites will go out, and at his command they will come in."

The successor to Moses will be Joshua, who proved himself forty years prior and who has presumably continue to serve well.

Numbers 27:22-23, Joshua commissioned

Moses did as the LORD commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole assembly. Then he laid his hands on him and commissioned him, as the LORD instructed through Moses.

Moses and Eleazar commission Joshua, laying their hands on him.

First published October 1, 2025; updated October 1, 2025