Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 31:2
Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people.
2. This command is anticipated by an editor in Num 25:16 ff. See note there.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The Midianites – The Moabites are not included. It would thus seem that it was the Midianites, and they only, who deliberately set themselves to work the corruption of Israel.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 2. Gathered unto thy people.] Where? Not in the grave surely. Moses was gathered with none of them, his burial-place no man ever knew. “But being gathered unto one’s people means dying.” It does imply dying, but it does not mean this only. The truth is, God considers all those who are dead to men in a state of conscious existence in another world. Therefore he calls himself the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob; now God is not the God of the dead, but of the living; because all LIVE to HIM, whether dead to men or not. Moses therefore was to be gathered to his people-to enter into that republic of Israel which, having died in the faith, fear, and love of God, were now living in a state of conscious blessedness beyond the confines of the grave. See Clarke on Ge 25:8, and “Ge 49:33“.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Of the Midianites, for their malicious designs and practices against Israel, both by hiring Balaam to curse them, and by sending their women to enslave them. The Moabites also were guilty, but God out of his own good pleasure, and in kindness to Lot, was pleased to spare them, the rather, because the measure of their iniquity was not yet full.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites,…. For the injury they had done them, by sending their daughters among them, who enticed them to commit uncleanness with them, and then drew them into the worship of their idols, which brought the wrath of God upon them, and for which 24,000 persons were slain. Now, though the Moabites had a concern in this affair as well as the Midianites, yet they were spared; which some think was for the sake of Lot, from whom they descended; but why not the Midianites for the sake of Abraham, whose offspring they were by Keturah? Jarchi says, they were spared because of Ruth, who was to spring from them; and so she might, and yet vengeance be taken on great numbers of them: but the truer reason seems to be, either because the sin of the Moabites was not yet full, and they were reserved for a later punishment; or rather because they were not the principal actors in the above affair; but the Midianites, who seem to have advised Balak at first to send for Balaam to curse Israel, and who harboured that soothsayer after he had been dismissed by Balak, and to whom he gave his wicked counsel, and which they readily followed, and industriously pursued:
afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people; or die, see
Nu 27:13, it being some satisfaction to him to see the good land, as he did from Abarim, and the Israelites avenged on their enemies before his death.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Num 31:2 Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people.
Ver. 2. Avenge the children of Israel. ] This is called the vengeance of Jehovah. Num 31:3 The righteous Judge will not fail to avenge our unrighteous vexations, if we “commit ourselves to him in well doing.” 1Pe 4:19
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Avenge. Hebrew revenge the revengement. Figure of speech Polyptoton (App-6). = execute due vengeance.
children = sons.
afterward. Samaritan Pentateuch, The Targum of Jonathan ben Uzziel Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulg, read “and afterward”.
be gathered, &c. Compare Num 27:13.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Avenge: Num 31:3, Num 25:17, Num 25:18, Deu 32:35, Jdg 16:24, Jdg 16:28-30, Psa 94:1-3, Isa 1:24, Nah 1:2, Luk 21:22, Rom 12:19, Rom 13:4, 1Th 4:6, Heb 10:30, Rev 6:10, Rev 18:20, Rev 19:2
the Midianites: Num 25:6, Num 25:14-18, Gen 25:1-4, Exo 2:16
gathered: Num 27:13, Gen 15:15, Gen 25:8, Gen 25:17, Jdg 2:10, Act 13:36
Reciprocal: Gen 25:2 – Midian Gen 37:28 – Midianites Num 20:24 – gathered Jos 10:13 – until 1Ki 11:18 – Midian 1Ch 1:32 – Midian 2Ch 6:34 – by the way Psa 149:7 – General Hab 3:7 – Midian