Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Numbers
Book: Numbers
Chapter: 31
Overview:
War with
Midian.
(1-6) Balaam slain.
(7-12) Those slain who
caused
Sin.
(13-38) Purification of the Israelites.
(39-24)
Division of the spoil.
(25-47) Offerings.
(48-54)
1-6 All who, without commission from
God, dare to execute
private revenge, and who, from ambition,
Covetousness, or
resentment, wage
War and desolate kingdoms, must one
Day answer
for it. But if
God, instead of sending an
Earthquake, a
pestilence, or a
Famine, be pleased to authorize and command any
people to avenge his cause, such a commission surely is just and
right. The Israelites could show such a commission, though
No
persons now can do
So. Their wars were begun and carried
On
expressly
By Divine direction, and they were enabled to conquer
By miracles. Unless it can be proved that the wicked
Canaanites
did not deserve their doom, objectors only prove their dislike
to
God, and their
Love to his enemies.
Man makes
Light of the
evil of
Sin, but
God abhors it. This explains the terrible
executions of the nations which had filled the
Measure of their
sins.
7-12 The Israelites slew the
Kings of
Midian. They slew
Balaam.
God's overruling
Providence brought him thither, and their just
vengeance found him. Had he himself rightly believed what he had
said of the happy state of
Israel, he would not have thus herded
with the enemies of
Israel. The Midianites' wicked wiles were
Balaam's projects: it was just that he should perish with them,
Ho 4:5. They took the women and children captives. They burnt
their cities and castles, and returned to the
Camp.
13-18 The
Sword of
War should spare women and children; but the
Sword of
Justice should know
No distinction, but that of guilty
or not guilty. This
War was the execution of a righteous
sentence upon a guilty nation, in which the women were the worst
criminals. The female children were spared, who, being brought
up among the Israelites, would not tempt them to
Idolatry. The
whole history shows the hatefulness of
Sin, and the guilt of
tempting others; it teaches us to avoid all occasions of evil,
and to give
No quarter to inward lusts. The women and children
were not kept for sinful purposes, but for slaves, a
Custom
every where practised in former times, as to captives. In the
course of
Providence, when
Famine and plagues visit a nation for
Sin, children suffer in the common calamity. In this case
parents are punished in their children; and for children dying
before actual
Sin, full provision is made as to their eternal
happiness,
By the
Mercy of
God in
Christ.
19-24 The Israelites had to purify themselves according to the
Law, and to abide without the
Camp Seven days, though they had
not contracted any moral guilt, the
War being just and lawful,
and commanded
By God. Thus
God would preserve in their minds a
dread and detestation of shedding
Blood. The spoil had been used
By Midianites, and being now come into the possession of
Israelites, it was fit that it should be purified.
25-47 Whatever we have,
God justly claims a part. Out of the
people's share
God required one in fifty, but out of the
soldiers' share only one in five hundred. The less opportunity
we have of honouring
God with personal services, the more should
we give in
Money or value.
48-54 The success of the Israelites had been very remarkable,
So small a company overcoming such multitudes, but it was still
more wonderful that not one was slain or missing. They presented
the
Gold they found among the spoils, as an
Offering to the
Lord. Thus they confessed, that instead of claiming a reward for
their service, they needed forgiveness of much that had been
amiss, and desired to be thankful for the preservation of their
lives, which might justly have been taken away.