Num 31:2-10 | TNotes

Summary for Num 31:3-5: 31:3-5 ^a Each tribe contributed 1,000 men for the battle, which enabled all of them to gain experience in combat and share in the victory.
31:6 ^b Phinehas son of Eleazar (the high priest) led this force of 12,000 into battle. His leadership helped to define this engagement as “holy war,” an act of revenge for the spiritual harm that Midian had inflicted on Israel (cp. 25:6-18 ^c; 31:15-16 ^d). His zeal in this situation (Num 25:11 ^e, 13 ^f) was equal to what he demonstrated in the case of Zimri and Cozbi (25:7-8 ^g).

• Many believe that holy objects of the sanctuary meant the Ark, which the Hebrews sometimes carried into battle (e.g., 10:35-36 ^h; Josh 6:6 ⁱ; 1 Sam 4:3-11 ^j; cp. Num 14:44 ^k). Others suggest that they were a variety of sacred vessels associated with the Tabernacle rituals (3:31 ^l; 4:15 ^m; 18:3 ⁿ; cp. 1 Kgs 8:4 ^o; 1 Chr 9:29 ^p; 2 Chr 5:5 ^q). The Israelites probably took some or all of these holy objects as symbols of God’s participation in their holy war.
31:7 ^r The Israelites killed all of the Midianite men in the particular groups they attacked from their camp in the plains of Moab (31:12 ^s), not all of the people who were part of the larger Midianite confederation (cp. Judg 6–8 ^t). The number of animals and virgins mentioned in Num 31:32-35 ^u indicates that the 12,000 Hebrews fought a sizable enemy force.
31:8 ^v Balaam son of Beor deserved to die because his counsel “caused the people of Israel to rebel against the Lord at Mount Peor” (31:16 ^w). Balaam was punished for his villainous deeds (cp. 2 Pet 2:15 ^x; Jude 1:11 ^y).
Summary for Num 31:9-13: 31:9-13 ^z After the battle, the Hebrews began the practice that they sometimes followed throughout the period of conquest and beyond (e.g., Josh 6 ^aa; 8 ^ab; 10–11 ^ac). They destroyed their enemies (sometimes the total population), burned towns, and set aside spoils for their own use or as dedicated to the Lord.
31:10 ^ad towns and villages: These were larger settlements and smaller unfortified encampments.