Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 31:7
And they warred against the Midianites, as the LORD commanded Moses; and they slew all the males.
7. 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).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
7 12. 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.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Namely, all whom they took in that war, or all who lived in those parts; for it is probable (and was then very usual) some colonies of them were sent forth to remoter places, which therefore had no hand either in their former sin, or ill this present ruin, of whom we read after this, Jdg 6. And herein they did according to Gods own order concerning such people, Deu 20:13; only their fault was, that they did not consider the special reason and great obligation which they had to involve the women in the destruction, for which reason Moses blames them afterward, Num 31:15,16.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
7. they slew all the malesThiswas in accordance with a divine order in all such cases (De20:13). But the destruction appears to have been onlypartiallimited to those who were in the neighborhood of the Hebrewcamp and who had been accomplices in the villainous plot of Baal-peor(Nu 25:1-3), while alarge portion of the Midianites were absent on their pastoralwanderings or had saved themselves by flight. (Compare Jud6:1).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And they warred against the Midianites, as the Lord commanded Moses,…. Whether the Midianites came out against them with an army, and there was a pitched battle between them, is not certain; however the Israelites committed acts of hostility upon them, by entering their cities, plundering their houses, and slaying the inhabitants of them; the Targum of Jonathan is,
“they warred against Midian, and surrounded it in the three corners of it, as the Lord commanded Moses;”
for, as Maimonides b observes from tradition,
“when they besiege a city to take it, they do not surround it in the four corners of it, but in the three corners of it, and leave a place to flee out, that everyone that would might escape for his life, as it is said, “and they warred against Midian, as the Lord commanded Moses”; by report, or from tradition, it is learnt that so he commanded him;”
that is, in such a manner to besiege a city; but for this there is only tradition, for it is not mentioned among the rules after directed to in such a case, De 20:10,
and they slew all the males; which fell into their hands; for, no doubt, there were multitudes that made their escape, since in later times we read of the Midianites, as a very powerful people, and very distressing to Israel, Jud 6:1 these, as Aben Ezra observes, they slew, were such as were grown up, for as for their little ones, them they spared and carried captive, Nu 31:9.
b Hilchot Melacim, c. 6. sect. 7.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Of the campaign itself, the results are all that is recorded. No doubt it terminated with a great battle, in which the Midianites were taken unawares and completely routed. As it was a war of vengeance of Jehovah, the victors slew all the males, i.e., all the adult males, as the sequel shows, without quarter; and “upon those that were slain,” i.e., in addition to them, the five Midianitsh kings and Balaam, who first advised the Midianites, according to Num 31:16, to tempt the Israelites to idolatry. The five kings were chiefs of the larger or more powerful of the Midianitish tribes, as Zur is expressly said to have been in Num 25:15. In Jos 13:21 they are called “ vassals of Sihon,” because Sihon had subjugated them and made them tributary when he first conquered the land. The women and children of the Midianites were led away prisoners; and their cattle ( behemah , beasts of draft and burden, as in Exo 20:10), and their flocks, and their goods taken away as spoil. The towns in their dwellings, and all their villages ( tiroth , tent-villages, as in Gen 25:16), were burnt down. The expression “towns in their dwellings” leads to the conclusion that the towns were not the property of the Midianites themselves, who were a nomad people, but that they originally belonged in all probability to the Moabites, and had been taken possession of by the Amorites under Sihon. This is confirmed by Jos 13:21, according to which these five Midianitish vassals of Sihon dwelt in the land, i.e., in the kingdom of Sihon. This also serves to explain why the conquest on their country is not mentioned in the account before us, although it is stated in Joshua (l.c.), that it was allotted to the Reubenites with the kingdom of Sihon.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
7 And they warred against the Midianites, as the LORD commanded Moses; and they slew all the males. 8 And they slew the kings of Midian, beside the rest of them that were slain; namely, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword. 9 And the children of Israel took all the women of Midian captives, and their little ones, and took the spoil of all their cattle, and all their flocks, and all their goods. 10 And they burnt all their cities wherein they dwelt, and all their goodly castles, with fire. 11 And they took all the spoil, and all the prey, both of men and of beasts. 12 And they brought the captives, and the prey, and the spoil, unto Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and unto the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the camp at the plains of Moab, which are by Jordan near Jericho.
Here is, 1. The descent which this little army of Israelites made, under the divine commission, conduct, and command, upon the country of Midian. They warred against the Midianites. It is very probable that they first published their manifesto, showing the reasons of the war, and requiring them to give up the ringleaders of the mischief to justice; for such afterwards was the law (Deut. xx. 10), and such the practice,Jdg 20:12; Jdg 20:13. But the Midianites justifying what they had done, and standing by those that had done it, the Israelites attacked them with fire and sword, and all the pious fury with which their zeal for God and their people inspired them. 2. The execution (the military execution) they did in this descent. (1.) They slew all the males (v. 7), that is, all they met with as far as they went; they put them all to the sword, and gave no quarter. But that they did not slay all the males of the nation is certain, for we find the Midianites a powerful and formidable enemy to Israel in the days of Gideon; and they were the Midianites of this country, for they are reckoned with the children of the east, Judg. vi. 3. (2.) They slew the kings of Midian the same that are called elders of Midian (ch. xxii. 4), and the dukes of Sihon, Josh. xiii. 21. Five of these princes are here named, one of whom is Zur, probably the same Zur whose daughter Cosbi was, ch. xxv. 15. (3.) They slew Balaam. Many conjectures there are as to what brought Balaam among the Midianites at this time; it is probable that the Midianites, having intelligence of the march of this army of Israelites against them, hired Balaam to come and assist them with his enchantments, that if he could not prevail to act offensively in their favour, by cursing the armies of Israel, yet he might act defensively, by blessing the country of Midian. Whatever was the occasion of his being there, God’s overruling providence brought him thither, and there his just vengeance found him. Had he himself believed what he said of the happy state of Israel, he would not have herded thus with the enemies of Israel; but justly does he die the death of the wicked (though he pretended to desire that of the righteous), and go down slain to the pit with the uncircumcised, who rebelled thus against the convictions of his own conscience. The Midianites’ wiles were Balaam’s projects, it was therefore just that he should perish with them, Hos. iv. 5. Now was his folly made manifest to all men, who foretold the fate of others, but foresaw not his own. (4.) They took all the women and children captives, v. 9. (5.) They burnt their cities and goodly castles (v. 10), not designing to inhabit them themselves (that country was out of their line), but they thus prevented those who had made their escape from sheltering themselves in their own country and settling there again. Some understand it of their idol-temples; it was fit that they should share in this vengeance. (6.) They plundered the country, and carried off all the cattle and valuable goods, and so returned to the camp of Israel laden with a very rich booty, Num 31:9; Num 31:11; Num 31:12. Thus (as when they came out of Egypt) they were enriched with the spoils of their enemies, and furnished with stock for the good land into which God was bringing them.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
7. And they warred against the Midianites. It was a signal example of obedience, that 12,000 men did not refuse to engage in a war which was full of danger, when it was reasonable for them to object that it was not right for them to be exposed to butchery, as it were, whilst the people sat idly in the camp, who by their great numbers and with little trouble would have routed and overcome the enemy. It was therefore no common proof of piety, that they obeyed God’s command, and sought for no pretext to cover their cowardice. God, too, shewed by the result that He did not rashly expose His servants to danger; for it is in His power to rescue those whom He takes under His protection, from a hundred deaths. From hence also we are taught that there is no surer means of safety than to follow whither He leads. What Moses afterwards adds, tends to render praise to their perseverance, with one exception, they were right in killing all the males, even to the kings, whom Moses relates to have been slain in the general slaughter; and especially that they inflicted punishment on Balaam, who by his cunning and his snares, had endeavored to destroy the people of God. They were right, too, in spoiling the whole land; nor did they act with less propriety and discretion in razing all the cities and towns, which might have been a temptation to the timid and inactive to take up their abode there; for, as we have seen before, all hindrances were to be taken away, so that the people might advance freely and without incumbrance into the land of Canaan; else, when there was an opportunity of repose, many would have willingly foregone the promised inheritance. Hence the cities were consumed by fire, lest they should afford any hold for those who were willing to stay. Thus far the selected soldiers faithfully performed their duty: in one respect they failed, in that, under the impulse either of avarice or lust, they preserved the women alive: on which point we shall see more presently.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(7) They slew all the males.The reference appears to be to those who were engaged in the war. The words do not refer to the whole of the male population, as appears from Num. 31:17; and it is probable that many of the Midianites who were not engaged in the war withdrew from the scene of conflict. The reference in this verse, unless the words are inserted proleptically, seems to be to the whole of the adult males who fell into the hands of the Israelites during the war.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Num 31:7-12. And they warred against the Midianites, &c. The twelve thousand men chosen out by Moses marched against the Midianites. The battle they gave them was less an ordinary combat, than an execution of justice upon criminals; and, being performed by the immediate direction of God, can certainly never be brought into example to warrant a similar conduct. All the males of Midian, and five kings, i.e. princes or governors, Jos 13:21 were slain with the edge of the sword. Balaam also underwent the same punishment. It is not certain how this prophet (of whom the historian says, that he went and returned to his place, or country, i.e. Mesopotamia, chap. Num 24:25 where see the note) happened to come again into Midian.The Jews are of opinion, that he thought the defeat of the Israelites would be the punishment of that idolatry into which he had been the cause of seducing them; (see Num 31:16.) and that therefore he was desirous of sharing in their spoils. To him may be applied, Eze 25:17; Eze 25:17.* The wives of the enemy, their little children, and all the cattle, both great and small, fell into the hands of the Israelites; their cities and fenced towns were delivered up to the flames, and a general plunder was the consequence of a general slaughter. The captives, (Num 31:12.) i.e. the women and children; the prey, i.e. the cattle and flocks; and the spoil, i.e. the money and the goods, were brought to Moses and Eleazar. Now here it may be proper so observe, 1. That the word all, in these verses, is not to be taken in the strictest sense, as if it admitted of no exception; it only means the much greater number; and this observation may be extended to many other passages in Scripture; without which, it would be impossible to reconcile what Moses says here with what we read in Jdg 6:1. The children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years. 2. There was something very singular in the conduct which the people of God observed towards those of Midian; nor can it be accounted for, either by those directions which God had given in relation to the wars which the Israelites were to wage against the seven nations, or by those rules which concerned their wars with other nations, and which were called by the Hebrews, wars for the good of the commonwealth. With respect to the first, God commanded, of the cities of those people which the Lord thy God doth give thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save nothing alive that breatheth; but thou shalt utterly destroy them, that they teach you not to do after all their abominations, &c. Deu 20:16. With respect to other nations, it is thus commanded in the same chapter, Num 31:10, &c. When thou comest nigh unto a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace unto it. And it shall be, that all the people that is found therein shall be tributaries unto thee, and they shall serve thee. And if it will make war against thee, then thou shalt besiege it. And when the Lord thy God hath delivered it into thine hands, thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword. But the women, and the little ones, and the cattle, and all that is within the city, even all the spoil thereof, shalt thou take unto thyself. We cannot determine whether the Israelites were obliged to put in practice these orders rigidly, as the command of God seems to require; or whether God only gave them a right, but left them at liberty to spare whom they should think fit, and particularly all who were willing to renounce idolatry. The author of the book Sithri is of this latter opinion; and he builds it upon the reason which God himself assigns, when he commands them utterly to destroy the seven nations; namely, lest they should teach them to do after all their abominations; which seems to imply, that they who were willing to return from their abominations, should be exempted from such rigorous treatment. The object, however, is, to remove the difficulty which consists in the Midianites suffering the extremity of the law, though they were not of the seven nations. We do not find that Moses offered them peace, and that they refused it. Some interpreters think that they obviate this objection, by saying, that the laws above quoted were not given when Israel fought against Midian; and yet it appears, that this battle was fought immediately before the death of Moses. See Num 31:2 and chap. Num 27:13. May we not rather suppose, that this law of mercy which God gave, was to regulate the conduct of the Israelites when God himself did not subjoin an exception; but that in this case he expressly orders, as it appears, the Midianites to be put to the sword, and their cities reduced to ashes? See Saurin’s 66th Dissertation.
* It is not necessary to suppose that Balaam dwelt upon the borders of the Euphrates.He lived among the Aramites, and Aramea extended to the Elanitic Gulf of the Red Sea: so that, perhaps, Balaam had not so far to go, on his return to the country of Midian, as some imagine.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
The Reader will not forget to observe that Midian, and not Moab, was first the seat of war; though it is probable, from what we read before, of Midian and Moab acting in conjunction, to get Balaam, the pretended conjuror, to curse Israel, that both nations were in colleague. See Num 22:7 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
as = according as.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
all: Deu 20:13, Deu 20:14, Jdg 21:11, 1Sa 27:9, 1Ki 11:15, 1Ki 11:16
the males: Jdg 6:1, Jdg 6:2, Jdg 6:33
Reciprocal: Gen 34:25 – Simeon Num 24:14 – I will advertise Psa 83:9 – as unto
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Num 31:7-8. They slew all the males That is, they slew those who were in the fight, and who did not save themselves by flight. As a nation they had forfeited their lives to the laws of God, and he, as judge of all the earth, had given command that the sentence of his laws should be executed on the guilty. Le Clerc properly observes, that there was this material difference between the wars of other nations and those of the Jews, that the former followed the bent of their own passions; whereas the Jews were only the ministers or executioners of divine justice, most evidently appointed to this work by God himself, as he manifested by a train of miracles wrought among and for them, such as had never been known on the earth before. So that no consequence can be deduced from their conduct in their wars, to warrant the like conduct in other people. Balaam also they slew He suffered justly, for being the wicked instrument of seducing the Israelites from their allegiance to Jehovah.