Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, “Avenge the children of Israel on the Midianites. Afterward you shall be gathered to your people.”
Moses spoke to the people, saying, “Arm men from among you for war, that they may go against Midian, to execute Yahweh’s vengeance on Midian. You shall send one thousand out of every tribe, throughout all the tribes of Israel, to the war.” So there were delivered, out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand from every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war. Moses sent them, one thousand of every tribe, to the war with Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the vessels of the sanctuary and the trumpets for the alarm in his hand. They fought against Midian, as Yahweh commanded Moses. They killed every male. They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of their slain: Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam the son of Beor with the sword. The children of Israel took the women of Midian captive with their little ones; and all their livestock, all their flocks, and all their goods, they took as plunder. All their cities in the places in which they lived, and all their encampments, they burned with fire. They took all the captives, and all the plunder, both of man and of animal. They brought the captives with the prey and the plunder, to Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and to the congregation of the children of Israel, to the camp at the plains of Moab, which are by the Jordan at Jericho.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv3, 6, 8, 10, 12 As he had commanded, Num. 25:17, declaring also that…
As he had commanded, Num. 25:17, declaring also that the injury done against his people is done against him.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 Num 31:2 Avenge the children of Israel of the…
Num 31:2 Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people.
Ver. 2. Avenge the children of Israel.] This is called the vengeance of Jehovah. {Num 31:3} The righteous Judge will not fail to avenge our unrighteous vexations, if we "commit ourselves to him in well doing." {1Pe 4:19}
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 Of the Midianites, for their malicious designs and practices…
Of the Midianites, for their malicious designs and practices against Israel, both by hiring Balaam to curse them, and by sending their women to enslave them. The Moabites also were guilty, but God out of his own good pleasure, and in kindness to Lot, was pleased to spare them, the rather, because the measure of their iniquity was not yet full.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv1–12 And the Lord spake unto Moses,.... After the plague…
And the Lord spake unto Moses,.... After the plague upon Israel for their fornication and idolatry, into which they were drawn by the daughters of Moab and Midian, and after the sum of the people was taken in the plains of Moab, and various laws given or repeated, and a little before the death of Moses:
saying; as follows.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv1, 3, 5, 6, 7 God commands Moses to avenge Israel of the Midianites,…
God commands Moses to avenge Israel of the Midianites, ver. 1, 2. Moses sends them to the war, ver. 3-6. They slay the Midianites, ver. 7-12. He reproves them for sparing the women, ver. 13-18. Directions for purifying themselves, ver. 19-24. The distribution of the spirit, ver. 25-47. The free-will-offering of the officers, ver. 48-54.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv1, 2, 3, 6, 8 The command of the Lord to make war on…
CHAPTER XXXI
The command of the Lord to make war on the Midianites, 1, 2.
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One thousand men are chosen out of each of the twelve tribes,
and sent with Phinehas against the Midianites, 3-6.
They slay all the males, 7;
their five kings and Balaam, 8.
They take all the women captives, with the flocks and goods, 9;
burn their cities, and bring away the spoil, 10,11.
They bring the captives, c., to Moses, who is wroth with the
officers for sparing the women, who had formerly been the cause
of their transgression and punishment, 12-16.
He commands all the male children and all the grown up females
to be slain, 17, 18.
How the soldiers were to purify themselves, 19, 20
and the different articles taken in war, 21-24.
They are commanded to take the sum of the prey, to divide it
into two parts; one for the 12,000 warriors, and the other for
the rest of the congregation, 25-27.
One of 500, both of persons and cattle, of the share of the
warriors, to be given to the Lord, 28, 29;
and one part of fifty, of the people's share, to be given to the
Levites, 30.
The sum of the prey remaining after the above division; sheep
675,000, beeves 72,000, asses 61,000, young women 32,000,
ver. 31-35.
How the soldiers' part was divided, 36-40.
How the part belonging to the congregation was divided, 41-47.
The officers report that they had not lost a man in this war,
48, 49.
They bring a voluntary oblation to God, of gold and ornaments,
50, 51;
the amount of which was 16,750 shekels, 52, 53.
Moses and Eleazar bring the gold into the tabernacle for a
memorial, 54.
NOTES ON CHAP. XXXI
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv1, 3, 5, 6, 7 Num 31:1. Avenge the children of Israel of the…
Num 31:1. Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites — For their malicious designs and practices against Israel, both by hiring Balaam to curse them, and by sending their women to insnare them. The Moabites also were guilty, but God was pleased to spare them, because the measure of their iniquity was not yet full.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11 The Midianites - The Moabites are not included. It…
The Midianites - The Moabites are not included. It would thus seem that it was the Midianites, and they only, who deliberately set themselves to work the corruption of Israel.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv2, 6, 8, 9, 10 Madianites. The five princes, (ver. 8) had joined Sehon,…
Madianites. The five princes, (ver. 8) had joined Sehon, in his attack upon the Hebrews, Josue xiii. 21. They had united with the Moabites against them, and had been most active in perverting the people of God. They had even the wicked Balaam still among them, who was bent upon destruction; so that God saw the measure of their crimes was full, their provocations unsufferable, and he was pleased to let Moses be witness of their just punishment. This he would effect with a very small force, ver. 5. (Haydock) --- This war of religion was terminated about a month before the death of Moses.
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures 1864 · Public Domain On v1 The new Separation from the Heathenism of Midian analogous…
EIGHTH SECTION
The new Separation from the Heathenism of Midian analogous to the earlier Separation from the Heathenism of Egypt. The war of Revenge against Midian as a prologue to the extermination of the Canaanites. The Midianitish spoil a parallel to the Egyptian.
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Num_31:1-54
1, And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 2Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people. 3And Moses spake unto the people, saying, Arm some of yourselves unto the war, and let them go against the Midianites, and avenge the Lord of Midian. 4Of every tribe a thousand,1 throughout all the tribes of Israel, shall ye send to the war. 5So there were delivered out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand of every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war. 6And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand of every tribe, them and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the holy instruments, and the trumpets to blow in his hand. 7And they warred against the Midianites, as the Lord commanded Moses; 8and they slew all the males. And they slew the kings of Midian, beside the rest of them that were slain; namely, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword. 9And the children of Israel took all the women of Midian captives, and their little ones, and took the spoil of all their cattle, and all their flocks, and all their goods. 10And they burnt all their cities wherein they dwelt, and all their goodly castles, with fire. 11And they took all the spoil, and all the prey, both of men and of beasts. 12And they brought the captives, and the prey, and the spoil, unto Moses and Eleazar the priest, and unto the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the camp at the plains of Moab, which are by Jordan near Jericho.
13And Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and all the princes of the congregation, went forth to meet them without the camp. 14And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host, with the captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, which came from the battle.2 15And Moses said unto them, Have ye saved all the women alive? 16Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord. 17Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him.3 18But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves. 19And do ye abide without the camp seven days: whosoever hath killed any person, and whosoever hath touched any slain, purify both yourselves and your captives on the third day, and on the seventh day. 20And purify all your raiment, and all that is made of skins,4 and all work of goats’ hair, and all things made of wood.
21And Eleazar the priest said unto the men of war which went to the battle, This is the ordinance of the law which the Lord commanded Moses; 22Only the gold, 23and the silver, the brass, the iron, the tin, and the lead, Everything that may abide the fire, ye shall make it go through the fire, and it shall be clean; nevertheless it shall be purified with the water of separation: and all that abideth not the fire ye shall make go through the water. 24And ye shall wash your clothes on the seventh day, and ye shall be clean, and afterward ye shall come into the camp.
25And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 26Take the sum of the prey5 that was taken, both of man and of beast, thou, and Eleazar the priest, and the chief fathers of the congregation: 27And divide the prey into two parts; between them that took the war upon them, who went out to battle, and between all the congregation. 28And levy a tribute unto the Lord of the men of war which went out to battle: one soul of five hundred, both of the persons, and of the beeves, and of the asses, 29and of the sheep: Take it of their half, and give it unto Eleazar the priest, for a heave offering of the Lord. 30And of the children of Israel’s half, thou shalt take one portion of fifty, of the persons, of the beeves, of the asses, and of the flocks,6 of all manner of beasts, and give them unto the Levites, which keep the charge of the tabernacle of the Lord. 31And Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the Lord commanded Moses. 32And the booty, being the rest of the prey which the men of war had caught, was six hundred thousand and seventy thousand and five thousand 33sheep, And three score and twelve thousand beeves, 34And threescore and one thousand asses, 35And thirty and two thousand persons in all, of women that had not known man by lying with him. 36And the half, which was the portion of them that went out to war, was in number three hundred thousand and seven and thirty 37thousand and five hundred sheep: And the Lord’s tribute of the sheep was six hundred and threescore and fifteen. 38And the beeves were thirty and six thousand; of which the Lord’s tribute was threescore and twelve. 39And the asses were thirty thousand and five hundred; of which the Lord’s tribute was threescore and one. 40And the persons were sixteen thousand; of which the Lord’s tribute was thirty and two persons. 41And Moses gave the tribute, which was the Lord’s heave offering, unto Eleazar the priest, as the Lord commanded Moses. 42And of the children of Israel’s half, which Moses divided from the men that warred, 43(Now the half that pertained unto the congregation was three hundred thousand and thirty thousand and 44, 45seven thousand and five hundred sheep, And thirty and six thousand beeves, And 46thirty thousand asses and five hundred, And sixteen thousand persons,) 47Even of the children of Israel’s half, Moses took one portion of fifty, both of man and of beast, and gave them unto the Levites, which kept the charge of the tabernacle of the Lord; as the Lord commanded Moses.
48And the officers which were over thousands of the host, the captains of thousands, 40and captains of hundreds, came near unto Moses: And they said unto Moses, Thy servants have taken the sum of the men of war which are under our charge,7 and there lacketh not one man of us. We have therefore brought an oblation for the Lord, what every man hath gotten,8 of jewels of gold, chains, and bracelets, rings, earrings, and tablets, to make an atonement for our souls before the Lord. 51And Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of them, even all wrought jewels. 52And all the gold of the offering9 that they offered up to the Lord, of the captains of thousands, and of the captains of hundreds, was sixteen thousand seven hundred 53and fifty shekels. (For the men of war had taken spoil, every man for himself.) 54And Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the tabernacle of the congregation, for a memorial for the children of Israel before the Lord.
TEXTUAL AND GRAMMATICAL
[Num_31:3. הָלְצוּ, from the root, to detach some thing or person from its previous connection. A detailed portion.—A. G.]
[Num_31:5. ימָּסְרוּ, to give over, deliver. Here that which was given over to the special work. Ges. to separate, used only here and in Num_31:16.—A. G.]
[Num_31:6. The ו seems to be the ו explicative, to wit, or “and in fact.” Keil.]
[Num_31:10. טִרוֹתָם, either a walled place, or one encircled by a row or range. Here probably tent-villages or hamlets.—A. G.]
[Num_31:26. The living prey or booty, as in Num_31:12.—A. G.]
[Num_31:29. The word denotes simply offering. Omit the heave.—A. G.]
[Num_31:32. The מִלְקוֹח֤, the living prey, the only divisible portion.—A. G.]
EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
The war of vengeance against the Midianites is specifically of the Old Testament; but as such also of world historical significance, it being no fortuitous occurrence, but a necessary element in the history of the Theocracy.
It is the after-piece to the judicial punishment to which the Israelites were doomed on account of their fall into the voluptuous cultus of the Midianites, and the precursor of the exterminating judgment which was soon to overtake the Canaanites. It was entirely fitting that with respect to the great apostasy to which the words of the prophet Amos (Num_5:25) clearly refer, not only the tempted Israelitish people should be punished, but much more, the people who were the tempters, an utterly depraved, nomadic horde, which camped in the east of Moab. When the Moabites themselves were involved in the guilt of the Midianites, there comes into view again with respect to them the blood-relationship which was ever an object of pious regard to the Israelites. But what was more important was the fact that the Midianites were the chief agents, both in the calling of Balaam to curse, and in the execution of his diabolical counsels. Even in a political point of view a war with Moab would have been an error.
The sins of the Midianites are related to the sins of the Canaanites as the lust cultus with the cultus of human sacrifices or the Moloch service. Both forms of conception are only the two sides of the one irremediable corruption, which consists in this, that a people has turned its public morals into a destructive immorality, because it has abandoned all reverence for a personal God and personal life, and sunk into the dark, magic sin, the sin of deifying the lust of the flesh, and into death, its fruit. The Canaanites could not live as a people under Israel without perverting Israel and with it the history of mankind. In a similar way the Midianites would have been a snare to the tribes east of the Jordan, if they had been left in their immediate neighborhood, and it may not have been without a real practical occasion, that immediately subsequent to the destruction of the Midianites, the narrative proceeds to speak of the settlement of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh in the East. But in addition to this, it is certain that the Midianites had incurred the penalty of death at the hands of the Israelites, because they had celebrated exultingly the seeming triumph of Baal-Peor with his shameless pollution, over Jehovah, the God of personal dignity and moral purity and discipline. The memory of this and its infectious influence must be extinguished with terrible earnestness. This explains the entirely destructive purpose of the attack, although we must distinguish between the divine direction (Num_25:17-18; Num_31:1) and its human execution, and also between the human weakness and the prophetic sternness and rigor (Num_31:14). If the women have made the lascivious cultus the national custom, the men who are the prime agents, active or passive, must bear the responsibility; and it is ever a symptom of the moral stupor into which a people have sunk, when the female sex takes its own course in every evil. Even if a feast, it is only an unrestrained indulgence in luxury. Among the Midianites the male sex appears to have been corrupt to the very core; but the female sex in the measure in which it had come to know the relations of the sexes, as a sphere of profligacy. Thus this history, with all its strangeness and terribleness, is designed to take its place among the means of salvation for the true humanity, and a sign of warning to the nations for all time. [It has been well said “that the question was whether an obscene and debasing idolatry, should undermine the foundations of human society, or the divine retribution interpose to stay the plague and deliver the people of God.” Sin must be destroyed at any cost, and we may be sure that He who loves man but hates his sin, shows his love to man by punishing that sin which draws him far away from God.” Hence the rigor with which the sin of idolatry is dealt with. It involves a total alienation from God, and must therefore always be debasing and ruinous. There is every thing in the record to show that the war was no common one, and is not therefore to be judged by the common principles which regulate ordinary wars. It was rather the execution of a divine judicial sentence. It was to avenge the Lord of Midian.—It was undertaken by His direction, and was shaped and controlled by Him throughout. The Israelites were the instruments of His vengeance. It was directed against the Midianites, who were then encamped upon the plain of Moab, because they were the prime movers in the temptation and fall of Israel. They were still practising their wiles after the plague had been stayed (Num_25:18). They knew against whom they were plotting, since Balaam was among them. Moab had sought the material victory over Israel, its subjugation as a political power, a mighty and conquering nation. The Midianites sought to sap the very spiritual and moral life of the people. They were seeking not victory, but the destruction of Israel. It was a fatal blow, if successful, or if not arrested. The object of the war is not directly the destruction of the Midianites, but the freeing of Israel from their arts and corruption, its moral and spiritual bearing. Every thing bears upon this: the smallness of the number chosen, but yet it must be selected from every tribe, and so represent the entire people whose life had been endangered; the appointment of Phinehas, whose zeal against the sin of the Midianites had made him conspicuous, as a priest, and with the instruments and trumpets to go with the army, not as a military leader, and the remarkable preservation of the warlike host, all show that the character of the war was peculiar, that it was judicial, that its ultimate purpose was the safety of the people of God in its highest aspects and life; and that it could not have been secured in any other way.
If it be objected that many innocent persons must have fallen in the judgment, the obvious and satisfactory answer is, that the objection lies as well against the whole judicial providence of God in the world; and secondly, that the sin was national. The rulers listened to the counsel of Balaam, and found ready obedience on the part of the people. The people sinned, and the people are punished. It is not only that judgments of this nature must be indiscriminate in their sweep, but that God deals with nations as moral agents. We must bear in mind too that this was not a self-undertaken invasion of Israel. They were sent upon it, they had definite instructions how to execute their painful task, and they were held to its spirit, when they would have swerved into leniency. It was no mere slaughter inspired by feelings of animosity; it is not a display of blood-thirsty and cruel passion, but the execution of a solemn trust. The whole history is an impressive exhibition of the wrath of God against sin—here executed by human agents—and a standing type of the ultimate destruction of sinners. If we put ourselves in the true position at the outset, see the true nature and purpose of the war, all is plain.—A. G.]
Num_31:1-6. The avenging host.—A thousand were chosen from each tribe, which constituted an army of 12,000 men, under the priestly leadership of Phinehas, the heroic enthusiast, and with the sound of the holy trumpets. Keil reminds us that Phinehas was not their commander, but was sent along with the sacred trumpets as the priest, because the war was a holy war. But he seems to overlook the fact that all the wars of Israel in these days were holy wars, and that the scribes and priests belonged to the army organization.
[It is worthy of notice, however, that in the earlier wars against Sihon, Og, the Amorites, we have no mention of the presence of the priests with the holy trumpets. Phinehas was chosen avowedly as a priest, and he was doubtless selected from the company of priests, because he had displayed such conspicuous zeal, and would be the fittest person to inspire the army with sacred zeal in the mission.—A. G.]. Who the military leader of the army was we are not certainly told. [Presumably it must have been Joshua.—A. G.]. The holy vessels cannot mean the ark of the covenant, nor the Urim and Thummim, but the sounding trumpets. The Urim and Thummim were borne by the high-priest, and they would have been superfluous when everything was decided. [The trumpets themselves seem to have been the instruments.—A. G.].
Num_31:7-12. The vengeance.—In an assault by storm, as it appears, all the men of Midian were slain [i.e., obviously, all the men of war, the men who were in the battle, the adult males all being present probably. See v. 17.—A. G.]. The five shepherd kings of the people, who were probably slain as captives, are recorded by name. [These were slain ־עַל upon or in addition to those who perished in the battle.—A. G.]. Balaam, too, the instigator of the sin and mischief, meets his doom, in whose case a separate judicial execution seems to be intimated. The cities and encampments of the enemy were destroyed by fire, their wives and children carried captive, and thus the Midianites as a people were utterly blotted out of existence.10 From Jos_13:21 it appears that the Midianite princes were vassals of the Amorite king Sihon, and the cities of the habitation were originally Moabite, and subsequently Amorite cities. The region itself fell afterwards to the tribe of Reuben. “In v. 12, שְׁבִי applies to the women and children who were taken prisoners, מַלְקוֹחַ to the cattle taken as booty, and שָׁלָל to the rest of the prey.” Keil. [Goodly castles, “rather hamlets. LXX. ἐπαύλεις—partial enclosures. It indicates probably those collections of such dwellings made of stones piled one on another and covered with tent-cloths, which are used by the Arabs to this day.” Bib. Com.—A. G.].
Num_31:13-18. The uprooting of the Midianites as a people. The victorious army was received at the front of the camp by Moses, Eleazar the high-priest, and the elders. But Moses addresses the leaders of the host with reproaches, because they had left all the women alive.
The women were certainly the cause of the great sin and fall of Israel, and associated with the Israelitish families they might have become more destructive to the people than before. But how was it with the boys? Knobel reminds us, that they would have risen up later as the avengers of their slain fathers. But they might also, according to their Midianitish nature, “have corrupted the Israelitish women. The terrible result of the command was the death penalty to every male, and also to every female, except those whose virginity could be established, and who might become fused into the popular life of Israel without danger, in the position of slaves, handmaids. And this Old Testament doom was accomplished under the wrath, under the killing power of the law. Still later in the history, Elijah, in following out the law, had it in his purpose to destroy his people by fire. It was not the Jewish nation which introduced such conflicts, but the tendency and result of the law led to them, brought about the struggles in which the higher humanity, had to be protected against the humanity of the mere natural feelings. Thus Moses rebuked the clemency of the captains. Thus Samuel rebuked the leniency of Saul (1 Samuel 15.)
[Num_31:16. These caused—commit trespass. They have become to the Israelites to work unfaithfulness towards Jehovah, for a cause or incitement to treachery to the Lord, or perhaps with a more distinct allusion to the manner in which the inducement was brought to bear, and possibly the intent on their part—these were to the sons of Israel—gave themselves to them, to give them in unfaithfulness or disloyalty to God, on account of Peor.—A. G.].
Num_31:19-24. The purification of the host and of the spoil without the camp. The purification of the warriors who had slain any one, or who had touched any slain one, takes place according to the rule prescribed (Num_19:11). But all the plundered stuffs and fabrics must also be purified. For this Eleazar the high-priest now prescribes more definite rules. Every metal must be cleansed through the fire, and all non-metallic substances must be purified by water; and yet each must finally be sanctified and consecrated by the water of separation.
Num_31:25-47. The division of the spoil. The whole sum of the prey was taken in charge by Moses, the high-priest, and the heads of the fathers’ houses. Then it was divided into two equal parts, one of which fell to the army and the other to the congregation. The warriors, however, were to yield one-fifth of one per cent of the persons and the cattle to the high-priest for Jehovah, while the congregation must yield two per cent., or one out of fifty for the Levites. [The division of the prey into two equal parts was just. For as those who went to war were chosen out of the whole—and thus represented the whole—the congregation were fairly entitled to a share in the spoil which their representatives had taken; while the large proportion was justly due to those who had all the peril.—A. G.]. In the same way the non-combatants were usually considered in the distribution of the spoil—even the captives were considered. Jos_22:8; 1Sa_30:24; 1 Samuel 2 Maccab. Num_8:26 to Num_30:16. Upon the likelihood of so great a spoil being taken [Keil says, “There is nothing in these numbers to astonish any one who has formed correct notions of the wealth of nomad tribes in flocks and herds. The only thing which is surprising is that there is no mention of camels. But it is not certain that the Midianites were in the habit of rearing camels, and if they had been the Israelites would probably have put these to death as useless to them in their present circumstances. The quantity of jewelry seized is quite in harmony with the well-known love of Nomads for ornaments of this kind, and with the peculiar liking of the Midianites.” See Jdg_8:26.—A. G.]. It seems extremely improbable to the critics that not an Israelite should have fallen in the war. The account, however, seems to imply that the attack was sudden and furious, that the enemy were probably taken utterly by surprise, and that it was rather a rout than a battle in any true sense. Keil cites as analogous instances Tacitus Ann. Num_13:19; Strabo xvi. 1128; and Havernick Introduction 1, 2, p. 452. [This is one of the features of this narrative which shows that we are dealing here with the execution of a divine sentence. It implies an extraordinary divine protection, which is in accordance with the view that they were in a peculiar sense the Lord’s instruments.—A. G.]
Num_31:48-54. The consecratory gifts of the officers. In gratitude for their wondrous preservation, they are ready to present as a thank-offering—a second gift—all the golden ornaments, as bracelets, rings, etc., which they had received as booty. It brings the sum of 16,750 shekels into the treasury of the sanctuary. With their thanks, they recognize their obligation to atone for their souls, their lives, i. e., they acknowledge their marvelous preservation as an undeserved mercy, since on account of their sinfulness they might well have suffered death. “An atonement for our souls. (See Lev_1:4), namely in the feeling that they were not worthy of any such grace, not because they had done wrong in failing to destroy all the enemies of Jehovah. [This could not have been any real atonement for any error or sin, such as they were chargeable with in neglecting to do as they were told, for such an atonement, as they well knew, would have required a bloody offering. The very magnitude of the mercy makes them more sensible of their unworthiness of it, and awakens deeper gratitude.—A. G.]. Besides these thank-offerings, the captains had taken other spoil of the nation which remained in their possession.
DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL
The avenging march against the Midianites, as the after-piece to the drama of judgment (chap. 25), wherein the Jews had made an atonement, but not the Midianites; and as a preface to the storm which should come upon the Canaanites, was designed to draw at once a broad line of demarcation between Judaism and heathenism, and to impress the Israelitish people with an inextinguishable abhorrence of the cruelties and abominations of a lustful cultus.
[Israel, as the sacred people of God, now restored to His favor, must execute His judgment and vengeance upon His enemies. As Jehovah is Israel’s God, who has bound Himself with them, so every attack upon Israel is an attack upon God. The analogy which holds between the war of Israel against the Midianites and the Christian warfare of all the people of God against His foes and theirs, is suggestive and instructive. The Midianites suffering their just desert at the hands of Israel, whom they had brought into sin, is only an instance of a general principle, which finds frequent illustration in history .—A. G.]
HOMILETICAL HINTS
The dark and fearful enigmas in the world’s history. In the theocratic history, they are illuminated by the word of God, and stand out as judicial visitations. And indeed according to impartial justice. For as Jehovah here allows the Israelites to prevail over the heathen Midianites, so afterwards as the Lord of Hosts He allows the heathen to prevail over the Israelites. But the world-historical judgments are always preventives of endless corruption; e. g. preventing the permanent lapse of the people into a lustful worship by the poisoning of their fancies and morals. Thus often humanity is saved by the remedies of fire and brimstone from the fearful corruptions of the sexual life. The war of extermination destroyed on the one hand a nest of corruption, a great hotbed of impurity, and on the other hand opened an abyss between the heathenish depravity (in which the union of vice with religious enthusiasm and the general debased condition of a whole people come into view) and the family life of Israel. The booty. Its explanation is, that it was property without an owner, and that as such it was a gift from Jehovah. Finally these facts in the history of Israel are obscured by considering them out of their connection in time and place. This is true of all historical facts. [We are all called to essentially the same warfare, and may not shrink from it. The Christian called to be the executioner of judgment upon his own sins. The tendency to spare those which wear the most attractive appearance must be restrained. The deep-lying corruption in the tendency to self-worship.—A. G.]
Footnotes:
[1]Marg. a thousand of a tribe, a thousand of a tribe.
[2]Marg. host of war.
[3]Marg. a male.
[4]Marg. instrument or vessel of skins.
[5]Marg. of the captivity.
[6]Marg. goats.
[7]Marg. hand.
[8]Marg. found.
[9]Marg. heave offering.
[10][Kurtz, however, holds that the destruction only concerned those tribes of the Midianites dwelling on the high-lands of Moab; that the main stock of the tribe shared neither in the sin nor judgment, and hence later in the history (Jdg_6:8) they appear as a mighty and hostile power against Israel.—A. G.].
Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures (Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical), ed. John Peter Lange, English translation edited by Philip Schaff (1864–1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv3, 5, 6, 7, 8 Arm some of yourselves--This order was issued but a…
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.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv1, 3, 5, 8, 10, 11, 12 MIDIAN CONQUERED AND BALAAM SLAIN, Num_31:1-12.
MIDIAN CONQUERED AND BALAAM SLAIN, Num_31:1-12.
2. Avenge the children of Israel — This is stronger than an ordinary declaration of war. It is the execution of the righteous sentence of Jehovah. Midian had deliberately plotted the moral and national ruin of Israel, clearly demonstrated to be the people of God by the favours shown them. The means employed by the Midianites to compass the downfall of Israel reveals a moral obliquity so marked and contagious as to call for the seven punitive measures ordered.
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Gathered unto thy people — Num_27:13, note.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 1–18. The utter destruction of every Midianite, with the…
1–18. The utter destruction of every Midianite, with the exception of the virgins who are to be kept as spoil.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv1, 3, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12 (1) Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites.—The…
XXXI.
(1) Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites.—The time had now come for the fulfilment of the command which had already been given (see Num_25:16-18), after which Moses was to be gathered unto his people, as it had been revealed to him (Num_27:13). After Balaam had been dismissed by Balak, he appears to have gone, not to the Moabites, but to the Midianites; and it was in consequence of the counsel which he gave to the Midianites (Num_5:16) that the Israelites were reduced into the idolatrous and lascivious worship of Baal Peor. It is possible, also, that the Midianites, as the descendants of Abraham, may have possessed clearer light and greater privileges than the Moabites. They may have had many men as enlightened as Jethro amongst them, and consequently they may have incurred the greater guilt, and rendered themselves obnoxious to the severer punishment of those who, “after they have known the way of righteousness, turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them” (2Pe_2:21). But whether satisfactory reasons can or cannot be assigned why a more exemplary judgment should have been inflicted upon the Midianites than upon the Moabites, who were not left unpunished (see Deu_23:3-4), those only can maintain that the destruction of the Midianites is inconsistent with the justice or the goodness of God who deny that He has absolute control over the destinies of all the creatures of His hands, and that when it is His pleasure to recall the life which He has bestowed, it is for Him to determine what agents or what instruments it is best to employ.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
C. H. Mackintosh 1880 · Public Domain On v1 Numbers 31
Numbers 31
We have here the closing scene of Moses’ official life; as in Deuteronomy 34 we have the closing scene of his personal history. "and the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites; afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people. And Moses spake unto the People, saying, Arm some of yourselves unto the war, and let them go against the Midianites, and avenge the Lord of Midian. Of every tribe a thousand, throughout all the tribes of Israel, shall ye send to the war. So there were delivered out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand of every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war. And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand of every tribe, them and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the holy instruments, and the trumpets to blow in his hand. And they warred against the Midianites, as the Lord commanded Moses; and they slew all the males Verses 3-7.
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This is a very remarkable passage. The Lord says to Moses, "Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites." And Moses says to Israel, "Avenge the Lord of Midian." The people had been ensnared by the wiles of the daughters of Midian, through the evil influence of Balaam the son of Peor; and they are now called upon to clear themselves thoroughly from all the defilement which, through want of watchfulness, they had contracted. The sword is to be brought upon the Midianites; and all the spoil is to be made to pass either through the fire of judgement or through the water of purification. Not one jot or tittle of the evil thing is to be suffered to pass unjudged.
Now, this war was what we may call abnormal. By right, the people ought not to have had any occasion to encounter it at all. It was not one of the wars of Canaan. It was simply the result of their own unfaithfulness - the fruit of their own unhallowed commerce with the uncircumcised. Hence, although Joshua, the son of Nun, had been duly appointed to succeed Moses, as leader of the congregation, we find no mention whatever of him in connection with this war. On the contrary, it is to Phinehas, the son of Eleazar the priest, that the conduct of this expedition is committed; and he enters upon it" with the holy instruments and the trumpets."
All this is strongly marked. The priest is the prominent person; and the Holy instruments, the prominent instrumentality. It is a question of wiping away the stain caused by their unholy association with the enemy; and therefore, instead of a general officer with sword and spear, it is a priest with holy instruments that appears in the foreground. True, the sword is here; but it is not the prominent thing. It is the priest with the vessels of the sanctuary; and that priest the selfsame man who first executed judgement upon that very evil which has here to be avenged.
The moral of all this is, at once, plain and practical. The Midianites furnish a type of that peculiar kind of influence which the world exerts over the hearts of the people of God - the fascinating and ensnaring power of the world used by Satan to hinder our entrance upon our proper heavenly portion. Israel should have had nothing to do with these Midianites; but having, in an evil hour - an unguarded moment - been betrayed into association with them, nothing remains but war and utter extermination.
So with us, as Christians. Our proper business is to pass through the world, as pilgrims and strangers; having nothing to do with it, save to be the patient witnesses of the grace of Christ, and thus shine as lights in the midst of the surrounding moral gloom. But, alas! we fail to maintain this rigid separation; we suffer ourselves to be betrayed into alliance with the world, and, in consequence, we get involved in trouble and conflict which does not properly belong to us at all. War with Midian formed no part of Israel’s proper work. They had to thank themselves for it. But God is gracious; and hence, through a special application of priestly ministry, they were enabled, not only to conquer the Midianites, but to carry away much spoil. God, in His infinite goodness, brings good out of evil. He will cause the eater to yield meat, and the strong sweetness. His grace shines out, with exceeding brightness, in the scene before us, inasmuch as He actually deigns to accept a portion of the spoils taken from the Midianites. But the evil had to be thoroughly judged. "Every male" had to be put to death - all in whom there was the energy of the evil had to be completely exterminated; and finally the fire of judgement and the water of purification had to do their work on the spoil, ere God or His people could touch an atom of it.
What holy lessons are here! May we apply our hearts to them! May we be enabled to pursue a path of more intense separation, and to press on our heavenly road as those whose portion and whose home is on high! God, in His mercy grant it?
C. H. Mackintosh, Notes on the Pentateuch — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11 EXTERMINATION OF THE MIDIANITES (verses Num_25:17) but how long…
EXTERMINATION OF THE MIDIANITES (verses Num_25:17) but how long before we cannot tell. Possibly the interval had been purposely allowed in order that the attack when it was made might be sudden and unexpected. From the fact that no resistance would seem to have been made to the Israelitish detachment, and that an enormous amount of plunder was secured, we may probably conclude that the Midianites had thought all danger past.
Vers. 1-54. The extermination of sinful lusts.
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The religious value of this chapter for Christian people must be based upon a "spiritual" interpretation; otherwise it can but excite abhorrence, and can only serve the negative purpose of showing by contrast with that darkness how fair is the light which now shineth. But "all these things," says St. Paul, writing of the events which followed the exodus, (1Co_10:11) "were written for our admonition;" and "all Scripture God-inspired is profitable" for some directly religious purpose. Those who reject all "spiritual" application (albeit directly sanctioned by apostolic example 1Co_9:10 Gal_4:24, &c.); must in honesty deny that such a chapter as this is "profitable" for anything except to afford some data for the science of comparative morality, an object valuable in itself, but certainly not worthy of Divine inspiration. If there be here nothing for immortal souls beyond the details of a horrid slaughter and of an enormous booty, it might better be omitted at once from the Bible. But if the hosts of Midian represent in an "allegory" the "fleshly lusts which war against the soul," then may Samson"s riddle be found true of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness"; (Jud_1:14:14) and a passage which has given occasion to many fierce and dangerous invectives against religion may yield store of food and refreshment for the souls of the wise. Having, therefore, this clue in our hands to guide us through these dark paths, slippery with blood of slaughtered infants, and ringing with the cries of frantic women, we may see at once a profound meaning in the broad and apparently unwarrantable distinction drawn between Moab and Midian. As to fleshly sin, there was nothing to choose between them; yet Midian only was smitten, because he alone had practiced with design against the life of Israel. Even so it is against "fleshly lusts which war against the soul," i.e., which are prepared and used by a malignant will to alienate the soul from God, and so to destroy it it is against such that Christianity denounces bitter and implacable war. Against "fleshly lusts," as they exist among the heathen, springing out of the mere wantonness of natural life untrained to any higher aim than present enjoyment, Christianity (rightly understood) has no vindictive sternness. It may look with sadness upon a melancholy degradation; it may avoid with anxiety a most perilous contamination; but it neither condemns, nor seeks to repress, save by the gentle force of a better example and a higher teaching. Consider, therefore, with regard to the Midianites
I THAT GOD HIMSELF PRESSED ON THE WAR WITH MIDIAN TO THE BITTER END, and that although there did not seem any present danger to Israel from that quarter. Even so in his holy word God ever urges us to wage an implacable war with the lusts of the flesh, and not to be content because we are not presently assailed by them, but to exterminate them wholly. Nothing is more striking than the urgency and the breadth of these exhortations. The Scripture assumes that all classes of believers (however respectable in outward life and position) have need to strive earnestly against their passions. (Gal_5:17-24 Col_3:5, and parallel passages) And note that subsequent events fully justified the slaughter then made of Midian. (Jud_1:6 Jud_1:7 Jud_1:8) We have, and shall have, but too good reason to know that fleshly sins are always a formidable danger.
II THAT MOSES MUST FINISH THE DESTRUCTION OF MIDIAN ERE HE BE CALLED TO HIS REST, AND ERE ISRAEL MAY CROSS THE JORDAN. Even so the moral law, the wrath of God against sin declared by Moses, must remain in force until sin be destroyed in our mortal members. When the lusts of the flesh are wholly mortified, then, and only then, shall there be "no law," but only grace and love and heaven close at hand. (Gal_5:23 1Ti_1:9, &c.);
III THAT WAR WITH MIDIAN WAS COMMANDED OF GOD IN ORDER TO "AVENGE THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL," BUT OF MOSES IN ORDER TO "AVENGE THE LORD." Even so has God commanded us to strive against hurtful lusts because they "drown men in perdition", (1Ti_6:9) and have caused incalculable loss of those who should have had inheritance with us; but we on our part fight against these sins because they dishonour God, and destroy the souls for which Christ died. And both these motives are in effect one, and unite to make our warfare a holy war, albeit a war of vengeance, in which no mercy may be shown.
IV THAT THE WAR WITH MIDIAN WAS DISTINCTLY ONE OF VENGEANCE FOR INJURIES INFLICTED ON THEMSELVES AND ON THE LORD. Even so in the strife of the Christian against carnal sin there is a true element of revenge, and abundant room for holy indignation, and even for sharp reprisals; albeit these are all directed against that in himself which is hateful to a man"s better self and to God. (1Co_9:27 2Co_7:11 Rom_8:13)
V THAT IF ONLY 12, 000 ACTUALLY WENT TO THE WAR, ALL ISRAEL WENT BY REPRESENTATION 1000 FROM EACH TRIBE. So the conflict against sin may be in a few only conspicuous and acute, yet these only represent what is going on secretly more or less in the hearts and lives of Christian people generally. The stress of fight may fall on some, but all are called to fight.
VI THAT TO THIS WAR ISRAEL WAS ACCOMPANIED BY THE PRIEST, (Phinehas see on Nu 25) THE SACRED TRUMPETS, AND, AS IT SHOULD SEEM, THE ARK ITSELF. Even so the Christian warfare against sin is guided, sanctified, and cheered by the High Priest himself of our profession, (Heb_2:18 Heb_12:2 Rev_3:4, Rev_3:5) and by the stirring tones of the gospel, and by the glorious mystery of the incarnation itself God with us, the All-holy tabernacled in our flesh, Christ in us, the hope of glory hereafter and the sweet constraint unto purity now.
VII THAT ALL THE MEN OF MIDIAN WERE SLAIN, TOGETHER WITH THEIR KINGS. Even so it is the destiny of the Church at large, and may be our individual happiness, to overthrow and destroy all hurtful lusts, however strong and active, which are in enmity with the law of God. So also their princes, "the world-rulers of this darkness," shall not stand before us, hut shall perish. (1Co_15:25 Eph_5:27 Eph_6:12, &c.);
VIII THAT THE SOLDIERS ERRED IN SPARING SUCH AS SEEMED WEAK AND HARMLESS, AND MIGHT BE SAFELY TURNED TO PROFIT. The women were in fact more dangerous than the men; the boys would become as dangerous as their fathers. Even so do we err in setting our faces strongly against certain sins which are accounted disgraceful, while we tolerate others because they seem comparatively harmless, or even profitable. This is exactly what civilization does: it puts down very thoroughly the ruder vices of mankind, but it spares the softer vices, partly because it feels no repugnance to them, partly because they actually make for wealth. But these softer vices are even more fatal to morality, because more insidious and more fascinating; and these sins which seem to add to the general wealth are preparing a disastrous future for the nation. The moral law of the gospel bids us wage an equal war with all sins without exception, and takes no account whether they are offensive or inoffensive, hateful or pleasant, to the natural man, to public opinion, or to the sentiment of the age.
IX THAT MOSES COMMANDED ALL TO BE SLAIN EXCEPT THE YOUNG GIRLS, WHO BY REASON OF THEIR YOUTH AND INNOCENCE MIGHT SAFELY BE DISTRIBUTED THROUGH THE HOUSEHOLDS OF ISRAEL. Even so all passions which belong to the lower and conquered nature of man must be "mortified" and exterminated, except such as can be safely and thoroughly absorbed in the sanctified life. This is the only test. Whatever natural desires can be taken up into the Christian life without remaining as a foreign element (and therefore a source of danger) within it may be spared, and ought to be welcomed, but no others. All the rest must at any cost be got rid of. (Mat_19:12 Mar_9:43-49 Rom_8:13 1Co_9:27 Eph_4:22Co Eph_3:5)
X THAT ALL THE REST OF THE SPOIL MUST BE PURIFIED EITHER BY FIRE OR WATER, OR BOTH, BEFORE IT COULD COME INTO THE comp. Even so whatever is to be brought over (and it is indeed very much) from the natural life of passion into the sanctified life of grace must be purged by the cleansing virtue of the atonement (the water of separation: see on chapter 19), and by the baptism of the Holy Spirit. (see on Mat_3:11) Nothing which has been contaminated with sin can be turned to Christian uses unless it is first sanctified according to its nature. But, subject to this purifying, all that is not in itself sinful may be adapted to Christian ends, and used by Christian people.
Consider again, with respect to the booty taken
I THAT IT WAS VERY GREAT, AND GREATLY ENRICHED THE PEOPLE. Even so there is more spiritual gain to be made by attacking and destroying sins than by anything else. Churches and souls would never need to complain of spiritual poverty if they busied themselves in waging zealous and unsparing war against the sins within their own reach, within themselves.
II THAT ALL SHARED IN THE SPOIL, BUT THOSE THAT WARRED HAD BY FAR THE LARGER SHARE INDIVIDUALLY. Even so it is for the profit and edification of all that sins should be successfully assailed; but those who bear the brunt of temptation and strive against sin even "unto blood" have by far the greater reward in themselves. Let this be our Christian ambition, to earn the higher prizes of "him that overcometh". (Mar_10:29, 30 1Ti_1:18 2Ti_2:4, 5 Heb_12:4)
III THAT AMONGST THE SPOIL THERE WERE A MULTITUDE OF HUMAN BEINGS, AND THESE PROBABLY THE MOST VALUABLE PART OF IT. Even so in the Christian warfare against sin there are a multitude of souls rescued from slavery, and these of priceless worth, beyond all other rewards which we could ask or think of. The girls of Midian seemed to be delivered into slavery; they were in fact delivered from a horrible slavery, and made free in the only way which was then possible. So are those souls which are brought into the service and strictness of Christ made free by the truth. (Luk_5:10 Joh_8:32, Joh_8:34, 36 2Co_1:14 Php_4:1 Jam_5:20)
IV THAT THE LORD"S PORTION AND THE PORTION OF HIS MINISTERS WAS EXACTED BEFORE THE SPOIL MIGHT BE APPROPRIATED. Even so, whatever is allowed to Christian use which has belonged to a sinful world, God and his Church have a first claim upon it. It is only through the sanctifying influences of grace that Christian people can freely and safely enjoy the many comforts and luxuries and profits which else they must have forsworn. It is but right that these should first of all be willingly taxed for the glory of God among men, and for the support of all outward ministries of grace. (Luk_11:41)
Consider again, with regard to Balaam"s death
I THAT HE FELL AT LAST WHERE HE HAD NO REASON TO APPREHEND DANGER. Israel had passed by these tribes of Midian, and Balaam no doubt believed that all present danger from them was over. Even so vengeance overtakes the wicked at the moment when he is least afraid, and when justice seems to have forgotten him.
II THAT HE FELL BY THE SWORD OF ISRAEL, i.e., BY THE HAND OF THOSE WHO HAD BEEN THE VICTIMS OF HIS GUILE. Even so it is a just thing with God that evil men and seducers should receive their punishment through those whom they have wronged.
III THAT BALAAM, THE ENCHANTER AND TEMPTER OF ISRAEL, FELL WITHOUT A STRUGGLE WHEN THE PRINCES OF MIDIAN HAD BEEN SLAIN. Even so the tempter himself the archenemy of souls, will (as far as we are concerned) come utterly to an end as soon as we have overcome the allurements to sin which he uses against us. (Rom_16:20)
Consider again, with regard to the offering of the officers
I THAT NOT ONE HAD FALLEN IN THE RANKS OF ISRAEL a thing clearly beyond expectation in any ordinary expedition. Even so there is no reason why any should fall or fail in the warfare against fleshly lusts. For the promise of victory is not to all in general, or to the Church at large only, but to each soul in particular that will earnestly strive. And victory over sin implies eternal life. (Eze_18:23 Amo_9:9 Mic_7:8 Mal_3:17 1Co_10:13, &c.);
II THAT THE OFFICERS FELT THAT THIS IMMUNITY WAS DUE TO THE SPECIAL PROVIDENCE OF GOD. Even so that we escape from sin and death, that we come unhurt through so many perils to the soul, is not of our strength, but of God"s assistance, and to him all the glory is due. (Isa_40:29 2Co_12:9 Php_4:13 2Ti_4:17, 2Ti_4:18, &c.);
III THAT THEY OWED A GREAT DEBT OF GRATITUDE TO GOD FOR THE PRESERVATION" OF THOSE WHO HAD BEEN COMMITTED TO THEIR CHARGE (literally, "in their hand "). Even so we ought to feel and to show great gratitude to God for the spiritual safety of such as are put in our charge, whether as children or otherwise. According to our responsibility for them, and our sorrow if they were lost, so should be our thankfulness if the good hand of God be upon them to keep them in the way of life. (Php_1:3 1Th_1:2, 1Th_1:3, &c.);
IV THAT THEY SHOWED THEIR GRATITUDE BY THE SPECIAL DEDICATION TO GOD"S SERVICE OF THOSE PRECIOUS THINGS WITH WHICH THAT WARFARE HAD ENRICHED THEM. Even so when we and ours come unscathed out of the temptations of the world and of the flesh, we may well dedicate to God in some special way all the costly gifts of knowledge, of sympathy, of spiritual power and freedom which come of temptation and trial bravely overcome.
And note that the numbering of the men who had been to the war, and the offering of the golden spoil, may be interpreted of the last day.
1. That not one true soldier of Christ shall be missing then. (Joh_10:28, 29 Php_1:6 Rev_7:3, 4 compared with Rev_14:1)
2. That all the precious gifts yielded by human life amid strife and danger shall be brought into the holy city of God, to the glory of God. (Rev_21:24, Rev_21:26)
3. That every one that overcometh shall be the better and the richer for his warfare against sin (see verse 53).
HOMILIES BY D. YOUNG Vers. 1-54. The lion and his prey.
In two of his prophecies Balaam had been compelled to speak of Israel as the lion. (Num_23:24 Num_24:9) We now behold, in the destruction of Midian, the rousing of the lion-spirit. Something of it had been seen already in the conduct of Phinehas (chapter 25), and now there is a manifestation on a larger scale in the achievement of these 12, 000 men.
I THE COMPLETENESS OF THE DESTRUCTION. All the males of Midian were slain, and the five kings are particularly mentioned as being among them. The women and their little ones were taken captive. The whole of their property was turned into spoil, and how large that spoil was we learn from the latter part of the chapter. Their cities and goodly castles were all burnt. And might not this seem destruction enough? Apparently not; for we read that Moses was wroth because the women had been spared, and they, as well as all the males of the little ones, had to be added to the slain. Thus the impression left upon us, and evidently intended to be left, is that of utter and merciless extermination. None were left to continue the race of Midian.
II THE INSPIRATION OF THIS DREADFUL BLOW WAS EVIDENTLY FROM GOD. It was undertaken at his command, and not only so, but laid on Moses as his last great service before his departure. "Old age hath yet his honour and his toil; Death closes all: but something ere the end, Some work of noble note, may yet be done.
Midian did not lie in the way of advancing Israel, as did the hosts of Sihon and Og. In one sense Israel had to turn out of its way in order to inflict this blow. We need to keep distinctly before our minds that God gave special command and made special preparation for it. The motive of this act is not to be found in the vindictive spirit of a half-savage people. The wrongs which, by natural disposition, they would have burned to avenge were not such as those inflicted by Midian. In truth there is no occasion either for blame anywhere, or for attempt at palliation. We must read this dreadful record in a spirit of humble submission to the authority of God, who sees need for temporal destruction where we may fail to see it.
III That this blow came from God is made still clearer as we consider how HIS POWER GAVE THE BLOW ITS EFFICACY. Observe how small a part of the whole army was required about a fiftieth, There is no mention of a selected company to engage against Sihon and Og, but now this small force is enough to crush the whole of Midian. If Israel had gone forth of its own accord, it would have made the result as sure as possible by taking a far larger force than actually went. But where God is not present he can turn mere numbers into loss rather than gain. It was an occasion for the excellency of the Divine power to be manifested. No actual leader is mentioned. Moses sent them forth, and on their return he went out to meet them, but they evidently lacked what inspiration his presence and counsel might give them in the field. Phinehas went with them, but he was in charge of the holy instruments and trumpets. We are made to feel that the invisible Jehovah himself was leader, not only directing the attack, but also providing sufficient defense; for when the officers came to count up the army on its return, they were able to say, "There lacketh not one man of us.
IV THE REASON FOR THIS DREADFUL DESTRUCTION IS FOUND IN THE PECULIAR INJURY WHICH MIDIAN HAD DONE TO ISRAEL. (Num_25:16-18) It must needs be that offences come, but woe to the Midianites through whom they come! Although they were not a very difficult people to defeat and destroy in battle, they had been very powerful to tempt Israel into idolatry. A thing which is comparatively easy to deal with in one way is impossible to deal with in another. Israel could annihilate Midian, and do something in that way to secure safety, but there was no chance of safety in having friendly intercourse with Midian. It had to be dealt with as a people saturated with the infecting corruptions of idolatry. Everything had to bend to the interests of Israel, as both typifying and cradling the Church of the future. For the sake of Israel God plagued and spoiled the tyrannous Egyptians; for the sake of Israel he made one whole generation of its own people to perish in the wilderness. What wonder then that for the sake of Israel he utterly destroyed the Midianite tempters! When a fire is extending it may be necessary to pull down other buildings to stop it many buildings perhaps, as Evelyn tells us was the case in arresting the great fire of London. There is something very significant in the following sentence from his diary: some stout seamen proposed early enough to have saved nearly the whole city, but this some tenacious and avaricious men, aldermen, &c., would not permit, because their houses must have been of the first." There may have to be a great deal of temporal destruction to make sure of eternal salvation. Y. ;
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On v1 They warred against the Midianites.
Num_31:1-12
They warred against the Midianites.
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The vengeance of Jehovah on Midian
I. That in the administration of the Divine government the punishment of sin is certain.
1. The sin which the Midianites had committed.
2. The Author of the punishment of the Midianites.
3. The executioners of the punishment.
4. The severity of the punishment.
(1) It fell upon an immense number.
(2) It tell upon persons of every rank.
(3) It involved the destruction of their towns and villages, and the loss of their property.
II. That God can work by many, or by few, in the execution of His purposes. The accomplishments of the purpose of God by this small force was fitted to answer three ends.
1. To teach them that this expedition was, in a special manner, the Lords.
2. To teach them that He can effect His purposes by many or by few (1Sa_14:6; Jdg_7:1-25.).
3. To check any temptation or tendency to self-glorification on the part of the soldiers.
III. That God honours the holy zeal of His servants by employing them as leaders in the execution of His purposes.
IV. That God enriches His people with the spoils of their enemies. (W. Jones.)
The Midianites reckoned with
1. God would have the Midianites chastised, an inroad made upon that part of their country which lay next to the camp of Israel, and which was concerned in that mischief, probably more than the Moabites, who, therefore, were let alone. God will have us to reckon those our worst enemies that draw us to sin, and since every man is tempted when he is drawn aside of his own lusts, and those are the Midianites which ensnare us with their wiles, on them we should avenge ourselves; not only make no league with them, but make war upon them by living a life of mortification. God hath taken vengeance on His own people for yielding to the Midianites temptations; now the Midianites must be reckoned with that gave temptation ; for the deceived and the deceiver are His (Job_12:16), both accountable to His tribunal; and though judgment begin at the house of God, it shall not end there (1Pe_4:17). There is a day coming when vengeance will be taken on those that have introduced errors and corruptions into the Church, and the devil that deceived men will be cast into the lake of fire. Israels quarrel with Amalek that fought against them was not avenged till long after, but their quarrel with Midian that debauched them was speedily avenged, for they were looked upon as much the more dangerous and malicious enemies.
2. God would have it done by Moses in his life-time, that he who had so deeply resented that injury might have the satisfaction of seeing it avenged. See this execution done upon the enemies of God and Israel, and afterwards thou shall be gathered to thy people. This was the only piece of service of this kind that Moses must farther do, and then he has accomplished, as a hireling, his day, and shall have his quietus. (Matthew Henry, D. D.)
Vengeance executed on Midian
This is a very remarkable passage. The Lord says to Moses, Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites. And Moses says to Israel, Avenge the Lord of Midian. The people had been ensnared by the wiles of the daughters of Midian, through the evil influence of Balaam the son of Peer; and they are now called upon to clear themselves thoroughly from all the defilement which, through want of watchfulness, they had contracted. The sword is to be brought upon the Midianites; and all the spoil is to be made to pass either through the fire of judgment or through the water of purification. Not one jot or tittle of the evil thing is to be suffered to pass unjudged. Now, this war was what we may call abnormal. By right the people ought not to have had any occasion to encounter it at all. It was not one of the wars of Canaan. It was simply the result of their own unfaithfulness--the fruit of their own unhallowed commerce with the uncircumcised. Hence, although Joshua, the son of Nun, had been duly appointed to succeed Moses as leader of the congregation, we find no mention whatever of him in connection with this war. On the contrary, it is to Phinehas, the son of Eleazar the priest, that the conduct of this expedition is committed; and he enters upon it with the holy instruments and the trumpets. All this is strongly marked. The priest is the prominent person; and the holy instruments, the prominent instrumentality. It is a question of wiping away the stain caused by their unholy association with the enemy; and, therefore, instead of a general officer with sword and spear, it is a priest with holy instruments that appears in the foreground. True, the sword is here; but it is not the prominent thing. It is the priest with the vessels of the sanctuary; and that priest the selfsame man who first executed judgment upon that very evil which has here to be avenged. The moral of all this is, at once, plain and practical. The Midianites furnish a type of that peculiar kind of influence which the world exerts over the hearts of the people of God--the fascinating and ensnaring power of the world used by Satan to hinder our entrance upon our proper heavenly portion. Israel should have had nothing to do with these Midianites; but having, in an evil hour, been betrayed into association with them, nothing remains but war and utter extermination. So with us, as Christians. Our proper business is to pass through the world as pilgrims and strangers; having nothing to do with it save to be the patient witnesses of the grace of Christ, and thus shine as lights in the midst of the surrounding moral gloom. But, alas! we fail to maintain this rigid separation; we suffer ourselves to be betrayed into alliance with the world, and, in consequence, we get involved in trouble and conflict which does not properly belong to us at all. War with Midian formed no part of Israels proper work. They had to thank themselves for it. But God is gracious; and hence, through a special application of priestly ministry, they were enabled, not only to conquer the Midianites, but to carry away much spoil. God, in His infinite goodness, brings good out of evil. (C. H. Mackintosh.)
Israels progress
It is instructive to compare this warfare of the children of Israel with their earlier battles. There are many points of difference between them. In Egypt, when surrounded by their enemies, they were not called to fight. They were quite unprepared for war; but God fought for them, and they were still, and held their peace. Then again, subsequently they were attacked by the Amalekites. They did not begin the encounter, but only repelled the attacks; whereas on this occasion Moses said unto the people (Num_31:3). Their earlier encounters were all in self-defence--their later ones were aggressive. Here, then, we cannot but discern a mark of progress in Israels history. At first, when they were weak, and without experience of Gods power and unchanging love, they were more passive. Now that they had been formed into a more compact body, and trained to arms, and still more, had experienced the power and faithfulness of God, they were called to be aggressive, to attack and destroy the enemies of God. Now, we think, that this progress in Israels history is typical in the Christian life. In the first beginnings of the spiritual life the young Christians mind is chiefly passive. Gods work is to show him his own needs and what are his enemies. The very spirit of the gospel is aggressive, not in a worldly sense, nor indeed in the sense in which it was true of Israel, but in a higher and holier sense; for it is a spirit of faith in God-a spirit of holy jealousy for Gods glory--a spirit of deep compassion for perishing souls. Do you ever ask yourselves, What progress is my soul making? There are many signs; and it is safer not to try ourselves by one only. If you are living near to God you will be growing more and more dead to the world. But note another mark. When Moses sent them into the battle, a thousand of every tribe, he sent Phinehas, the son of Eleazar the priest, with them, and the holy instruments, and the trumpets to blow in his hand. What these holy instruments were we are not informed, but doubtless they were meant to be symbols of Gods presence with His people. The priest, and holy instruments, and silver trumpets, were as needful as their weapons of war. These were a practical warning against a spirit of revenge, and an encouragement to depend wholly on God. They must have served to impress most powerfully on the minds of the Israelites that this war was a great moral act, and that in engaging in it they should depend wholly on God. And these accompaniments of war showed also progress in Israels history. Their earlier battles were always acts of faith; but then no priest went forth with their army, no holy instruments were carried forth, or trumpets blown; for it was subsequently that they were brought into covenant with God at Sinai, and had still brighter tokens of His presence--subsequently, that the two silver trumpets were appointed to carry terror into the hearts of their enemies, and to make them realise that they were remembered before Jehovah. And this may suggest to us one point of difference between the earlier and later conflicts of a Christian. When he is young and inexperienced in conflict, there is generally too much confidence in self. But when God has taught him deeper lessons in the work of war, he has lees confidence in self and more in God. Then it is not his own courage or skill, not his own strength or perseverance, but Christ his eternal and ever-present Priest, the holy instruments of the sanctuary, and the silver trumpet of the gospel, which are his great and only hope of victory. But there is still another point of progress discernible in this part of Israels history, and that is in the use that was made of the spoils of the Midianites. Jehovah gave them this victory. They all felt it. It was in His name that they went forth, and in His name that they triumphed. Here we find that they brought the captives, and the prey, and the spoil, to Moses and Eleazar, the priest, and unto the congregation of the children of Israel (Num_31:12). And then a division of the booty took place. It was divided into two equal parts, one of which was given to those who went into the battle, and the other belonged to those who remained in the camp. Those who encountered the Midianites being but a small part of Israel, only twelve thousand men, had in reality the largest share; and this was but right, as they had been exposed to the dangers of war. But this was not the whole of the arrangement. The most important part remains to be mentioned. After this division had taken place, a part was to be consecrated to God. Of that which belonged to the warriors themselves one five-hundredth part was offered unto the Lord as a heave-offering, as we are expressly told, And Moses gave the tribute which was the Lords heave-offering unto Eleazar the priest (Num_31:4). This portion, then, came to the priests. Of the other part, which belonged to those who did not go into battle, one-fiftieth part was consecrated to God, And of the children of Israels half, thou shalt take one portion of fifty of the persons, of the beeves, of the asses, and of the flocks, and of all manner of beasts (Num_31:30). This portion belonged to the Levites. And so, if we compare together the portion of the priests with that of the Levites, we find that was as one to ten. But even this is not all. When those who went into battle were numbered, it was found that there lacked not one man, not one was lost. This was a wonderful proof of Gods care and protection. No less than twenty-four thousand fell by the plague, and not even one in the war with a powerful people. This produced a strong impression on the minds of the officers. They were thankful, as well they might be, for Gods goodness; and they showed their gratitude by making an additional freewill-offering to God. We have, therefore, they say, brought an oblation for the Lord, what every man hath gotten, of jewels, of gold, chains and bracelets, rings, ear-rings, and tablets, to make an atonement for our souls before the Lord (Num_31:50); and this offering was brought by Moses and Eleazar the priest into the tabernacle of the congregation, for a memorial for the children of Israel before the Lord. Now in all this we can discern progress in Israels history. In the earlier part of it we do not meet with any such arrangement, but when brought into immediate covenant union with God, He taught them practically that they themselves, and all that they had, belonged to Himself. He trained them to a spirit of self-denial. This is an important lesson which this history impresses upon us. If we were asked, What are the two graces in which Christians are most wanting? we should answer, charity and self-denial; that charity which bears long, which covers a multitude of sins, and that spirit of self-denial which leads us habitually to crucify the old man, and to place Gods glory before our own comfort, ease, and pleasure. There are many Christians who are sound in doctrine, and who seem to glory that they are free from this and that error, but there is much self-indulgence in their lives. (G. Wagner.)
Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword.--
The fate of Balaam
Who shall describe the terrors of this recreant prophet, during that brief moment that ensued between the lifting up and the letting down of that fatal weapon? We know how Balaam regarded death. We know that he regarded it with dread. Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his. And now he was about to die the death of the wicked! As in a moment, we may be sure, the whole panorama of his life, and its true significance, flashed before him.
I. Death the testing time of life. We may exaggerate the importance of death. We may treat it as more important than life; whereas its chief importance is in relation to life. But in its relation to life its importance is scarcely to be exaggerated. And its chief significance, in this respect, undoubtedly consists in its bearing on the future.
II. The awfulness of death to one who has lived a sinful and unholy life. There can be no doubt that God did His utmost to save this man. Nothing that was likely to be helpful to his salvation was withheld from him; and all this Balaam must have felt and realised, when at last his course of crime had brought him to that life-revealing spot, the shadow of death. And if such was his retrospect in the hour of death, what must have been the prospect that opened up to his imagination and his fears? And what makes the fate of Balaam so terrible to think of, is the apparently minute point of departure from the course of rectitude in which his wrong-doing commenced. Balaam only, at first, desired to have the pecuniary recompense which the service of Balak promised him. He had no desire to do wrong. He did not love unrighteousness; he only loved the wages of unrighteousness. And yet that little germ of evil in his breast at last overcame all right feeling and all right principle; and reduced the famous prophet of Pethor to the level of the lowest schemer and the basest plotter. The smallest angle at the juncture of two lines will, if these lines be continually produced, lead them wider and wider at every stage. And so if there be the least departure from the path of Fight at the beginning there will be infinitely divergeness in the end. (W. Roberts.)
The doom of the double-hearted
I. He wanted to serve two masters. These were the same as the Lord in after days designated God and mammon. He wanted not to offend either; to please both. He was like Issachar crouching between two burdens. Such is the certain failure of all who make the like attempt.
II. He wanted to earn two kinds of wages. The wages of righteousness and the wages of unrighteousness (2Pe_2:15), were both in his eyes; he would fain have the pay both of God and of the devil. He was unwilling to do or say anything which would deprive him of either. He was as cautious and cunning as he was covetous.
III. He wanted to do two opposite things at the same time. He wished both to bless and to curse. He was willing to do either according as it might serve his interests. The only question with him was, Would it pay?
IV. He wanted two kinds of friendship.
V. He wanted to have two religions. He saw religion to be a paying concern, a profitable trade, and he was willing to accept it from anybody or everybody, to adopt it from any quarter if it would but raise him in the world, and make his fortune. But this double service, and double friendship, and double religion, would not do. He would make nothing by them. They profited him nothing either in this life or that to come. His end was with the ungodly, his portion with the enemies of Israel. And his soul, where could it be? Not with Israels God, or Israels Christ, or in Israels heaven. He reaped what he sowed. He was a good specimen of multitudes in these last days. They want as much religion as will save them from hell ; not an atom more. The world is their real god; gold is their idol; it is in mammons temple that they worship. Look to thy latter end. What it is to be? Where is it to be? With whom is it to be? Anticipate thy eternity. Is it to be darkness or light, shame or glory? (H. Bonar, D. D.)
Balaams death
What a death was this to die for one who had been a prophet of the Lord--one who had been privileged to hold converse with Deity, and to foretell the purposes of the supreme mind! How little could he ever have imagined that he should come to this! What I he, with his great gifts and high official position--he stoop down from the eminence on which he stood to take up the sword of a rebel against Jehovah--to identify himself with a nation of debased idolators, and then end his life amid the wild tumult of battle in a vain effort to defend their cause! He degrade himself to such an extent as that? Impossible; yet so it happened. How this death contrasts with that which be had so ardently desired! Death in sanguinary conflict, surrounded by dying thousands of the enemies of God, with the din of arms and the fierce war-cry of opposing forces sounding in his ears; how different from the death of the righteous, calmly commending his soul into the hands of a faithful Creator, antedating heavenly joys, catching a smile from the Divine countenance, and then peacefully dropping into eternity! A death in a state of apostasy from God, in open rebellion against His will, in impious defiance of His power, the death of Balaam was a death without hope. Not a ray of light is there to irradiate or relieve the gloom that gathers in thick and portentous blackness over the spot where he fell. (C. Merry.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Expositor's Bible 1887 · Public Domain On v1 Numbers 31
WAR AND SETTLEMENT
1. THE WAR WITH MIDIAN
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Numbers 31
THE command to vex and smite the Midianites {Num_25:16-17} has already been considered. Israel had not the spiritual power which would have justified any attempt to convert that people. Degrading idolatry was to be held in abhorrence, and those who clung to it suppressed. Now the time comes for an exterminating war. While hordes of Bedawin occupy the hills and the neighbouring desert, there can be no security either for morals, property, or life. Balaam is among them plotting against Israel: and his restless energy, we may suppose, precipitates the conflict. Moses conveys the command of God that the attack on Midian shall be immediately made, and himself directs the campaign.
The details of the enterprise are given somewhat fully. A thousand fighting men are called from each tribe. The religious purpose of the war is signified by the presence in the host of Phinehas, whose zeal has given him a name among the warriors. He is allowed to carry with him the "vessels of the sanctuary"; and the silver trumpets are to be sounded on the march and in the attack. The Midianitish clan apparently gives way at once before the Hebrews, and either makes no stand or is totally defeated in a single battle. All the men are put to the sword, including Balaam and five chiefs, whose names are preserved. The women and children are taken; the whole of the cattle and goods becomes the prey of the victors; the cities and encampments are burned with fire. On the return of the army with the large band of captives, Moses is greatly displeased. He demands of the officers why the women have been spared, -the very women who caused the children of Israel to trespass against the Lord. Then he orders all above a certain age, and the male children, to be put to death. The young girls alone are to be kept alive.
The purification of those who have been engaged in the war is next commanded. For seven days the army must remain outside the camp. Those who have touched any dead body and all the captives are to be ceremonially cleansed on the third and seventh days. Every article of raiment, everything made of skins and goats hair, and all woollen articles, are to be purified by means of the water of expiation. Whatever is made of metal is to be passed through the fire.
Details of the quantity and division of the prey, and the voluntary oblations made as an "atonement for their souls" by the officers and soldiers out of their booty, occupy the rest of the chapter. The numbers of oxen, sheep, and asses are great-six hundred and seventy-five thousand sheep, seventy-two thousand beeves, sixty-one thousand asses. No mention is made of horses or camels. The girls saved alive are thirty-two thousand. The army takes one half, and those who remained in the camp receive the other. But of the soldiers portion, one in five hundred both of the persons and of the animals is given to the priests, and of the peoples portion one in fifty to the Levites. The jewels of gold, ankle-chains, bracelets, signet-rings, earrings and armlets offered by the men of war as their "atonement," not one of them having fallen in the battle, amount in weight to sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekels, the value of which may be estimated at some thirty thousand of our pounds. The gold is brought into the tent of meeting for a memorial before the Lord.
Now here we have to deal with an accumulation of statements, every one of which raises some question or other. The war of national and moral antipathy is itself easily understood. But the slaughter of so many in battle and so many others in cold blood, the statement that not a single Israelite fell. the number and kinds of the animals captured, the order given by Moses to put all the women to death, the quantity of gold taken, of which the offering appears only to have been a part-all of these points have been criticised in a more or less incredulous spirit. In apology it has been said, with regard to the slaughter of the women, that when brought as captives by the soldiers they could not be received into the camp, and there was only this way of dealing with them, unless indeed they had been sent back to their ruined encampments, where they would have slowly died. Again, it has been explained that the Midianites were so debased and enfeebled as to have no power to, withstand the onset of the Hebrews. The droves of oxen, sheep, and asses are held to be not greater than a wealthy nomadic clan, numbering perhaps two hundred thousand, would be likely to own; and the quantity of gold is likewise accounted for by the well-known fact that among Orientals the wealth represented by precious metals is fashioned into ornaments for the women.
In detail the difficulties may thus be partly overcome; yet the whole account remains so singular, both in its spirit and incidents, that Wellhausen has roundly declared it to be fictitious, and others have had no resource but to fall back, even for the slaughter of the women, on the Divine command. It is true there were other peoples, the Moabites, for instance, as idolatrous, and almost as degraded. But a terror of Jehovahs name had to be created for the moral good of the whole region, and the Midianites, it is said, who had so grossly assailed the purity of Israel, were fitly selected for Divine chastisement. The opinion that the whole account is an invention of the "Priests Code" may be at once dismissed. The ideas of national purity that prevailed after the exile and are insisted upon in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah would not have countenanced the dedication of any spared from the slaughter, even young girls, as a tribute to Jehovah. The attack and the issue of it were, no doubt, recorded in the ancient documents of which the compilers of the Book of Numbers made use. And the fact must be held to stand, that there was a grim slaughter relentlessly carried out at the command of Moses in accordance with the moral and theocratic ideas that ruled his mind.
But it remains doubtful whether the numbers can be trusted, even although they appear to be in the substance of the narrative. The disproportion is enormous between the twelve thousand Israelites sent against Midian and the number of men who, if we accept the figures given, must have fallen without striking one effective blow for their lives. Of these there would have been some forty thousand at least. Assuming that somehow the numbers are exaggerated, we find the story a good deal cleared. It was entirely in harmony with the spirit of the age that a war an outrance should have been commanded in the circumstances. If, then, an adequate force of Hebrews marched against the Midianites and took them at unawares, perhaps by night, or when they were engaged in some idolatrous orgy, their defeat and slaughter would be comparatively easy. The Hebrews with Phinehas among them were, we may believe, filled with patriotic and religious ardour, assured that they were commissioned to execute Divine justice and must not shrink from any work that lay in their way, however dreadful. Does the thing they did still seem incredible? Perhaps the recollection of what took place after the Indian Mutiny, when Great Britain was in the same temper, may throw light upon the question. The soldiers then, bent on punishing the cruelty and lust of the rebels, partly in patriotism, partly in revenge, set mercy altogether aside. If we had the whole history of the war with Midiah, instead of the mere outlines preserved in Numbers, we might find that, apart from figures, the statements are by no means over-coloured. Moses had the entire responsibility of ordering the women to be put to death. When he saw the train of female captives, some of them possibly using their arts of blandishment not without success, he might well be afraid that the very end for which the war had been undertaken was to be frustrated. He was a man who did not scruple to shed blood when the law of God and the purity of morals and religion seemed to be endangered. He knew Jehovah to be gracious-gracious to those who loved Him and kept His commandments. But was He not also a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generations of them that hated Him? It was this God Moses sought to serve when in the heat of his indignation, and not without reason, he gave the terrible order.
The appropriation of some of the captive girls to the priests and Levites as "Jehovahs tribute," the offering by the soldiers of part of their booty as an "atonement" for their souls, the presence of Phinehas with the "vessels of the sanctuary," and the sacred trumpets in the ranks-these manifestly belong to the time to which the history refers. And it may be said in closing that circumstances might be well known to Moses on account of which the attack had to be made promptly and the dispersion of the Midianites had to be complete. We cannot tell what Balaam may have been plotting; but we may be pretty sure there was nothing too base for him to scheme and the Midianites to carry into effect. They knew themselves to be under suspicion, perhaps in danger. With what craft and vehemence the Bedawin can act we are well aware. Life even yet is of no account among them. Another day, perhaps, and the ark might have been carried off or Moses put to death in his tent. But the nature of the wrong done to Israel is a sufficient explanation of the war. And we can also see that the Hebrews themselves had a lesson in moral severity when their soldiers went forth to the massacre and returned red with blood. They learned that the sin of Midian was abominable in the sight of God and should be abominable in theirs. They were taught, whether they received the teaching or not, that they were to be enemies for ever of those who practised idolatry so vile. A deep gulf was made between them and all who sympathised with the worship and customs of the tribe they destroyed.
And the whole circumstances, remote as they are from our own time, may bring home even to Christians the duty of moral decision and relentless war against the vices and lusts with which too many are inclined to make terms. We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against the "wiles of error," the "lusts of deceit," against "ornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, enmities, strife, jealousies, wraths, factions, divisions, heresies, envyings, drunkenness, revellings and such like,"-the works of the flesh. These Midianites are with us, would draw our hearts away from religion and destroy our souls. Not only are we to assail the grosser forms of sin and exterminate them, but we are with equal severity to strike down the fair-seeming vices that come with blandishment and insidious appeal. This is our holy war. The old form of it required the suppression or extermination of those identified with vice, men and women, all in whom the impurity was rooted. Young girls alone could be spared, whose character might still be shaped by a higher morality. Even yet, to a certain extent, that way of dealing with evil has to be followed. We imprison felons and put murderers to death; but the new power that has come with Christianity enables us to deal with many transgressors as capable of reformation and a new life. And this power is far as yet from being fully developed.
It is the fault of our age to be on one side too lenient, on another wanting in patience, charity, and hope. Excuses are found for sin on the ground that it is useless to fight against nature that we must not be hypocritical nor puritanical. Temptations that come with mincing gait, cajolery, and smiles, are allowed to disport themselves untouched. Why, it is asked, should life be made sombre? A stern religion that would banish gaiety is declared to be no friend of the race. Under cover of art-pictorial, dramatic, literary - the customs of Midian are not only admitted but allowed to have authority. And religion even is invoked. Are not all things pure to the pure? Should not life be as free and joyous as the Maker clearly intends in giving us the capacity for those gratifications to which art of every kind ministers? Is not full freedom indispensable to the highest religion? Ought not genius, in every department, to have complete liberty in guiding and developing the race?
Without hypocrisy, without banishing the sunshine of life or denying the freedom which is necessary to progress and vigour, we are to be jealous for morality, severe against all that threatens it. And here our age is impatient of direction. The tendency is to a civilisation without morality, that is, a new barbarism. The strenuous mind of the old theocratic leaders is required anew, with a difference. Life and thought have so far advanced under Christianity that liberty is good in things which once had to be sternly reprobated; but only the same guidance will carry us higher. To those who lead in arts and literature the appeal has to be made in the name of God and men to regard the fitness of things The old ideas of Puritanism are not to be the standard? True. Neither are the tastes of Greece nor the manners of Pompeii. Every artist must, it appears, be his own censor. Let each, then, use his right under a sense of responsibility to the God who would have all to be pure and free. There are pictures exhibited, and poems sent out from the press, and novels published, which, for all the skill and charm that are in them, ought to have been cast into the fire. In private life, too, the Midianitish talk, the jest, the anecdote, the innuendo, all but indecent, the hint, the laugh that breaks down the barriers of integrity and sobriety, show the license of a barbarism which is bent on conquest. Every Christian is called to wage against these immoralities an exterminating war.
On the other hand, charity and patience are needed. It is difficult to forbear with those who seem to find their pleasure in what is evil, more difficult to continue the efforts necessary to win them to religion, purity, and honour. We feel it a hard task to track our own unholy desires to their retreats and slay them there. Proteus-like they elude us; when we think they have been destroyed, a passing word or thought revives them. And if in the task of our own purification we need long patience, it is not wonderful that even more should be required in the attempt to set others free from their besetting sins. Much of our philanthropy, again, is useless because we try to cover too large a field. Few are engaged in comparison with the enormous region over which effort has to extend, and we treat the hurt slightly, with too much haste. Then we grow despondent. Impatience, hopelessness, should never be known among those who undertake the Divine work of saving men and women from their sins. But to cure this, new ideas on the whole subject of Christian endeavour and new methods of work are required. The evil forces, a host arrayed against true life, must be followed into the desert places where they lurk, and there, with the sword of the Spirit, which is the bright strong word of God, attacked and slain. When Christians are brave and loving enough, when they have patience enough, the gospel of purity will begin to have its power.
2. SETTLEMENT
Numbers 32
The request of the men of Reuben and Gad that they should be allowed to settle on the eastern side of Jordan in the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead was at first refused by Moses with warm displeasure. They appeared to wish exemption from further military duty, if indeed they had not almost formed the intention of parting altogether with the rest of the tribes. Moses asked of them, "Shall your brethren go to the war and shall ye sit here? And wherefore discourage ye the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the Lord hath given them?" He recalled the spies and the evil report they brought, by which a former generation had been disheartened and made to murmur against the Lord.
The forty years of wandering had intervened since that error-a long period of suffering and punishment. And now with this request the men of Reuben and Gad were playing the same dangerous part. "Behold, ye are risen up in your fathers stead, an increase of sinful men, to augment yet the fierce anger of the Lord toward Israel."
It is somewhat surprising to find the proposal met in this way. But Moses had doubtless good cause for his condemnation of the two tribes. For some time, we can believe, the notion had been entertained, and already the cattle were driven northwards and scattered over the pastures of Gilead. The people felt that the confraternity which had survived the test of the wilderness journey was now about to break up. And as the two clans that proposed to settle in Eastern Palestine were strong and could send a large number of warriors into the field, there was reason to fear that the want of them would make the conquest of the great tribes beyond Jordan too heavy a task.
The circumstances were of a kind resembling those of a Church when the enjoyment of privilege and of the gains of the past is chosen by many of its members, and the rest, discouraged by this moral unbrotherliness, have to maintain the aggressive work which ought to be shared by all. The force of unity lost, the Christian energy of large numbers lying unemployed, the rest overburdened, Churches often come far short of the success they might attain. When Reubenites and Gadites devote themselves to building houses, cultivating fields, and rearing cattle, neglecting altogether the command of God to conquer the territory still in the hands of His enemies, the spirit of religion cannot but decay. The selfishness of worldly Christians reacts on those who are not worldly, so that they feel its subtle influence, even although they scorn to yield. And when there is some great task to be done which requires the personal service and contributions of all, withdrawal of the less zealous may in this way make victory impossible. True, we have on the other side the case of Gideon and his rejection of the great bulk of his army, that he might take the field with a few who were brave and ready. Numbers of halfhearted people do not help an enterprise. Still, the duties of the Church of Christ are so great that all are required for them. It is no apology to say that men are apathetic, and therefore useless. They ought to be eager for the Divine war.
It was not at all wonderful that the men of Reuben and Gad proposed to settle on the east of Jordan. The soil of that region, extending from the Jabbok Valley northwards, and including the whole district watered by the Yarmuk and its tributaries, was exceedingly fertile, with fine forests of oak, and stretches of meadow and arable land. What could be seen of Judaea from the heights of Moab appeared poor and barren in comparison with that green and fertile country. There was abundance of room there, not only for the two tribes, but for more; and besides the half of Manasseh which finally joined Reuben and Gad, other clans may have begun to think that they might rest content without venturing across Jordan. But Moses had good reasons for resisting as far as possible this desire. There was no natural boundary on the east of Gilead and Bashan. Moab, in a similar situation, was exposed to the attacks and perhaps corrupted by the influence of the Midianites. If Israel had taken up its abode in this region which joined on to the desert, it too would have become half a desert people. The Jordan came, as no doubt Moses foresaw, to be the real boundary of the nation which maintained the faith of Jehovah and carried on His purposes.
In danger of losing all because they had been too selfish, the men of Reuben and Gad made a new proposal. They would go with the rest to the conquest of Canaan; yea, they would form the van of the army. If Moses would only allow them to provide sheep-folds for their flocks and cities for their families, they would take the field and never think of returning till the other tribes had all found settlement. The offer was one which Moses saw fit to accept; but with a caution to the Reubenites. If they fulfilled the promise, he said, they should be guiltless before the Lord; but if they did not, their sin would be written against them. Foreseeing the result of a division between the east and west which any such faithless conduct would certainly cause, he added the warning, "Be sure your sin will find you out." The time would come when, if they refused to do their part in helping the rest, they should find themselves, in some day of extreme peril, without the sympathy of their brethren, the prey of enemies who came from the east and north.
Earthly comfort and the means of material prosperity can never be enjoyed without spiritual disadvantage, or at least the risk of spiritual loss. The whole region of ease and wealth lies towards the desert in which the adversaries of the soul have their lurking-places, from which they come stealthily or even boldly in open day to make their assaults. A man who has large means is exposed to the envy of others; his life may be embittered by their designs upon him; his nature may be seriously injured by the flattery of those who have no power but only the base cunning to which narrow self-love may descend. These, however, are not the assailants that are most to be dreaded. Rather should the man who is rich fear the danger to his religion and his soul which draws near in other ways. The wealthy who have no religion court his friendship and propose to him schemes for increasing his wealth. Alliances are urged upon him which stir and partly gratify his ambition. He is pointed to honours that can only be had through abandoning the great ideas of life by which he should be ruled. He is served obsequiously, and is tempted to think that the world goes very well because he enjoys all he desires, or is in the way to obtain the fulfilment of his highest earthly hopes. The curse of egotism hangs over him, and to escape it he needs a double portion of the spirit of humility. Yet how is that to come to him?
It is well for a man when, before enjoying the good things of this life in abundance, he has taken the field with those who have to fight a hard battle, and has done his share of common work. But even that is not enough to guard him against pride and self-sufficiency for the whole term of his existence. Better is it when by his own choice the hardness is retained in his experience, when he never discharges himself from the duty of fighting side by side with others, that he may help them to their inheritance. That and that alone will save his life. He is called as a soldier of God to maintain the holy war for human rights, for the social well-being and spiritual good of mankind. Every rich man should be a friend of the people, a reformer, taking the part of the multitude against his own tendency and the tendency of his class to exclusiveness and self-indulgence. The warning given by Moses to Reuben and Gad in accepting their proposals should linger with those who are rich and in high station. If they fail to do their duty to the general mass of their fellow-men, if they leave the rest to fight, at disadvantage, for their human inheritance, they sin against Gods law, which calls for brotherhood, and that sin will surely find them out. In the end no sin is more sure to come home in judgment. And it is not by some miserable gifts to religious objects or some patronage of philanthropic schemes the prosperous can discharge the great debt laid upon them. In whatever way the inequalities of life, the disabilities of privilege and wealth, hinder the realisation of brotherhood, there lie opportunity and need for mens personal effort. Would this imply sacrifice of what are called rights, of perhaps no small amount of substance? That is precisely the saving of a rich mans life. To that Christ pointed the rich young ruler who came to Him seeking salvation-from that the inquirer turned away.
And how does the sin of those who neglect such high duties find them out? Perhaps in the loss of the possessions they have selfishly guarded, and their reduction to the level of those whom they kept at arms-length and treated as inferiors or as enemies. Perhaps in the harshness of temper and bitterness of spirit the proud, friendless rich man may find growing upon him in old age, the horrible feeling that he has not one brother where he should have had thousands, no one to care-except selfishly-whether he lives or dies. To come to that, so far as a man is concerned with his fellow-men, is to be indeed lost. But these retributions may be artfully escaped. What then? Is not One to be reckoned with who is the Guardian of the human family and gives men power and wealth only as His stewards, to be used in His service? The future life does not obliterate society, but it destroys the class separations, the factitious distinctions, that exist now. It brings a man face to face with the fact that he is but a man, like others, responsible to God. Is not the result indicated by our Lord when He says to exclusive Pharisaical men, "They shall come from the east and west, and from the north and south, and shall sit down in the kingdom-ye yourselves cast forth without"? Brotherhood here, not in name, but in deed and truth, means brotherhood above. Denial of it here means unfitness for the society of heaven.
We learn from Num_32:19 that the Reubenites and Gadites confidently affirmed, even when they made their request to Moses, that their inheritance had fallen to them on the east side of Jordan. It may be asked how they knew, since the division was not yet made. And the answer appears to be that they had made up their minds on the subject. Without waiting for the lot, they seem to have said, This is nobodys land now that the Amorites and Midianites are dispossessed. We will have it. And there was no sufficient reason for refusing them their choice when they accepted the conditions. At the same time, these tribes did not act fairly and honourably. And the result was that, although they gained the fat land and the good pastures, they lost the close fellowship with the other tribes which was of greater value. Reuben, the premier tribe, could no longer keep its position. It was by-and-by succeeded by Judah. Neither Reuben nor Gad made any great figure in the subsequent history. The half-tribe of Manasseh, which was settled, not on its own request, but by authority, in the northern part of Gilead towards the Argob, had greater distinction. Gad has some notice. We read of eleven valiant men of this tribe who swam the Jordan at its highest to join David in his trouble. "But no person, no incident is recorded to place Reuben before us in any distincter form than as a member of the community (if community it can be called) of the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. The very towns of his inheritance-Heshbon, Aroer, Kiriathaim, Dibon, Baal-meon, Sibmah, Jazer-are familiar to us as Moabite, not as Israelite, towns." The Reubenites, in fact, under the influence of their wild neighbors, gradually lost touch with their brethren and fell away from the religion of Jehovah.
It is a parable of the degeneration of life.-Earthly choice rules and heavenly faith is hazarded for the sake of a temporal advantage. Men have their will because they insist upon it. They do not consult the prophet, but make terms with him, that they may gain their end. But as they place themselves, so they have to live, not on the soil of the promised land, no integral part of Israel.
William Robertson Nicoll, ed., The Expositor's Bible (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1887–1910) — public domain. 65 of 66 books (1 Corinthians is not separately keyed, as that volume carries no machine-parseable verse references); section-level commentary keyed to the opening verse. Introductory and overview sections not keyed to a specific passage are excluded.
The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary 1892 · Public Domain On v1 Moses had already received command to smite the Midianites…
CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES
Moses had already received command to smite the Midianites (Num_25:16-18); and in this chapter we have the order given to him to execute that command, and the narrative of its execution.
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Num_31:2. Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites, i.e., for the injury which the Midianites had done to the Israelites in seducing them to the licentious and idolatrous worship of Baal-Peor.
Afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people. See p. 379.
Num_31:3. Avenge the Lord of Midian, because their seduction of the Israelites had violated the Divine honour.
Num_31:4. Of every tribe a thousand. Margin: “A thousand of a tribe, a thousand of a tribe.”
Num_31:5. So there were delivered. Or, so there were “counted off.”—Fuerst. Dr. Howard: “And they numbered out.”
Num_31:6. Phinehas. He had manifested his fitness for a prominent position in this enterprize by his zeal for God and against the idolators (Num_25:6-13).
With the holy instruments, and the trumpets. “Or rather, ‘with the holy instruments, to wit, the trumpets,’ for the trumpets themselves seem to be the instruments intended.”—Speaker’s Comm. Comp. Num_10:9.
Num_31:8. And they slew, &c. “Render thus: ‘And the kings of Midian they put to death, beside those that fell in the battle; namely,’ &c,”—Ibid. Comp. Jos_13:21.
Num_31:10 Goodly castles. Rather, “encampments or hamlets.”—Fuerst. “Hamlets” seems preferable, “Tent-villages.”—Keil and Del.
Num_31:11. The spoil, i.e., booty in goods such as are mentioned in Num_31:22; Num_31:50.
The prey, i.e., the captives and the cattle seized as booty.
Num_31:16 Caused.… to commit trespass. Keil and Del.: “ ‘They have become to the Israelites to work unfaithfulness towards Jehovah,’ i.e., they have induced them to commit an act of unfaithfulness towards Jehovah. The word מָסַר, which only occurs in this chapter, viz., in Num_31:5; Num_31:16, appears to be used in the sense of giving, delivering, and then, like נָתַן, doing, making, effecting.”
Num_31:17. Kill every male, &c. “The object of the command to put all the male children to death, was to exterminate the whole nation, as it could not be perpetuated in the women. Of the female sex, all were to be put to death who had known the lying with a man, and therefore might possibly have been engaged in the licentious worship of Peor (Num_25:2), to preserve the congregation from all contamination from that abominable idolatry.”—Keil and Del.
Num_31:19 (comp. Num_19:11-12).
Num_31:22. Brass. Rather, copper, “as the mixture of copper and zinc, now known as brass, was not known to the ancients.”—Alford.
Num_31:23. Purified with the water of separation (comp. Num_19:9; Num_19:17-19.
Num_31:49. There lacketh not one man of us. A noteworthy proof of the presence and protection of God.
Num_31:50. Chains. Or “arm bands, arm ornaments, 2Sa_1:10.”—Fuerst.
Rings. “Signet rings.”—Ibid.
Tablets. “Buckles, bracelets.”—Ibid. Others say they were ornaments “worn suspended from the neck.”
To make an atonement. “An acknowledgment of having received undeserved mercies. These, if acknowledged, would have entailed guilt on the soul.”—Speaker’s Comm.
Num_31:52. Sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekels. “In value about £20,000.”—Speaker’s Comm. “If we take the golden shekel at 10 thalers (30 shillings), the value of the ornaments taken by the officers under Moses would be about 167, 500 thalers (£25, 125).”—Keil and Del.
THE VENGEANCE OF JEHOVAH ON MIDIAN
(Num_31:1-12)
This paragraph suggests the following observations—
I. That in the administration of the Divine government the punishment of sin is certain.
The Israelites were severely punished for the sins which they committed with the Midianites, and now the Midianites are to receive their punishment. Notice—
1. The sin which the Midianites had committed. Their women had seduced the Israelites to the licentious and idolatrous worship of Baal-Peor (see p. 487).
2. The Author of the punishment of the Midianites. The Lord Himself commanded it; and it seems to us that He prescribed the arrangements for its execution, and empowered and protected its executioners. (a)
3. The executioners of the punishment. The Israelites were called upon to avenge the gross wrongs which the Midianites had done them as the people of Jehovah. It was eminently fitting that as Israelitish men had been corrupted by the Midianites, Israelitish men should execute the judgment of God upon them. (b)
4. The severity of the punishment.
(1) It fell upon an immense number. “They slew all the males.” This does “not mean that they exterminated all the men of the nation, but only that they slew all who withstood them; for the nation itself consisted in considerable strength, and was able in a few generations to bring the Israelites themselves under subjection.” And, in addition, vast numbers were taken captives, many of whom were afterwards slain.
(2) It fell upon persons of every rank. “The kings of Midian they put to death, besides those that fell in the battle; namely, Evi,” &c. Against the punishments of God, princes and potentates are as defenceless as plebeians and paupers. “There is no respect of persons with God.” “He accepteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor.”
(3) It involved the destruction of their towns and villages, and the loss of their property. “The children of Israel took the spoil of all their cattle, and all their flocks, and all their goods. And they burnt,” &c. (Num_31:9-11). (c)
In the righteous government of God sin ever brings forth sorrow, tribulation follows transgression. (d)
II. That God can work by many, or by few, in the execution of His purposes.
Out of an army of more than six hundred thousand (Num_26:51), only twelve thousand men were sent to this war. The number was probably small, as compared also with the forces which they had to encounter. The accomplishment of the purpose of God by this small force was fitted to answer three ends—
1. To teach them that this expedition was, in a special manner, the Lords. He was concerned in the punishment of the sin of Midian, and in the vindication of His honour, &c.
2. To teach them that He can effect His purposes “by many or by few” (1Sa_14:6; and Judges 7). (e)
3. To check any temptation or tendency to self-glorification on the part of the soldiers. (f)
III. That God honours the holy zeal of His servants by employing them as leaders in the execution of His purposes.
“Moses sent Phinehas, the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the holy instruments, even the trumpets to blow in his hand.” Phinehas went with the army as the priest of the Lord, to encourage them in fighting, because the war was a holy one against the enemies of the Lord their God (comp. Num_10:9). His appointment to this duty, on this occasion, may be viewed—
1. As the employment of an agent of approved fitness for his duty. Phinehas had shown his fitness for this appointment (chap. 25). In the accomplishment of His purposes, God employs suitable agents and instruments. (g)
2. As the reward of distinguished service. He who is brave and faithful in one duty shall be called to other and more arduous duties (comp. Mat_25:21).
IV. That God enriches His people with the spoils of their enemies.
“And they took all the spoil, and all the prey,” &c. (Num_31:11-12).
Those who have assailed the Church by persecution have defeated themselves, and confirmed and extended the Church. “The blood of the martyrs has been the seed of the Church.” And they who have attacked it with captious criticism and bitter controversy, have contributed to the strength of its defences and the extension of its triumphs. They have aroused the scholars and the thinkers of the Church to the marshalling of the evidences of our religion, and to the vindication of its claims God frustrates the designs of the enemies of His cause, and overrules them for the accomplishment of His purposes and the extension of His kingdom. (h)
ILLUSTRATIONS
(a) For illustrations on the justifiableness of war, see pp. 19, 20.
(b) For illustrations on the Executioners of Divine judgments, see pp. 252, 312.
(c) Among the causes which justify war, none is more unanimously asserted by political writers, than an attempt on the part of one community against the civil institutions, and so against the integrity and internal peace, of another. The Hebrews had therefore an undoubted right, even apart from the Divine command, to attack the people of Midian, who had treacherously endeavoured to withdraw them from their allegiance, and thus to unsettle the foundations of all their union, prosperity, and peace, and prepare them to become an easy conquest to their own arms.
Now, if it be right to wage war at all, it is not only right to wage it in such a manner as shall accomplish its object, but it would be wrong to wage it in any other manner. War is, in its very nature the infliction of suffering in order to an ulterior good; and the infliction of any degree of sumering is unjustifiable, unless so far as it may lead to this result. If, therefore, in the prosecution of a war, the measures adopted are of such lenity as to be insufficient to produce the end in view, namely, protection for the present and security for the future, the mitigated evil then becomes uncompensated by any ulterior good. It is then a causeless and unjustifiable evil; it is not mercy, but cruelty and crime. This principle is clear, and is theoretically acknowledged; yet when any application of it however wise and just, tends to severities which we are not accustomed to regard as belonging to the necessities of the case our feelings are naturally shocked. Yet the principle continues to operate, and is acknowledged in all our warfare, although, with the progress of civilisation, it has come to be understood in civilised communities, that inflictions formerly resorted to shall be forborne. But in their conflicts with barbarous nations, who have no such understanding, they are accustomed to adopt harsher measures; and this or the simple and sound reason, that the object would not otherwise be gained, and that if they were to allow a war to be to their adversaries a less evil than these adversaries were in the habit of expecting it to prove, such a self-prostrating lenity is ascribed to weakness, and not to the pride of conscious strength. Severity, in short, is beneficent, when it is suited to guard against the necessity of its own repetition; and how much or how little is adequate to that end, is a question to be determined by reference to some existing state of society. The Israelites conducted their warfares on the principles generally recognised in their time; and to have done so on any other or milder principle against such enemies as they had to contend with, would have been ruinous and suicidal. Thus only could it be effectual; and war not intended to be effectual should not be waged at all. It is confidently hoped and believed, that the time is coming, is near at hand, when war, as now conducted by ourselves—when any war,—will be looked back upon with the same feelings of disgust and horror, as those with which we now regard the conflicts of the nations beyond the Mediterranean three-and-thirty centuries ago.—John Kitto, D.D.
(d) For illustrations on the Certainly of the punishment of sin, see pp. 89, 225, 258, 312, 318, 374.
(e) The straw cannot beat the mountain into flying dust. The hand of man cannot crumble the great gigantic bulwarks behind which error has entrenched itself. You are quite right. But God hath chosen the weak things to throw down the mighty. It is not the straw that does it; it is the hand that wields it. Shakespeare dips his pen into the ink, and writes Hamlet. I take up the same pen, lip into the same ink, but I can’t write Hamlet. It is not the pen that does it; it is the writer. It is not the little instrumentality; it is the God who is able to do, and who has done exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.—Joseph Parker, D.D.
The weakness of the instrument is a small matter when the hand is infinitely strong. You and I have said, “We are men full of infirmities. What can we do? We have but few talents, we have no social position, we have not the opportunities of doing good that some have, and, therefore, we are discouraged.” But the Lord knows thy heart, my brother. If thou wert meaner in the scale of society; if thou hadst not even one, but only half a talent; if thou wert less able to speak than thou art, and wert a man slow of speech like Moses; yet if God be behind thee, dost thou not know that every weakness of thine is according to His own intent and purport, and is as much designed as the strength of the strongest to illustrate the majesty of His might? Oh, didst thou believe, thy weakness would be thy glory; thou wouldst rejoice even to be nothing, that in this the great All-in-all might the more resplendently display Himself.—C. H. Spurgeon.
(f) This point is illustrated on p. 276.
(g) The opinion is very prevalent, and the impression still more so—though neither so prevalent as they used to be—that God is in the habit of employing unlikely instruments; that, for the purpose of revealing His all-sufficiency and bringing honour to Himself, He delights to contrast results with their secondary causes, and to disappoint the calculations founded on the supposed efficiency of human agents. To hear some men talk, you might conclude that God cannot be properly said to employ instruments at all, that in nature, and still more in providence, and most of all in grace, they are not so much instruments that He employs as obstacles, not so much things having a tendency and fitness to accomplish His designs as things altogether unsuitable and inappropriate. Now, this belief or feeling is entirely erroneous, and wofully mischievous. It is dishonouring to God, and injurious to men. Such is not God’s custom, such is not even God’s exceptional act. We rejoice in the thought that, in a sense, God does all things, that there is no power but of God, that even physical instruments and moral agents derive all their force from Him, owing to Him their existence and their efficiency; but we also hold fast by the conviction that power and wisdom go together; that God acts by laws and delights to honour them, and that in all His operations He pays profound respect to the inherent relevancy of things.—A. J. Morris.
(h) An illustration on this point appears on p. 472.
THE DOOM OF THE DOUBLE-HEARTED
(Num_31:8)
“Balaam also, the son of Beor, they slew with the sword.”
Balaam had taken the field against Israel,—against a people whom he had pronounced blessed,—whom he had pronounced invincible both by earth and hell. Yes; Balaam “the son of Beor,”—he, and not another of the name,—he rushes on the bosses of the Almighty’s buckler; he defies Israel and Israel’s God!
But he fails. He would fain have cursed Israel; but he could not. He counselled Moab to seduce Israel by temptation, and his device succeeded too well. He now fetches the last stroke. In vain. He perishes ignobly. He is slain with the sword which he had defied.
Such is the end of the backslider; of one who knew the truth but did it not; who once said, “Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his.” It was certainly not the end he prayed for; yet it was the end to which his whole life had been tending. He reaped what he sowed, and in him “God was not mocked.”
He died as he lived, in fellowship with Moab, yet in heart persuaded that Israel was the beloved of the Lord, and that Jehovah was God. His life had been with Midian, and so was his death.
His grave is with the unclean. He passes from earth with none to soothe his death-bed and close his eyes; none to lament for him or build his monument. Sad end of a life of halting and indecision, and resistance of the Spirit, and braving of conscience, and rejection of light, and wretched covetousness. He “loved the wages of unrighteousness,” and verily he had his reward.
Let us see what he wanted and how he failed; how ambitious he was, yet what a life of utter failure and disappointment was his. He would fain have risen, but he sunk. He would fain have been rich, but he lost everything. What a wasted life! Yet the life of one who knew better things, but did them not; who knew that the world was vanity, yet followed it; who knew that Israel’s portion was the best, yet chose that of Moab; who knew the true God and the true Messiah, but preferred the idolatries of Israel’s enemies. He saw Him “from the too of the rocks,” but that was all. He got a passing glimpse of the cross, but no more. It was all he saw of the way of life, ere he plunged into death and woe.
I. He wanted to serve two masters.
These were the same as the Lord in after days designated God and mammon. He wanted not to offend either; to please both. He was like Issachar crouching between two burdens. But it would not do. He failed. Such is the certain failure of all who make the like attempt. “Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” He loved the one master, mammon; and he dreaded the other; but would fain do the will of both. He could not afford to lose the favour of either. Miserable life! More miserable death! The life and death of one whose whole career was one long attempt to do the bidding both of God and the devil.
II. He wanted to earn two kinds of wages.
The wages of righteousness and the wages of unrighteousness (2Pe_2:15), were both in his eyes; he would fain have the pay both of God and of the devil. He was unwilling to do or say anything which would deprive him of either. He was as cautious and cunning as he was covetous. He would not work without wages; and he would work for a hundred masters if they would only pay him well. How like many so-called “religious” men amongst ourselves.
III. He wanted to do two opposite things at the same time.
He wished both to bless and to curse. He was willing to do either according as it might serve his interests. The only question with him was, “Would it pay?” If the blessing would pay, he would take it; if the curse would pay, he would take it; if both would pay, he would take them both. Blessing and cursing were both alike to him; confessing and denying the true God, worshipping Baal or Jehovah, it mattered not, if by “this craft he could have his wealth.” So with many among us. If Sabbath-keeping will pay, they will keep the Sabbath; if Sabbath-breaking will pay, they will break the Sabbath. True Balaams—without principle, without faith, and without fear.
IV. He wanted two kinds of friendship.
He would fain be friends with every body. Perhaps he was timid; of those whom Scripture calls fearful (Rev_21:8); perhaps, also, he was ambitious, and sought great things for himself wherever these could be obtained (Jer_45:5); certainly he had before him “the fear of man which bringeth a snare,” and the love of man’s approbation which brings no less a snare; he dreaded Israel’s God, of whom he knew much, but he dreaded also Moab’s gods, though whether he really believed in them we know not. Made up of these contradictions, and acting not by faith but unbelief, he tried to secure the friendship of all whom he counted great, whether in heaven or on earth. He shut his eyes not only to the sin but to the impossibility of such a course; he saw not that the friendship of the world is the enemy of God, and that whosoever will be the friend of the world must be the enemy of God.
V. He wanted to have two religions.
He saw religion to be a paying concern, a profitable trade, and he was willing to accept it from anybody or everybody, to adopt it from any quarter if it would but raise him in the world, and make his fortune. Perhaps he thought all religions equally right or equally wrong, equally true or equally false. He would rather not offend any god if he could help it. He would make concessions to “religious prejudices” of any kind if the prejudiced people will only help him on.… Two gods and two religions he wanted to have.
But this double service, and double friendship, and double religion, would not do. He would make nothing by them. They profited him nothing either in this life or that to come. His end was with the ungodly, his portion with the enemies of Israel. And his soul, where could it be? Not with Israel’s God, or Israel’s Christ, or in Israel’s heaven. He reaped what he sowed.
He was a good specimen of multitudes in these last days. An educated and intelligent man, shrewd and quick-seeing, of respectable character; high in favour with the rich and great, a religious man, too, after a fashion, not unsound in creed so far, for he acknowledges Jehovah as the true God. But he is fond of the world, fond of money, fond of preferment: one that would not let religion stand in the way of his advancement; who could pocket all scruples if he could pocket a little gold along with them; hollow of heart, but with a fair outside. He would rather not risk offending God, but yet he would not like to lose Balak’s rewards and honours. He would rather not take up his cross, nor deny himself, nor forsake all for his God.
So is it with multitudes amongst us. They want as much religion as will save them from hell; not an atom more. The world is their real god; gold is their idol; it is in mammon’s temple that they worship. Love God with all their heart! They don’t so much as understand the meaning of such a thing. Sacrifice riches, place, honour, friends, to Christ! They scoff at the thing as madness.
Oh, be on the side of God, out and out.… You may follow Christ in some things, but if not in all, what is your following worth? This world or the world to come, that is the alternative; not this world and the world to come. Christ all or nothing. No middle ground; no half-discipleship; no compromise. The new birth, or no religion at all.
Look to thy latter end. What is it to be? Where is it to be? With whom is it to be? Anticipate thy eternity. Is it to be darkness or light, shame or glory?
Do not sear your conscience by praying Balaam’s prayer, “Let me die the death of the righteous.” What will that avail you? It is the life of the righteous that God is calling you to lead; and He will take care of your death. Decide, halt not; else surely yours will be a wretched life, and a still more wretched death.—H. Bonar, D.D. Abridged from “Light and Truth.”
THE RETURN OF THE VICTORIOUS ARMY
(Num_31:13-24)
Let us notice—
I. The reception of the returning warriors.
“And Moses and Eleazar the priest, and all the princes of the congregation, went forth to meet them without the camp.” Thus the chief men of the nation honour the brave men who had been avenging the Israelites and Jehovah upon the Midianites.
Learn, that services rendered to the public should be heartily recognized by the public.
II. The remonstrance with the returning warriors.
“And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host, the captains over thousands,” &c. (Num_31:14-16). The women had been the chief offenders in the matter which the army had been sent to avenge; they had seduced the men of Israel into sin; therefore in the execution of their commission (Num_31:3) the soldiers should have slain them. “The sword of war,” says Scott, “should spare women and children, as incapable of resisting; but the sword of justice knows no distinction, except that of guilty or not guilty, and more or less guilty. This war was the execution of a righteous sentence upon a guilty nation, in which the women were the principal criminals; and perhaps particular instructions had been given on this head: therefore Moses was angry when he found the women had been spared.”
Learn, the sinfulness of omissions of duty or of the merely partial performance of duty. (a)
III. The retribution to the Midianitish women.
“Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man,” &c. (Num_31:17-18). This may be viewed—
1. As a punishment. The law concerning adultery was, “the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death” (Lev_20:10). It is almost absolutely certain that many of these women had committed adultery with the Israelites in the matter of Baal-Peor. The Lord had himself put to death by the plague the Israelites who thus sinned; and now as part of His vengeance upon Midian the women who sinned are to be put to death. The tempted having been punished, it would not have been right for the tempters to escape. And since it was impossible, except by miracle, to separate the guilty from the innocent, all the women were slain (comp. 1Pe_4:17).
2. As a precaution. The women who had been engaged in the abominable worship of Baal-peor, would, probably, had they been spared, have seduced the Israelites again into sin: and so their death may have appeared necessary for securing the purity and security of Israel. And the boys, on growing into manhood, would probably have conspired to avenge the slaughter of their parents upon Israel, and so they were put to death. Moreover, as an example of Divine retribution, it was thus rendered more impressive, “warning parents not to imitate the guilt of the Midianites, lest they should involve their beloved offspring in destruction.” (b)
Learn, that it is our duty to avoid every occasion of temptation to sin (comp. Mat_5:29-30). (c)
IV. The purification of the returning warriors, their captives, and their spoils.
“And do ye abide without the camp seven days,” &c. (Num_31:19-23). The camp of Israel was regarded as holy because of the presence of the Lord God there; and the soldiers having become ceremonially unclean by their contact with the slain, could not enter therein until they were purified (comp. Num_5:1-4; Num_19:11-20). And the captives having by their captivity be come “to some extent a constituent part of the Israelitish people,” needed purification also, especially as they had practised abominable idolatry. And the spoil, as being taken from a heathen people, would need purification, before it could be admitted into the camp, and appropriated to the use of the people of God.
Learn, that it is the solemn, duty of the Church of God to maintain moral purity within its borders. “Ye are the temple of the living God, as God hath said, I will dwell in them,” &c. (2Co_6:16 to 2Co_7:1). (d)
ILLUSTRATIONS
(a) Illustrations on this point appear on pp. 278, 279.
(b) A more difficult point is the command of Moses, that the adult females and the male children among the prisoners should be put to death. Pained as we are by the recital of such horrors, and glad as we feel that such usages have passed away from the practices of war, close examination will enable us to see that the principles which have been laid down (see p. 538), supply an adequate excuse for a course which Moses himself must have regarded as distressing. His course was designed to act in terrorem, with a view to future security. It is clear that he had no satisfaction in the task. On the contrary, he appears to have been strongly excited when he beheld the array of prisoners, and to have uttered a rebuke which shows that he would far rather that whatever severity needed to be exercised should have been finished in the furious haste of onset, than that it should thus be left for execution in cold blood. As it was, however, the prisoners were upon his hands, and he had to dispose of them as the recent hazards and the present condition of the state demanded, in an age when the necessities of the world’s government involved the use of a much harsher instrumentality than is now requisite. Taking these considerations with us, it may be asked, What was to be done with these prisoners? Should they be sent home unharmed, or should they be welcomed on an equal footing to the hospitality of Israel? Then if the views already stated (p. 538) are sound, the war ought not to have been undertaken. This follows, even without insisting upon the circumstance, that had the latter alternative been adopted, the youthful sons of the Midianitish warriors would soon have grown up to be a sword in the bosom of the still feeble state and possibly to compel the hazards and hardships of another conflict. Then, with regard to the adult females, it is to be considered that it was their wicked instrumentality which had led Israel to sin, and had given occasion to the recent war; and, on the other hand, the danger to be apprehended from them if they were allowed again to try their seductive arts upon the Israelites, had just been proved to be such as the infant state would by no means tolerate.
Keeping in view, therefore, the time and country in which Moses lived, and the circumstances by which he was surrounded, is will be a bold thing for anyone to say, that as a man entrusted with the welfare of a nation he acted wrongly. That he acted only from a strong sense of duty, every one who has studied his character must know; and who among us, in these altered times, is better able than he was to judge of what his duty exacted? But if in this case he did err, in judging that the stern obligations of political duty allowed him to show no pity on more than one class of his prisoners, let him alone bear the blame of the deed. He appears to have acted on his own judgment, and does not, as usual, adduce the command of the Lord for the course which was taken.—John Kitto, D.D.
(c) A man who has been corrupted by the fire of intoxication, says, “I cannot resist the cup when I sit with my companions and it is being passed over my shoulder; I have to drink; I am seized as with an afflatus of infernal fire, and I cannot help drinking.” It may be that, when you bring yourself where liquor is dispensed, you cannot help drinking; but you can avoid going there. Once having tried it and found that you could not resist the temptation, the next time you are guilty, not for not resisting it but for going where the cup that is irresistible to you is handed about; and you are just as guilty as though you could resist the temptation and did not, only the guilt takes hold one step further back. Men are responsible for their volitions, and for those conditions which produce volitions—and this is the opinion of men generally.—H. W. Beecher.
(d) For illustrations on this point, see pp. 78, 94.
THE COUNSEL OF BALAAM
(Num_31:16)
How shall we characterise the conduct of Balaam in this transaction? Consider—
I. The measure of his criminality.
To do this we must form some estimate of his knowledge of what was right for him to do towards Israel. He knew everything concerning Israel, and their relation to God. His sin was thus committed knowingly, consciously, wilfully. He set himself to do wickedly.
II. His motives in this course.
The meanest. He “loved the wages of unrighteousness.”
III. The baseness of the method he adopted to accomplish his design.
God had revealed to him, in prophetic insight, the secret of Israel’s greatness and strength. And Balaam used that very inspiration to injure, fatally, God’s own chosen people.—W. Roberts. Quoted in The Biblical Museum.
THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE SPOILS OF THE WAR
(Num_31:25-47)
The Lord God gave directions to Moses as to how the booty taken from the vanquished Midianites should be divided. This would tend to prevent dissatisfaction and complaint, &c. Notice—
I. In this distribution the claims of all classes of the community were recognised.
The soldiers who had fought the battle and seized the booty did not retain the whole of it. They had been chosen out of the whole congregation to conduct the war for the congregation, which had therefore a just claim to share in the spoils. They “that took the war upon them, who went out to battle, and all the congregation,” the priests, and the Levites, all received a share.
Learn, that public servants should seek to benefit the entire community. (a)
II. In this distribution the claims of each class were considered and equitably dealt with.
Though all classes shared in the booty, all classes did not have equal portions. And this was just. The soldiers who had returned from the war, though only one fiftieth of the entire congregation, received for their share as much as all their brethren who had remained at home. And it was right that, inasmuch as they had borne the hardships and hazards of the war, they should be rewarded for their services. Again, the portion of the Levites was ten times as much as that of the priests, as they were vastly more numerous. But the portion of each individual among the priests must have been considerably greater than that of each individual among the Levites, as was fitting on account of the more exalted and responsible character of their office. The proportion allotted to each class seems to have been conspicuously just and fair.
Learn, that God requires us to act equitably in all our dealings.
III. In this distribution the claims of the Lord were practically acknowledged.
The portions which were given by the warriors to the priests, and by the congregation to the Levites, were “a tribute unto the Lord”—“a heave offering of the Lord.” Surely this was right and comely. He had given them the victory over the Midianites; and they would have been guilty of injustice and ingratitude if they had not presented a thank-offering to Him.
Learn, that of all our gains a portion should be devoted to the Lord God. “Thou shalt remember the Lord thy God; for it is He that giveth thee power to get wealth” (comp. Deu_8:10-18). (c)
ILLUSTRATIONS
(a) All personal and private interests must be sacrificed to the call of duty. In the higher walks of benevolent activity, there is no such thing as a life of inglorious ease.…
This sublime principle of self-annihilation is conspicuous in the Christian system. Compared with the one act of the Saviour’s consecration and surrender, the flame of a thousand worlds would have gone out in cold ashes. Having loved us even unto death this was the last possible point to which His self-devotion could reach, and never was there such a perfect oblivion of self as in His one offering on the Cross. Drinking into this spirit, His disciples forsook all and followed Him. Martyrs and confessors stand before us magnanimous in the spirit of a self-forgetting love. If the Greeks provided that their citizens might be brave in mind, and strong in body, Christianity must ever be looked upon as the religion of heroism. We must be prepared to give up whatever comes between the call of duty and our own individual interest. We know little of the power of the Cross, if it has not crucified us to the world and crucified the world to us. In proportion as we are filled with the power of the Cross, do we become superior to the littleness and the selfishness of our nature, and devote ourselves to the came of universal good.—R Ferguson. LL.D.
(b) Justice is the greatest interest of man on earth. It is the ligament which holds civilized beings and civilized nations together. Wherever her temple stands, and so long as is duly honoured, there is a foundation for social security, and general happiness, and the improvement and progress of our race. And whoever labours on this edifice with usefulness and distinction, whoever clears its foundations, strengthens its pillars, adorns its entablatures, or contributes to raise its august dome still higher in the skies, connects himself in name and fame and character with that which is and must be as endurable as the frame of human society.—Webster.
(c) A man gives away a sovereign in Christ’s name and for Christ’s sake. Look at the elements which constitute that act and give it value. The man made the sovereign honestly; it is his, in paint of fair service, by what is called right. If he keeps that sovereign, he will break no law in commerce; if he will it away to his family, he will violate no law in social equity; if he spend it upon himself, society will not condemn him. Yet the man deliberately gives that sovereign away to a poor child, to a friendless stranger, to a Christian society. See what lies behind the deed. The man says, in effect if not in words, “The money may be mine, but I myself am not my own. How then can anything, except temporarily, and under laws of stewardship and responsibility? I have no property in myself; I am bought with a price; I am God’s agent. So far as I have given society an equivalent for the sovereign, it is mine; but the strength, the skill, the knowledge by which I gained it are the gifts of God. The image is Cæsar’s, but the gold is God’s. I will hold what I have as Christ’s; holding it so, I instantly yield it at His call, saying,—Thine—oh, wounded blessed Christ—Thine is the right!” So this giving away of the sovereign is not an off-hand deed; it is not done flippantly; it is not done to save appearance; it is not done from external social pressure; it becomes a great religious act, a solemn sacrifice, a holy thank-offering.—Joseph Parker, D.D.
Additional illustrations on this point appear on pp. 342–344.
A NOBLE ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF AN EXTRAORDINARY FAVOUR
(Num_31:48-54)
We have here—
I. An extraordinary favour received.
“And the officers which were over thousands of the host, the captains of thousands,” &c. (Num_31:48-49). God had not only given them a complete victory and great booty, but He had given them these things without the loss of a single man. In this we have “striking proof of the protection of God; but it is not so marvellous as to furnish any good ground for calling in question the correctness of the narrative. Rosenmuller has cited an example from Tacitus (Ann. xiii. 39), of the Romans having slaughtered all the foe without losing a single man on the capture of a Parthian castle; and another from Strabo (xvi. 11, 28), of a battle in which 1,000 Arabs were slain, and only two Romans. And Havernick mentions a similar account from the life of Saladin in his introduction (i. 2, p. 452).” It is also important to bear in mind that “the Midianites were a nomad tribe, who lived by rearing flocks and herds, and therefore were not a warlike people. Moreover, they were probably attacked quite unawares, and being unprepared, were completely routed and out down without quarter.”—Keil and Del. Again, in this extraordinary preservation of the army of Israel we view the hand of the Lord their God. “This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.” He “covered their heads in the day of battle.” At His express command they went forth to the war; and He protected them from harm. Their preservation would stamp the war and the victory its His; and so add to the impressiveness of the warning it was intended to convey. (a)
II. An extraordinary favour acknowledged.
When the officers discovered that every man who went forth to the war had returned from it safely, they went to Moses and declared the fact, taking with them a handsome thank-offering as an acknowledgment of their gratitude to God. Their acknowledgment was—
1. Voluntary. No one commanded them or exhorted them to do this: their action was spontaneous and hearty; they offered “not grudgingly, or of necessity; for God loveth a cheerful giver.”
2. Practical. They had not only thanks upon their lips, but a generous offering in their hands. They sought to express their gratitude by their gifts. (b)
3. Humble. They offered this oblation “to make an atonement for their souls before the Lord.” This does not mean that the offering was to expiate any particular offence which they had committed; but to acknowledge unmerited mercies. They felt themselves unworthy of the distinguished favours bestowed upon them. (c)
4. Liberal. “All the gold of the offering that they offered up to the Lord was sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekels,” the value of which is variously estimated from £20,000, to £25,000. It was, indeed, a right noble offering. (d)
Learn, that the reception of special mercies should be followed by special acknowledgments thereof.
(1) Such acknowledgments are due to God. They cannot be withheld without sin.
(2) Such acknowledgments are a benefit to man. “It is good to give thanks unto the Lord,” &c. The practical expression of gratitude enriches the heart. (e)
III. The acknowledgment of extraordinary favours accepted.
“And Moses and Eleazar, the priest, took the gold of the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the tabernacle of the congregation, for a memorial for the children of Israel before the Lord.” This means, as we see from Exo_30:16, that the gold was placed in the treasury of the tabernacle.
Learn, that God is graciously pleased to accept the offerings of humble and grateful hearts. (f)
ILLUSTRATIONS
(a) No prince ever returns safe out of a battle, but may well remember how many blows and bullets have gone by him, that might easily have gone through him; and be what little, odd, unforeseen chances death has been turned aside, which seemed in a fun ready, and direct career, to have been posting to him. All which passages, if we do not acknowledge to have been guided to their respective ends and effects by the conduct of a superior and a Divine Hand, we do by the same assertion cashier all Providence, strip the Almighty of His noblest prerogative, and make God, not the Governor, but the mere Spectator of the world.—Dr. South.
(b) For an illustration on this point, see p. 341. (c)
(c) Objects seem large or little according to the medium through which they are viewed. In the microscope, what a remarkable change they undergo! The humble moss rises into a graceful tree; the beetle, armed for battle, flashes in golden or silver mail; a grain of sand swells into a mass of rock; and, on the other hand, a mountain looked at through the wrong end of a telescope sinks into a mole hill, and the broad lake into a tiny pool. Even so, according as we look at them, with the eyes of self-condemning humility, or of self-righteous pride. God’s mercies seem great or little. For example, a minister of the Gospel passing one day near a cottage, was attracted to its door by the sound of a loud and earnest voice. It was a bare and lonely dwelling; the home of a man who was childless, old and poor. Drawing near this mean and humble cabin, the stranger at length made out these words. “This, and Jesus Christ too! this, and Jesus Christ too!” as they were repeated over and over again in tones of deep emotion, of wonder, gratitude, and praise. His curiosity was roused to see what that could be which called forth such fervent, overflowing thanks. Stealing near, he looked in at the patched and broken window; and there in the form of a grey, bent, worn-out son of toil, at a rude table, with hands raised to God, and his eyes fixed on some crusts of bread and a cup of water, sat piety, peace, humility, contentment, exclaiming, ‘This, and Jesus Christ too!”—Thos. Guthrie, D.D.
(d) Illustrations on this point appear on pp. 101, 117, 342.
(e) It is well to feel that whatever good your gift may do to the Church, or the poor, or the sick, it is twice as much benefit to you to give it. It is well to give, because you love to give; as the flower which pours forth its perfume because it never dreamed of doing otherwise; or like the bird which quivers with song, because it is a bird, and finds a pleasure in its notes; or like the sun, which shines, not by constraint, but because, being a sun, it must shine; or like the waves of the sea, which flash back the brilliance of the sun because it is their nature to reflect and not to hoard the light! Oh, to have such grace in our hearts that we shall joyfully make sacrifices unto our God!—C. H. Spurgeon.
(f) On our birthdays our little children love to give their father something if it is only a bunch of flowers out of the garden, or a fourpenny piece with a hole in it; they like to do it to show their love; and wise parents will be sure to let their children do such things for them. So is it with our great Father in heaven. What are our Sunday-school teachings and our preachings, and all that, but these cracked fourpenny pieces? Just nothing at all; but the Lord allows us to do His work for His own love’s sake. His love to us finds a sweetness in our love to Him.—Ibid.
The other day, in walking down the street, a little beggar boy, having discovered that I loved flowers, came and put into my hand a faded little sprig which he had somewhere found. I did not look directly at the scrawny, withered branch, but beheld it through the medium of the boy’s heart, seeing what he would have given, not what he gave; and so looking the shrivelled stem was laden with blossoms of beauty and odour. And if I, who am cold, and ignorant, receive so graciously the offering of a poor child, with what tender joy must our heavenly Father receive the sincere tribute of His creatures, when He looks through the medium of His infinite love and compassion?.… Christ does not say, “Take the noblest things of life, and bring them perfect, to Me, and I will receive them” He says, “Take the lowest and most disagreeable thing; and if you bring it cheerfully for My sake, it shall he to Me a flower of remembrance, and I will press it in the Book of Life, and keep it for ever.” Go, then search for flowers to bring to Christ; and if you cannot find even road-side or pasture weeds—if there are only nettle and briars, and you are willing for His sake to thrust your hand into the thorn bush and bring a branch from then e, He will take it lovingly, and cherish it evermore.—H. W. Beecher.
The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary (gen. ed. Joseph S. Exell; Funk & Wagnalls, c. 1892) — public domain (pre-1929). A full-Bible homiletical/sermon-outline anthology covering 65 of 66 books (2 John is absent from the source module). Text from a community e-Sword module.
Alexander MacLaren 1905 · Public Domain On v8 Num 23:10. - Num 31:8.
Numbers
AN UNFULFILLED DESIRE
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Num 23:10. - Num 31:8.
Ponder these two pictures. Take the first scene. A prophet, who knows God and His will, is standing on the mountain top, and as he looks down over the valley beneath him, with its acacia-trees and swift river, there spread the tents of Israel. He sees them, and knows that they are ‘a people whom the Lord hath blessed.’ Brought there to curse, ‘he blesses them altogether’; and as he gazes upon their ordered ranks and sees somewhat of the wondrous future that lay before them, his mind is filled with the thought of all the blessedness of that righteous nation, and the sigh of longing comes to his lips, ‘May I be with them in life and death; may I have no higher honour, no calmer end, than to lie down and die as one of the chosen people, with memories of a divine hand that has protected me all through the past, and quiet hopes of the same hand holding me up in the great darkness!’ A devout aspiration, a worthy desire!
Look at the other picture. Midian has seduced Israel to idolatry and its constant companion, sensual sin. The old lawgiver has for his last achievement to punish the idolater. ‘Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites, afterwards thou shalt be gathered to thy people.’ So each tribe gives its contingent to the fight, and under the fierce and prompt Phinehas, whose javelin had already smitten one of the chief offenders, they go forth. Fire and sword, devastation and victory, mark their track. The princes of Midian fall before the swift rush of the desert-born invaders. And-sad, strange company!-among them is the ‘man who saw the vision of the Almighty, and knew the knowledge of the Most High’ ! he who had taught Moab the purest lessons of morality, and Midian, alas! the practice of the vilest profligacy; he who saw from afar ‘the sceptre arise out of Israel and the Star from Jacob’; he who longed to ‘die the death of the righteous’ ! The onset of the avenging host, with the ‘shout of a king’ in their midst; the terror of the flight, the riot of havoc and bloodshed, and, finally, the quick thrust of the sharp Israelite sword in some strong hand, and the grey hairs all dabbled with his blood-these were what the man came to who had once breathed the honest desire, ‘Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his’ !
I. There is surely a solemn lesson for us all here-as touching the danger of mere vague religious desires and convictions which we do not allow to determine our conduct.
Balaam had evidently much knowledge. Look at these points-
{a} His knowledge of the covenant-name of God.
{b} His knowledge of a pure morality and a spiritual worship far beyond sacrificial notions, and in some respects higher than the then Old Testament standpoint.
{c} The knowledge {which is implied in the text} of a future state, which had gone far into the background, even if it had not been altogether lost, among the Israelites. Is it not remarkable that the religious ideas of this man were in advance of Israel’s at this time; that there seems to have lingered among these ‘outsiders’ more of a pure faith than in Israel itself?
What a lesson here as to the souls led by God and enlightened by Him beyond the pale of Judaism!
But all this knowledge, of what use was it to Balaam? He knows about God: does he seek to serve Him? He preaches morality to Moab, and he teaches Midian to ‘teach the children of Israel to commit fornication.’ He knows something of the blessedness of a ‘righteous man’ s’ death, and perhaps sees faintly the shining gates beyond-but how does it all end? What a gulf between knowledge and life!
What is the use of correct ideas about God? They may be the foundations of holy thoughts, and they are meant to be so. I am not setting up emotion above principle, or fancying that there can be religion without theology; but for what are all our thoughts about God given us?
{a} That they may influence our hearts.
{b} That they may subdue our wills.
{c} That they may mould our practical life.
If they do not do that-then what do they do?
They constitute a positive hindrance-like the dead lava-blocks that choke the mouth of a crater, or the two deposits on the bottom of a boiler, soot outside and crust inside, which keep the fire from getting at the water. They have lost their power because they are so familiar. They are weakened by not being practised. The very organs of intelligence are, as it were, ossified. Self-complacency lays hold on the possession of these ideas and shields itself against all appeals with the fact of possessing them. Many a man mistakes, in his own case, the knowledge of the truth for obedience to the truth. All this is seen in everyday life, and with reference to all manner of convictions, but it is most apparent and most fatal about Christian truth. I appeal to the many who hear and know all about ‘the word,’ What more is needed? That you should do what you know {‘Be not hearers only’}; that you should yield your whole being to Christ, the living Word.
II. Balaam is an example of convictions which remain inefficacious.
It was not without some sense of his own character, and some forebodings of what was possibly brooding over him, that he uttered these words of the text. But they were transitory emotions, and they passed away.
I suppose that every man who hears the gospel proclaimed is, at some time or other, conscious of dawning thoughts which, if followed, would lead him to decision for Christ. I suppose that every man among us is conscious of thoughts visiting him many a time when he least expects them, which, if honestly obeyed, would work an entire revolution in his life.
I do not wish to speak as if unbelieving men were the only people who were unfaithful to their consciences, but rather to deal with what is a besetting sin of us all, though it reaches its highest aggravation in reference to the gospel.
Such stings of conviction come to us all, but how are they deadened?
{a} By simple neglect. Pay no attention to them; do not do anything in consequence, and they will gradually disappear. The voice unheard will cease to speak. Non-obedience to conscience will in the end almost throttle conscience.
{b} By angry rejection.
{c} By busy occupation with the outer world.
{d} By sinful occupation with it.
Then consider that such dealing with our convictions leaves us far worse men than before, and if continued will end in utter insensibility.
What should we do with such convictions? Reverently follow them. And in so doing they will grow and increase, and lead us at last to God and peace.
Special application of all this to our attitude towards Christian truth.
III. Balaam is an instance of wishes that are never fulfilled.
He wished to die ‘as the righteous.’ How did he die? miserably; and why?
{1} Because his wish was deficient in character.
It was one among a great many, feeble and not predominant, occasioned by circumstances, and so fading when these disappeared. Like many men’s relation to the gospel who would like to be Christians, and are not. These vagrant wishes are nothing; mere ‘catspaws’ of wind, not a breeze. They are not real, even while they last, and so they come to nothing.
{2} Because it was partially wrong in its object.
He was willing to die the death, but not to live the life, of the righteous; like many men who would be very glad to ‘go to heaven when they die,’ but who will not be Christians while they live.
Now, God forbid that I should say that his wish was wrong! But only it was not enough. Such a wish led to no action.
Now, God hears the faintest wish; He does not require that we should will strongly, but He does require that we should desire, and that we should act according to our desires.
Let the close be a brief picture of a righteous death. And oh! if you feel that it is blessed, then let that desire lead you to Christ, and all will be well. Remember that Bunyan saw a byway to hell at the door of the celestial city. Remember how Balaam ended, and stands gibbeted in the New Testament as an evil man, and the type of false teachers. Finally, beware of knowledge which is not operative in conduct, of convictions which are neglected and pass away, of vague desires which come to nought.
Alexander MacLaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture (1904–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
J. R. Dummelow 1909 · Public Domain On v1 War against Midian
War against Midian
This chapter contains an account of the fulfilment of the decree of extermination passed upon the Midianites as being the occasion of Israel's apostasy in the plains of Moab: see on Num_25:16-18.
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6. The holy instruments and the trumpets] On the use of the silver trumpets in time of war see on Num_10:9. It is not clear whether the ark was taken into battle on this occasion. It is possible to translate 'the holy instruments, even the trumpets.' On other occasions, however, the ark accompanied the army as a token of God's presence and blessing. See 1Sa_4:4-7 and cp. Num_14:44. In Deu_20:2-4 the priests are commanded to encourage the host on the edge of battle. The choice of Phinehas on this occasion may be due to his previous zeal for Jehovah against the Midianites: see Num_25:7, Num_25:12.
8. Kings of Midian] from Jos_13:21 we learn that these were princes or chiefs, and that they were tributary to Sihon, king of the Amorites. Balaam by remaining among the Midianites shared their fate. But see on Num_25:1-5.
13-18. The male children are put to death in order that the race of idolaters may be extirpated. The older women are also slain as having been the prime cause of the apostasy, and likely to lead the people astray at a future time. The women-children, or young females, are spared, and are taken as slaves or wives, being probably adopted into the Hebrew nation as proselytes: cp. Deu_21:10-14. For the reason of such wholesale slaughter see Num_33:55; Deu_20:17-18; Jos_23:13 and on Num_25:16-18.
19-24. On this purification by means of the 'water of separation' see Num_19:11-16.
25-47. The spoil is divided equally between the warriors and those who remained in the camp. Part of each portion is dedicated to the sanctuary. The warriors dedicate the fivehundredth part of their spoil which is given to the priests (Num_31:29). The non-combatants dedicate the fiftieth part of their share, which, being a larger proportion, is given to the Levites who were more numerous than the priests (Num_31:30).
29. Heave offering] see on Lev_7:28-34; Numbers 8 n.
32. The rest of the prey] RV 'over and above the booty': see Num_31:50.
48-54. The officers make a voluntary offering as a thanksgiving for victory.
50. Tablets] RV 'armlets or necklaces': cp. Exo_35:22. Make an atonement] cp. Exo_30:11-16.
J. R. Dummelow, A Commentary on the Holy Bible (Macmillan, 1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Arno C. Gaebelein 1922 · Public Domain On v1 7. The War Against the Midianites
7. The War Against the Midianites
CHAPTER 31
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1. The command to fight Midian (Num 31:1-6)
2. The war (Num 31:7-12)
3. The cleansing (Num 31:13-24)
4. The spoil taken (Num 31:25-47)
5. The oblation of the officers (Num 31:48-54)
War is commanded next by the Lord. The Lord said to Moses, “Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites; afterward shalt thou be gathered to thy people.” This is, therefore, the last thing in the official life of Moses. This war against Midian had been commanded before (Num 25:16-18), the execution had been delayed. It was now to be carried out and the Midianites were to suffer for the wicked thing they had done to Israel by seducing them to the idolatrous worship of Baal Peor. Phinehas, the high priest, accompanied the army of 12,000 men. They were victorious and slew the kings of Midian; Balaam also was slain (verse 8). His wish, “let me die the death of the righteous,” was not granted unto him, for he remained in his wickedness.
This war of revenge has a significant meaning. The key is found in the third verse, which, literally translated, reads: “Arm some of yourselves unto the war, and let them go against Midian, to execute the vengeance of Jehovah upon Midian.” There is another day of vengeance coming which will fall heavily upon the Gentile world. The Lord will avenge His people Israel and judge the nations for the sin they committed against them. Of this the prophetic Word speaks often. That day is closely linked with Israel’s restoration to the land. Then the true King-Priest will appear, like Phinehas, who was with the army of Israel (Isa 63:1-6; 2Th 1:7-9).
Purification took place and the spoil was divided. This table may be studied in connection with verses 25-47.
When the officers returned they discovered to their great joy that they had not lost a single man. God’s power had been with them and kept them in a miraculous way. They brought a magnificent oblation. The gold they offered was brought into the tabernacle for a memorial.
Arno C. Gaebelein, The Annotated Bible (1913–1922) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Paul E. Kretzmann 1924 · Public Domain On v1 The Overthrow of Midian
The Overthrow of Midian
v. 1. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
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v. 2. Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites, by undertaking a formal campaign of revenge against them, as commanded Num 26:16-18. Afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people, as had been revealed to him Num 27:13.
v. 3. And Moses spake unto the people, saying, Arm some of yourselves unto the war, prepare everything for a campaign, mobilize an army, and let them go against the Midianites, and avenge the Lord of Midian, carry out the revenge of Jehovah upon Midian, execute His divine judicial sentence upon the entire nation.
v. 4. of every tribe a thousand, throughout all the tribes of Israel, shall ye send to the war, a total of twelve thousand armed men.
v. 5. So there were delivered out of the thousands. of Israel, for so the subdivisions of the tribes were called, Num 1:16, a thousand of every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war.
v. 6. And Moses sent them to the war, as a holy army under the direction of Jehovah, and very likely with Joshua as their commander, a thousand of every tribe, them and Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the priest, who had distinguished himself in his zeal for the Lord, to the war with the holy instruments, either the priestly garments or some of the consecrated vessels, and the trumpets to blow in his hand, for that was one of the objects of the silver trumpets, to call the army to battle, Num 10:9.
v. 7. And they warred against the Midianites, whom they presumably took unawares, as the Lord commanded Moses; and they slew all the males, since it was a war of revenge, of extermination.
v. 8. And they slew the kings of Midian, beside the rest of them that were slain; namely, Evi, and Bekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Beba, five kings of Midian; Balaam also, the son of Beor, they slew with the sword, because it had been he who had given the devilish advice to the Midianites in the matter of seducing the children of Israel and causing them to commit idolatry and whoredom.
v. 9. And the children of Israel took all the women of Midian captives and their little ones, the small children of both sexes, and took the spoil of all their cattle, and all their flocks, and all their goods.
v. 10. And they burned all their cities, the fortified towns, wherein they dwelt, and all their goodly castles, the unfortified hamlets or encampments, with fire.
v. 11. And they took all the spoil and all the prey, all the plunder both in treasures and in animals, both of men and of beasts.
v. 12. And they brought the captives and the prey and the spoil unto Moses and Eleazar, the (high) priest, and unto the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the camp at the Plains of Moab, which are by Jordan near Jericho. Note that the punishment of the Lord is sure to strike those who seduce His people, even though He, so far as we know, no longer delegates any special nation to carry out His will in this manner.
Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv1, 3, 6, 9, 11 Take vengeance on the Midianites for what they did…
Take vengeance on the Midianites for what they did to the Israelites
Yahweh was punishing the Midianites for convincing the Israelites to worship idols.
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you will die and be gathered to your people
These two phrases mean basically the same thing. This is a polite way to emphasize that it is time for Moses to die and for his spirit to go to the place where his ancestors are. (See: Parallelism and Euphemism)
translationWords
Yahweh
Moses
avenge
people group
Israel
Midian
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv1, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 31:1-2 The Lord ordered Moses to lead Israel in…
31:1-2 The Lord ordered Moses to lead Israel in a war of retaliation against the Midianites, who had joined the Moabites in leading the Hebrews into idolatry (ch 25). The Midianites were a tribal people who inhabited the arid and semiarid regions south and east of Palestine and east of the Jordan River; they were counted among the “people of the east” (Judg 6:3, 33; 7:12). They lived in camps or settlements and were famous for their knowledge of desert transportation (cp. Gen 37:28, 36; Isa 60:6). While they were descended from Abraham (Gen 25:1-2) and had been friendly toward Moses (Exod 2:15–3:1; cp. Num 10:29), the elders of Midian had joined Balak in hiring Balaam to curse Israel (22:4, 7), whose presence threatened the peoples of Transjordan (the region east of the Jordan).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.