Num 31:3 | KingComments | STEP | The LORD speaks of the vengeance for the sons of Israel on the Midianites ( ). When Moses speaks of it, he speaks of the LORD’s vengeance ( ). A small part of the people must fight the enemy so that it is clear that God has given them victory (cf. ). The whole people, every part of them, must have a share in that struggle. Each tribe furnishes the same number of men. The leader is not Joshua but Phinehas, the priest. The circumstances of the failure of the people require that. A priest is the leader of this battle because this battle must work the cleansing of the defilement that has come over Israel through the connection with Midian. Phinehas leads the battle because he has already distinguished himself before in the battle against Midian ( ). He has already used his sword once to judge Midian. If we let ourselves be carried away, away from God, and we want to go back, then Phinehas must be in front, with the sword. He is the man who knows the holiness of God. Phinehas knows that the victory must come from the LORD. Therefore he has the trumpets with him, that the LORD may hear them ( ). Priests can sound the alarm and seek God’s help in this necessary battle. By “the holy vessels” are probably meant the trumpets. The fact that they are mentioned after mentioning the holy vessels means that “the trumpets” are a more detailed description of these holy vessels. It seems unlikely that “the holy vessels” mean for example the Urim and the Thummim ( ), because Phinehas was not yet high priest.

‏ Numbers 31:3

Who Should Go to the War

The LORD speaks of the vengeance for the sons of Israel on the Midianites (Num 31:1). When Moses speaks of it, he speaks of the LORD’s vengeance (Num 31:3). A small part of the people must fight the enemy so that it is clear that God has given them victory (cf. Jdg 7:2). The whole people, every part of them, must have a share in that struggle. Each tribe furnishes the same number of men.

The leader is not Joshua but Phinehas, the priest. The circumstances of the failure of the people require that. A priest is the leader of this battle because this battle must work the cleansing of the defilement that has come over Israel through the connection with Midian. Phinehas leads the battle because he has already distinguished himself before in the battle against Midian (Num 25:7-8). He has already used his sword once to judge Midian. If we let ourselves be carried away, away from God, and we want to go back, then Phinehas must be in front, with the sword. He is the man who knows the holiness of God.

Phinehas knows that the victory must come from the LORD. Therefore he has the trumpets with him, that the LORD may hear them (Num 10:9). Priests can sound the alarm and seek God’s help in this necessary battle. By “the holy vessels” are probably meant the trumpets. The fact that they are mentioned after mentioning the holy vessels means that “the trumpets” are a more detailed description of these holy vessels. It seems unlikely that “the holy vessels” mean for example the Urim and the Thummim (Exo 28:30), because Phinehas was not yet high priest.