P. _The sacred war against Midian_ The narrative in this chapter is of a peculiar character. It belongs to a late date in Hebrew Biblical literature, when the practice was becoming common of conveying religious instruction by means of narrative. One form of narrative uttered with a purely religiou... [ Continue Reading ]
_The utter destruction of every Midianite_, with the exception of the virgins who are to be kept as spoil.... [ Continue Reading ]
This command is anticipated by an editor in Numbers 25:16 ff. See note there.... [ Continue Reading ]
The selection of 1,000 soldiers from each tribe is purely artificial. The larger ones could send a much greater number.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND _there were delivered_ The use of this verb וַיִמָּסְרוּ would, if the reading were certain, mark the chapter as a late composition. It occurs in Numbers 31:16 (see, however, note), but not elsewhere in the O.T., while it is frequent in post-Biblical Heb. and in Aramaic. But LXX. has καὶ ἐξηρίθ... [ Continue Reading ]
The war being of a strictly religious character, the soldiers were apparently led not by Moses or Joshua but by Phinehas the priest, who had previously displayed his zeal against the Midianites (Numbers 25:6-8). Eleazar the chief priest is represented as staying behind in the camp, perhaps from fear... [ Continue Reading ]
_they slew every male_ An imaginative description of success. If it were historically true, Midian would have disappeared from history; but they are found not long afterwards as one of Israel's most troublesome neighbours (Judges 6-8).... [ Continue Reading ]
In this ideal picture of the war nothing is said of the place where the battle was fought, nor the length of time occupied by it, nor any details of the fight. It was a rapid and sweeping conquest.... [ Continue Reading ]
The five names of the kings may have been derived from an historical kernel of the story. They occur in the same order in Joshua 13:21; but there the tradition is different, since they are not only -princes of Midian" but -chiefs of Sihon," who were slain in the battle against Sihon. There, as here,... [ Continue Reading ]
_their encampments_ A word specially used to denote the circular encampment of a nomad tribe: cf. Genesis 25:16.... [ Continue Reading ]
Commands to complete the destruction of the enemy. All male children and all women who are not virgins are to be killed in cold blood. This cruel command ascribed to Moses dates from an age when the Jews were approaching their narrowest and hardest state of exclusiveness, when piety consisted in rig... [ Continue Reading ]
The wording of this verse is obscure in the Heb., but the R.V. gives the general sense. The rendering -to _commit_trespass" is obtained by adopting a probable emendation, לִמְעֹל, for the late and difficult word לִמְסר -to deliver" (see Numbers 31:5). _through the counsel of Balaam_ Perhaps better... [ Continue Reading ]
_purify yourselves_ The same word as in Numbers 8:21, - _unsin_yourselves." Purification after battle is a custom found among various primitive tribes. The Hebrews had not yet received the higher teaching that only -the things which proceed out of the man are those that defile the man" (Mark 7:15).... [ Continue Reading ]
_The purification necessary after contact with the dead_. Moses bids all who are defiled to remain outside the camp for seven days and perform the requisite ritual of purification.... [ Continue Reading ]
_all that is made of skin_ such as sandals, saddles, coverings for packages &c. _work of goats_" hair] such as tent-coverings (Exodus 25:4) and bed-coverings (1 Samuel 19:13; 1 Samuel 19:16).... [ Continue Reading ]
Further injunctions given by Eleazar, drawing a distinction between objects which could not stand purification by fire, and metals which could.... [ Continue Reading ]
_the water of_ IMPURITY] Its preparation and use are described in ch. 19. _to go_ THROUGH WATER] i.e. ordinary pure water, not the -water of impurity" as R.V. suggests. Objects which will stand the fire must _pass through_it, and then their purification must be completed by the application of the s... [ Continue Reading ]
_The apportionment of the spoil_. Those who fought and those who remained behind were to receive equal shares. This was an ancient custom, which was traced to the action of David (1 Samuel 30:24 f.). But before the appropriation by individuals, a religious tax was to be paid. The fighters were to pa... [ Continue Reading ]
_levy a tribute_ lit. -lift off a fixed proportion." The verb has the technical sense which is more often found in the corresponding subst. _terûmâh_(Numbers 31:29); see on Numbers 31:9. _one soul_ OUT OF (every) _five hundred_ The word _nephesh_(-soul") denotes the life or animating principle of e... [ Continue Reading ]
_over and above the booty_ THE REMAINDER OF _the booty_. The revisers connected the words with Numbers 31:53 (see marg. there), but that is concerned only with the private looting of gold ornaments. Here -the booty" is synonymous with -the prey," and the words may be paraphrased -the prey, or rather... [ Continue Reading ]
The officers report the safe return of every single Israelite soldier. No element of success must be absent from the ideal picture of a sacred victory.... [ Continue Reading ]
_jewels of gold_ Golden ornaments were taken from the Midianites when Gideon won his victory (Judges 8:24-26). They were worn by roving nomads and traders, such as the Midianites were (cf. Genesis 37:28), more than by the members of settled communities. This seems to be the meaning of the parenthesi... [ Continue Reading ]