Numbers 31:13-20

B. INSTRUCTIONS FOR THEIR DISPOSAL vv. 13-20
TEXT

Numbers 31:13. And Moses and Eleazar the priest, and all the princes of the congregation, went forth to meet them without the camp. 14. And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host, with the captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, which came from the battle. 15. And Moses said unto them, Have ye saved all the women alive? 16. Behold, 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. 17. Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him. 18. But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves. 19. And 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. 20. And purify all your raiment, and all that is made of skins, and all work of goats-' hair, and all things made of wood.

PARAPHRASE

Numbers 31:13. And Moses and Eleazar the priest, and all the princes of the congregation went out to meet them outside the camp. 14. And Moses was angry with the officers of the army, the captains of thousands and the captains of hundreds, who had come from the battle. 15. And Moses said to them, Have you spared all the women alive? 16. Behold, these caused the children of Israel to revolt against the Lord through the counsel of Balaam, in the matter of Peor; and there was a plague of the Lord among the congregation. 17. Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known a man by lying with him. 18. But all the girls who have not lain with a man you are to keep alive unto yourselves. 19. Stay outside of the camp seven days, anyone who has killed another person, and anyone who has touched a corpse; purify both yourselves and your captives on the third day, and on the seventh day. 20. And you shall purify every garment and every item of leather and all work of goats-' hair, and all things made of wood.

COMMENTARY

The anger of Moses, Eleazar and other leaders of the people is not difficult to understand. When they learned that the very most involved members of the Midianite tribe who had earlier corrupted Israel had been spared, their reaction was spontaneously to disapprove. These were the very women who induced the people of God to sin flagrantly, both in committing whoredom and in subscribing to orgiastic religious rituals before the pagan gods. To spare them would be an affront to the very God who had ordered the extermination of the offending tribe. Moses-' decision is immediate, and his orders are to the point. He first rebukes those who were responsible for the situation, then he gives the reason for his displeasure. Then they are told what they must do: kill every male child and every woman who has had intercourse with a man. Only virgins, of whatever age, are to be spared. The male children are to be exterminated in order to bring Midian to extinction. The women who have had sexual experience are to be killed to prevent further seduction of the Israelites; and, as we may now conclude from present knowledge of the ravages of sexually-oriented diseases, to prevent a further infestation of God's people in a manner all too familiar from the past.

Why, then, were the virgins spared? Unlike many of their contemporary nations, the Hebrews were not slave traders. They were permitted servants, with numerous laws in the Mosaic code to govern the practice. But in this instance it seems correct to assume that many of the Midianites married into the nation of Israel, since any children born to such a union would have been considered Israelites; and they are not yet living under the circumstances which would have prohibited the marriages. Nevertheless, both soldiers and captives were required to remain outside the camp for one week. During the time, they are to follow exactly the strictures of Numbers 19:11 ff., in order that they might be ceremonially clean when they reentered the camp. Even their clothing and anything made of skin, goats-' hair or wool, must likewise be made clean. The directions specify that only those who have actually killed another, or have touched a corpse, are involved. Even the captives themselves are to undergo the ritual cleansing before they may be admitted into the assembly of Israel.

QUESTIONS AND RESEARCH ITEMS

565.

Give the causes for the anger of Moses and Eleazar when Israel's warriors returned from their battle with the Midianites.

566.

Relate Moses-' instructions as to how the captives were to be treated. What was to happen to the different kinds of prisoners?

567.

Why was it reasonable to spare only the virgins among the Midianites?

568.

What eventually became of those Midianite women?

569.

For what reason and for what length of time were some of the soldiers not permitted to return to camp?

570.

Compare the treatment given these captives by Israel with that normally given to prisoners of war in other contemporary societies.

571.

Suggest any reasons you can for requiring the Israelites to purify even the garments and other such items before bringing them into camp.