Avenge the Lord of Midian – <\/B>The war against the Midianites was no ordinary war. It was indeed less a war than the execution of a divine sentence against a most guilty people.<\/P>
Doubtless there were many among the Midianites who were personally guiltless as regards Israel. But the rulers deliberately adopted the counsel of Balaam against Israel, and their behests had been but too readily obeyed by their subjects. The sin therefore was national, and the retribution could be no less so.<\/P>
But the commission of the Israelites in the text must not be conceived as a general license to slay. They had no discretion to kill or to spare. They were bidden to exterminate without mercy, and brought back to their task Num 31:14<\/span> when they showed signs of flinching from it. They had no alternarive in this and similar matters except to fulfill the commands of God; an awful but doubtless salutary manifestation, as was afterward the slaughter of the Canaanites, of Gods wrath against sin; and a type of the future extermination of sin and sinners from His kingdom.<\/P><\/p>\n Verse 3<\/span>. Avenge the Lord of Midian.<\/B><\/I>] It was God’s quarrel<\/I>, not their own<\/I>, that they were now to take up. These people were idolaters; idolatry is an offence against GOD; the civil<\/I> power has no authority to meddle with what belongs to Him, without especial directions, certified in the most unequivocal way. Private revenge, extension of territory, love of plunder, were to have no place in this business; the Lord is to be avenged; and through HIM the children of Israel, (Nu 31:2<\/span>), because their souls<\/I> as well as their bodies<\/I> had been well nigh ruined by their idolatry.<\/P><\/p>\n For the affront and injury which they offered to God, partly by their own idolatry and lewdness, and partly by seducing Gods people into rebellion against him. Gods great care was to <\/P> avenge the Israelites,<\/B> Num 31:2<\/span>, and Mosess chief desire was to avenge God<\/I> rather than himself or the people. Withal he doth hereby insinuate, that God and his people have the same cause, the same friends and enemies. <\/P> <\/p>\n 3. Arm some of yourselves<\/B>Thisorder was issued but a short time before the death of Moses. Theannouncement to him of that approaching event [Nu31:2<\/span>] seems to have accelerated, rather than retarded, hiswarlike preparations.<\/P><\/p>\n And Moses spake unto the people, saying<\/strong>,…. In obedience to the divine command; this must be supposed to be spoken to the heads or princes of the tribes:<\/p>\n arm some of yourselves unto the war<\/strong>: not the whole body of the militia, 600,000 men and upwards, only some of them, and these choice and select men; and, according to the Jewish writers, good men, who, detesting the sins of lewdness and idolatry, would more strictly and severely avenge themselves on the Midianites for drawing their brethren into those sins, whereby they fell; and so Jarchi calls them righteous men:<\/p>\n [and] let them go against the Midianites, and avenge the Lord of Midian<\/strong>: what the Lord calls the vengeance of the Israelites, Moses calls the vengeance of the Lord, because they were the Lord’s people, and his cause and theirs the same: and because the sins they were drawn into by the Midianites were not only against themselves, and to their prejudice, but against the Lord and to the dishonour of his name.<\/p>\n To carry out this revenge, Moses had 1000 men of each tribe delivered ( , see at Num 31:16<\/span>) from the families ( alaphim <\/em>, see Num 1:16<\/span>) of the tribes, and equipped for war; and these he sent to the army (into the war) along with Phinehas the son of Eleazar the high priest, who carried the holy vessels, viz., the alarm-trumpets, in his hand. Phinehas<\/em> was attached to the army, not as the leader of the soldiers, but as the high priest with the holy trumpets (Num 10:9<\/span>), because the war was a holy war of the congregation against the enemies of themselves and their God. Phinehas<\/em> had so distinguished himself by the zeal which he had displayed against the idolaters (Num 25:7<\/span>), that it was impossible to find any other man in all the priesthood to attach to the army, who would equal him in holy zeal, or be equally qualified to inspire the army with zeal for the holy conflict. “The holy vessels” cannot mean the ark of the covenant on account of the plural, which would be inapplicable to it; nor the Urim and Thummim, because Phinehas was not yet high priest, and the expression would also be unsuitable to these. The allusion can only be to the trumpets mentioned immediately afterwards, the before being the explic<\/em>., “and in fact.” Phinehas took these in his hand, because the Lord had assigned them to His congregation, to bring them into remembrance before Him in time of war, and to ensure His aid (Num 10:9<\/span>).<\/p>\n 3. And Moses spake unto the people. There is no doubt but that Moses delivered the commands which he had received from God; although, therefore, it is stated (205) that only ten thousand went forth to the war, yet the facts themselves demonstrate that the number, as well as the mode of warfare, was prescribed by God. And assuredly it would have been inconsiderate of Moses to attack so great a people with so small a band; and thus he would have deservedly incurred the penalty of his rashness, if he had attempted it of his own accord; still, when God’s command had preceded, he happily concluded the matter, which had been properly and rightly undertaken. Nor can it be questioned but that God desired by this test to prove the faith of His people. For, according to human apprehension, it was folly to endanger themselves without cause; and the objection was obvious that it was by no means advisable, when six hundred thousand men were at hand, to restrict to so few the office of waging such a perilous war. Just, therefore, as God afterwards destroyed the great army of the Midianites by only four hundred men under the guidance of Gideon, so also under the hand of Moses He sent forth only a single thousand from every tribe for the destruction of that nation. The tribe of Zebulon alone could have furnished five times as many soldiers as God took from the whole people. Thus, then, they proved their faith, when in reliance on the aid of God alone, they did not hesitate boldly to rush forward against their enemies. And the event itself more fully illustrated God’s grace than as if they had fought with all their forces, for then it would have been believed that the Midianites were overwhelmed by the infinite multitude of men. As, therefore, the people testified their obedience by prompt compliance, so they experienced in the result that there is nothing better than to submit ourselves to God, and to leave the prospect of success so completely in His hand, as that our confidence may depend solely upon him. <\/p>\n Lest either of the tribes should boast itself against the others, they were each of them commanded to give the same number of soldiers. Moreover, Phinehas was sent with them, not so much that he might engage personally with the enemy, or be their General, as that he might rule and control their minds as God’s messenger and interpreter. They were to be kept in the fear of God, and to be elevated to the expectation of victory, and therefore God’s priest was their leader, so that the war might be a holy one; and the same was the object of the silver trumpets, with which, in obedience to the Lw, as we have elsewhere seen, (206) the Levites were accustomed to sound, that it might be manifest that their battles were not fought without the will and authority of heaven. Amongst “the holy instruments,” some commentators, in my opinion rightly, include the Ark of the Covenant. <\/p>\n (205) “Combien doncques qu’il n’y est rien exprime d’avantage, sinon que, etc.;” although, therefore, nothing more is stated than that, etc. — Fr. <\/p>\n (206) See ante, on Num 10:2<\/span>, vol. 2, p. 104. <\/p>\n (3) Arm some of yourselves . . . <\/strong>Better, Arm from among you <\/em>(or, from those with you<\/em>) men for the war. <\/em>The details of the selection are contained in the next verse.<\/p>\n 3<\/strong>. <\/strong> Arm some of yourselves <\/strong> The strong faith of Moses that Jehovah would signally interpose in behalf of Israel is seen in the order to call out but one fiftieth of the army, though Midian, judging from the five kings slain, and the greatness of the spoils, was a mighty foe. <\/p>\n Avenge the Lord <\/strong> It was pre-eminently Jehovah’s war in vindication of his own honour, for he who touches his people touches the apple of his eye.<\/p>\n Num 31:3<\/span><\/em><\/strong>. <\/strong>Avenge the LORD of Midian<\/em><\/strong><\/strong> What is called avenging the children of Israel, <\/em>in Num 31:2<\/span> is here called avenging the LORD; <\/em>because the war was with idolaters, the enemies of the true religion, and for the sake of God’s peculiar people. Besides, the Midianites were particularly displeasing to God for having seduced the Israelites to the worship of idols; so that to avenge the one was to avenge the other. Onkelos renders this, to avenge the people of the Lord of Midian. <\/em>See Ainsworth and Poole. <\/p>\n I beg the Reader to observe the words of Moses in this verse. In the former verse the LORD had said that the children of Israel should avenge themselves of the Midianites. But Moses varies the precept, and here saith, that the LORD is to be avenged of them. And what doth this teach us but this, that the interests of GOD and his people are one and the same. I remember in the moment I am looking over this scripture thy sweet words, blessed JESUS, in which thou hast left upon record, that whatsoever is done in a way of kindness to one of the least of thy brethren, thou takest as done to thyself. Mat 25:40<\/span> ; Joh 17:21-23<\/span> .<\/p>\n Num 31:3 And Moses spake unto the people, saying, Arm some of yourselves unto the war, and let them go against the Midianites, and avenge the LORD of Midian.<\/p>\n Ver. 3. Arm some of yourselves unto the war.<\/strong> ] Lactantius a<\/em> being, according to his name, a mild and gentle man, abhorred bloodshed, thought it not lawful for a just man to be a warrior, whose justice was his warfare. But this was his error; Patres legendi sunt cum venia; <\/em> God bids here, Arm yourselves, &c. Indeed it is utterly unlawful for men wilfully to thrust themselves into unnecessary wars: and it is reported in the life of Augustine, that he would never pray for such. But when God sounds the alarm, as here, “Cursed is he that doeth this work of the Lord negligently: Cursed is he that keepeth back his sword from blood.” Jer 48:10 <\/p>\n<\/p>\n a<\/em> Instit., <\/em> lib. vi. cap. 20.<\/p>\n avenge the LORD of Midian = render the vengeance of Jehovah upon Midian. Compare Ch. Num 25:17. <\/p>\n Arm some: Exo 17:9-13 <\/p>\n avenge the Lord: It was God’s quarrel, not their own, that they were now to take up. These people were idolaters, and had seduced the Israelites to practise the same abominations. Idolatry is an offence against God; and the civil power has no authority to meddle with what belongs to Him, without especial directions, certified, as in this case, in the most unequivocal manner. Private revenge, ambition, or avarice were to have no place in this business: Jehovah is to be avenged; and through Him, the children of Israel – Num 31:2, because they were nearly ruined by their idolatries. If Jehovah, instead of punishing sinners by earthquakes, pestilence, or famine,is pleased expressly to command any person or people to avenge his cause, this commission justifies, nay sanctifies, war, massacre, or devastation. Though none at present shew such a commission, yet the Israelites could; and it is therefore absurd to censure Moses, Joshua, and Israel, for the dreadful slaughter made by them. God himself passed sentence of condemnation, and employed them merely as ministers of his vengeance; and unless it could be proved that the criminals did not deserve their doom, or that God had no right to punish his rebellious creatures, such objectors only shew their enmity to God by becoming the unsolicited advocates of his enemies. Num 25:11, Num 25:13, Exo 17:16, Lev 26:25, Jdg 5:2, Jdg 5:23, 2Ki 9:7, 2Ki 10:30, Jer 46:10, Jer 50:28 <\/p>\n Reciprocal: Gen 37:28 – Midianites Psa 149:7 – General<\/p>\n Num 31:3. Avenge the Lord What in the preceding verse is termed avenging Israel, is here called avenging the Lord, because by their idolatry and lewdness, and by seducing Gods people into rebellion against him, they had offered a high affront to him. Gods great care was to avenge the Israelites, and Mosess chief desire was to avenge God, rather than himself or the people.<\/p>\n 31:3 And Moses spake unto the people, saying, Arm some of yourselves unto the war, and let them go {a} against the Midianites, and avenge the LORD of Midian.<\/p>\n (a) As he had commanded in Num 25:17, declaring also that the injury done against his people is done against him.<\/p>\n And Moses spoke unto the people, saying, Arm some of yourselves unto the war, and let them go against the Midianites, and avenge the LORD of Midian. Avenge the Lord of Midian – The war against the Midianites was no ordinary war. It was indeed less a war than the execution of a divine sentence … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 31:3”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4676","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4676","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4676"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4676\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4676"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4676"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4676"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"