Chapter 31:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 Leviticus Deuteronomy
Numbers 31
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.
Verse 3. Avenge ye the Lord - For the affront which they offered to
God, by their own idolatry and lewdness, and by seducing God's
people into rebellion against him. God's great care was to avenge
the Israelites, ver. 2, and Moses's chief desire was to avenge God
rather than himself or the people.
Verse 5. Twelve thousand - God would send no more, though it is
apparent the Midianites were numerous and strong, because he
would exercise their trust in him, and give them an earnest of their
Canaanitish conquests.
Verse 6. 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, them in their enterprize. The holy
instruments - The holy breast-plate, wherein was the Urim and
Thummim, which was easily carried, and very useful in war upon
many emergent occasions.
Verse 7. All the males - Namely all who lived in those parts, for colonies
of them, were sent forth to remoter places, which therefore had no
hand either in their former sin, or in this present ruling. And
herein they did according to God's own order concerning such
people, Deut. xx, 13, only their fault was, that they did not
consider the special reason which they had to involve the women
in the destruction.
Verse 13. Without the camp - Partly to put respect upon them, and
congratulate with them for their happy success; and partly to
prevent the pollution of the camp by the untimely entrance of the
warriors into it.
Verse 17. The little ones - Which they were forbidden to do to other
people, Deut. xx, 14, except the Canaanites, to whom this people
had equaled themselves by their horrid crimes, and therefore it is
not strange, nor unjust, that God, the supreme Lord of all mens
lives, who as he gives them, so may take them away when he
pleaseth, did equal them in the punishment. Every woman -Partly
for punishment, because the guilt was general, and though some
of them only did prostitute themselves to the Israelites, yet the rest
made themselves accessary by their consent or approbation; and
partly, for prevention of the like mischief from such an adulterous
generation.
Verse 20. Your raiment - Namely, your spoil and prey. All work - All
which had contracted some ceremonial uncleanness either from
the dead bodies which wore them, or the tents or houses where
they were, in which such dead bodies lay, or from the touch of the
Israelitish soldiers, who were legally defiled by the slaughters
they made.
Verse 27. Two parts - The congregation hath some share, because the
warriors went in the name of all, and because all having been
injured by the Midianites, all were to have some share in the
reparations: but the warriors who were but 12000, have a far
greater share than their brethren, because they underwent greater
pains and dangers.
Verse 29. An heave-offering - In thankfulness to God for their
preservation and good success.
Verse 30. One of fifty - Whereas the former part was one of five
hundred; the reason of the difference is, partly, because this was
taken out of the peoples portion, whose hazards being less than
the others, their gains also in all reason were to be less: partly
because this was to be distributed into more hands, the Levites
being now numerous, whereas the priests were but few.
Verse 50. An atonement - For their error noted, ver. 14, 15, 16, and
withal for a memorial, or by way of gratitude for such a
stupendous assistance and deliverance. We should never take any
thing to ourselves in war or trade, of which we cannot in faith
consecrate a part to God, who hates robbery for burnt-offerings.
But when God has remarkably preserved and succeeded us, he
expects we should make some particular return of gratitude to
him.
Chapter 31:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 Leviticus Deuteronomy
This version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible is a derivative of an electronic version, Copyright 1997, by Sulu D. Kelley. All rights reserved. Used by permission. It may not be modified or used commercially without permission of Wesleyan Heritage Publishing and Sulu Kelley. A special thanks to Mr. Kelley and Wesleyan Heritage Publishing for permission to create and post this version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible.
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