Commentaries Dictionaries Concordances

The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

Numbers 31:6

NUMBERS—NOTE ON Numbers 31:6 Phinehas had intervened to stop the plague brought on by the worship of Baal (Numbers 25:7). Here, he goes into battle as chaplain of the army because his father, the high priest, has to keep away from the pollution caused by death in battle. Vessels of the sanctuary may refer to the priestly garments, the ark, or the Urim and Thummim (see note on Ex. 28:30).

⇐ ⇔ ⇒
Continues after advertising

See also Numbers 31:6 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Numbers 31:6. _A THOUSAND OF EVERY TRIBE_] Twelve thousand men in the whole. _And Phinehas, the son of Eleazar_; some think he was made general in this expedition, but this is not likely. The a...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    PHINEHAS - He was marked out as the fitting director of the expedition by his conduct (compare Numbers 25:7) in the matter of Zimri and Cozbi. WITH THE HOLY INSTRUMENTS, AND THE TRUMPETS - Or rather,...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    7. THE WAR AGAINST THE MIDIANITES CHAPTER 31 _ 1. The command to fight Midian (Numbers 31:1)_ 2. The war (Numbers 31:7) 3. The cleansing (Numbers 31:13) 4. The spoil taken ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    THE EXTERMINATION OF THE MIDIANITES. This story of a war of extermination, waged to avenge the wiles practised on Israel by Midian (as described in Numbers 25:6) is marked by various fanciful elements...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    PHINEHAS. Compare Numbers 25:7. INSTRUMENTS. vessels. TRUMPETS. alarm trumpets, which were also prayer trumpets. Compare Numbers 10:9; Numbers 10:10....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _The utter destruction of every Midianite_, with the exception of the virgins who are to be kept as spoil....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    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 (Numbe...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    OF EVERY TRIBE A THOUSAND— Six thousand of the Midianites taken prisoners in the war (see the following verses) give us a sufficient proof of the strength of that nation, and that the laws of prudence...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    IV. THE LAST EVENTS IN TRANS-JORDAN (NUMBERS 31; NUMBERS 32; NUMBERS 33:1-42) A. ATTACK UPON THE MIDIANITES vv. 1-12 TEXT Numbers 31:1. And th

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _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._ MOSES SENT TH...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    31:6 instruments, (b-28) Or 'instruments of the sanctuary.' even (c-29) Or 'and.'...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE HOLY INSTRUMENTS AND THE TRUMPETS] On the use of the silver trumpets in time of war see on Numbers 10:9. It is not clear whether the ark was taken into battle on this occasion. It is possible to t...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    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 o...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    THE OLD TESTAMENT BOOK OF NUMBERS IN THE DESERT NUMBERS _MARION ADAMS_ CHAPTER 31 *ISRAEL’S WAR AGAINST THE COUNTRY CALLED MIDIAN – NUMBERS 31:1-12 V1 The *LORD said to Moses, V2...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    WITH THE HOLY INSTRUMENTS, AND... — Or, _with the holy instruments, even,_ &c. It does not appear whether the ark did or did not accompany the expedition. It has been inferred from Numbers 14:44 that...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יִּשְׁלַ֨ח אֹתָ֥ם מֹשֶׁ֛ה אֶ֥לֶף לַ †...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    WAR AND SETTLEMENT 1. THE WAR WITH MIDIAN Numbers 31:1 THE command to vex and smite the Midianites Numbers 25:16 has already been considered. Israel had not the spiritual power which would have just...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    THE DESTRUCTION OF THE MIDIANITES Numbers 31:1 In reading such a chapter as this we must remember that the Bible is the history of the slow advance of a nation toward the knowledge of God, and its pr...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Here we have the story of the end of Balaam. It took place in connection with a war directly resulting from the sin of the people committed through the influence of Balaam. They had corrupted the nati...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand of [every] tribe, them and (b) Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the holy instruments, and the trumpets to blow in his hand. (b) For...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Trumpets. These are the holy vessels just specified, though some believe that he carried the ark, which was done in some wars, Josue vi. 1., and 1 Kings iv. 5. Priests always sounded the trumpet, Deut...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    There is a special mercy in appointing Phineas to this service. He it was whose zeal for GOD'S honour broke forth in a day of affliction to the deliverance of Israel. See Numbers 25:7....

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    The successes given to the children of Israel alarmed some of their neighbours, more particularly Moab; and this gives occasion for a striking episode in the history which brought to issue as solemn a...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    War is found in the wilderness (though it is not characteristic of it) whenever we fall into the snares the enemy there lays for us. There are always conflicts in the heavenly places in order to the e...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND MOSES SENT THEM TO THE WAR,.... Being mustered and armed: A THOUSAND OF [EVERY] TRIBE, THEM AND PHINEHAS THE SON OF ELEAZAR THE PRIEST TO THE WAR; which looks as if Phinehas was the general of th...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    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. Ver. 6. _The...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Them and Phinehas_ Who had the charge, not of the army, as general, (an office never committed to a priest in all the Old Testament,) but of the holy instruments, and was sent to encourage and quicke...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 The Midianites are spoyled, and Balaam slaine. 13 Moses is wroth with the officers, for sauing the women aliue. 19 How the souldiers with their captiues and spoile, are to be purified. 25 The pro...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE OVERTHROW OF MIDIAN...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    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 PRI...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    VENGEANCE ON MIDIAN (vs.1-11) The Midianites had been guilty of seducing Israel, and God required that account to be settled. This was the last charge laid upon Moses before his death (v.2). His own...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-6 All who, without commission from God, dare to execute private revenge, and who, from ambition, covetousness, or resentment, wage war and desolate kingdoms, must one day answer for it. But if God,...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    PHINEHAS had the charge not of the army, as general, (an office never committed to any priest in all the Old Testament,) but of THE HOLY INSTRUMENTS, & c. as is here expressed, and was also sent to en...

  • Notes on the Pentateuch by Charles Henry Mackintosh

    We have here the closing scene of Moses' _ official_ life; as in Deuteronomy 34:1-12 we have the closing scene of his _ personal_ history. "and the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Avenge the children o...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Numbers 31:6 Moses H4872 sent H7971 (H8799) war H6635 thousand H505 tribe H4294 war H6635 Phinehas H6372 son...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    (I) THE SENTENCE PASSED AND CARRIED OUT ON THE LOCAL MIDIANITES (NUMBERS 31:1). Analysis. a The command to avenge Yahweh on Midian (Numbers 31:1). b The judgment of Yahweh in the defeat of Midian ...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: The judgment of Midian. CHARACTERS: God, Moses, Balaam. CONCLUSION: Our worst enemies are those that draw us to sin. Over all such enemies there is absolute victory for those who take side...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Numbers 31:2. _Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites._ If it were just to cut off twenty four thousand of the Israelites for the awful feast, apostasy, and fornication at Baal-peor, it was e...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _They warred against the Midianites._ 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...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES Moses had already received command to smite the Midianites (Numbers 25:16); and in this chapter we have the order given to him to execute that command, and the narrativ...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Then as we get into Numbers chapter thirty-one, the Lord orders the destruction of the Midianites. Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward thou shall be gathered to your people (Nu...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Samuel 14:18; 1 Samuel 23:9; 1 Samuel 4:17; 1 Samuel 4:4; 1 Samuel 4:5

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Them and Phinehas — Who had the charge not of the army, as general, (an office never committed to a priest in all the Old Testament) but of the holy instruments, and was sent to encourage, and quicken...

Continues after advertising