Numbers 31 Shows That God’s Commands Continued After the Victory

The central message of Numbers 31 is not only the battle against Midian, but also that everything following the victory had to be handled according to the LORD’s command. Even after the fighting ended, the captives and possessions had to be purified, the plunder divided into its appointed shares, and the portion belonging to the LORD set apart. Numbers 31 shows that God’s command governed the entire process, from preparation for battle until the army returned to the camp.

One Thousand Men from Each of the Twelve Tribes Went to War

The LORD told Moses to take vengeance on the Midianites for the Israelites. Moses selected one thousand men from each tribe, arming a total of twelve thousand for battle. Phinehas, the son of Eleazar the priest, also accompanied the army, carrying articles from the sanctuary and the trumpets used for signaling.

Verse 7 records that the army fought against Midian “as the LORD commanded Moses.” The campaign began not with the size of the army or a commander’s judgment, but with the command given to Moses. The passage specifically records that the five kings of Midian and Balaam were killed and that the Israelite army brought the captives, livestock, and plunder back to the camp.

The Returning Army Could Not Enter the Camp Immediately

Moses was angry with the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds who returned from battle because they had allowed the Midianite women to live. He explained that, following Balaam’s advice, these women had led the Israelites into unfaithfulness in the incident at Peor, resulting in a plague among the congregation. The passage directly connects the measures taken after the battle with the earlier events at Peor.

The command that follows is extremely severe. The passage records that the boys and every woman who had slept with a man were to be killed, while the girls who had never slept with a man were to be spared. Numbers 31 does not present this command as a general principle to be applied to every war today. Within the passage itself, it is recorded as a specific measure connected to the command to take vengeance on Midian and to Moses’ explanation of the incident at Peor.

Anyone who had killed a person or touched a dead body had to remain outside the camp for seven days. On the third and seventh days, they were required to purify themselves and their captives. Clothing and objects made of leather, goat hair, or wood also had to be purified. Metals able to withstand fire were passed through fire and then cleansed with purification water, while objects that could not withstand fire were passed through water. Only after washing their clothes on the seventh day could the soldiers enter the camp. Returning from battle did not by itself grant them immediate reentry into the community.

The Plunder Was Counted, Divided, and Set Apart

The LORD commanded that the captured people and animals be counted. Half was to be given to the soldiers who had gone into battle, and the other half to the congregation. From the soldiers’ share, one out of every five hundred was to be given to Eleazar the priest. From the congregation’s share, one out of every fifty was to be given to the Levites responsible for the tabernacle.

The passage records the number of sheep, cattle, donkeys, and people. It then calculates the soldiers’ half and the congregation’s half separately, including the portion given to the LORD. Verses 31, 41, and 47 repeatedly state that Moses and Eleazar acted as the LORD had commanded. Although the plunder was abundant, those who brought it back were not free to keep all of it for themselves. It was counted, divided in half, and set apart according to God’s command.

At the end of the chapter, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds reported that, after counting the soldiers, not one man was missing. They brought the gold articles each of them had acquired and presented them as an offering to the LORD. Moses and Eleazar brought the gold into the tent of meeting as a memorial for the Israelites before the LORD.

In Numbers 31, victory does not end when the battle is over. The army underwent purification outside the camp. The plunder was counted and divided between the soldiers and the congregation, and the appointed portions were given to the priest and the Levites. The gold voluntarily brought by the commanders was placed in the tent of meeting. From preparation for battle to purification, distribution, and offering, the repeated standard was “as the LORD commanded.”

As you read Numbers 31 again today, mark the words “as the LORD commanded” in verses 7, 31, 41, and 47. Then write one sentence for each verse describing what had been commanded and how it was carried out. This will help you see clearly how the chapter’s lengthy account repeatedly returns to the same standard.