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Numbers 31
Numbers 31:1
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Numbers 31:2
Take vengeance on the Midianites for what they did to the Israelites
Yahweh was punishing the Midianites for convincing the Israelites to worship idols.
you will die and be gathered to your people
These two phrases mean basically the same thing. This is a polite way to emphasize that it is time for Moses to die and for his spirit to go to the place where his ancestors are. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-parallelism and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-euphemism)
Numbers 31:3
Arm some of your men for war
"Give weapons to some of your men"
go against Midian and carry out Yahweh's vengeance on it
"go fight a war against the Midianites and punish them for what they did to us"
Numbers 31:4
a thousand
"1,000" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-numbers)
Numbers 31:5
twelve thousand
"12,000" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-numbers)
Israel's thousands of men
"the thousands of Israel's men"
one thousand from each tribe were provided
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "every tribe sent 1,000 men to war" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
twelve thousand men armed for war
All 12 tribes sent men, including the tribe of Levi. Each tribe sent 1,000 men into battle. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-explicit)
Numbers 31:6
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Numbers 31:7
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Numbers 31:8
Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba
These are names of kings of Midian. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-names)
Balaam son of Beor
Beor was Balaam's father. See how you translated this in Numbers 22:5.
Numbers 31:9
They took these as plunder
"They took the Midianites' possessions as their own"
Numbers 31:10
They burned all their cities where they lived and all their camps
"Israel's army burned all the Midianites' cities where the Midianites lived and all the Midianites' camps"
Numbers 31:11
They took
"The army of Israel took"
plunder
This refers to the material goods they recovered from killing the Midianite men.
Numbers 31:12
plains
a large area of flat land
Numbers 31:13
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Numbers 31:14
the commanders of thousands and the captains of hundreds
Possible meanings are 1) these numbers represent the exact amount of soldiers that these commanders and captains led. Alternate translation: "the commanders of 1,000 soldiers and the captains of 100 soldiers" or 2) the words translated as "thousands" and "hundreds" do not represent exact numbers, but are the names of larger and smaller military divisions. Alternate translation: "the commanders of large military divisions and the captains of smaller military divisions" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-numbers)
Numbers 31:15
Have you let all the women live?
The law was explicit on who would be permitted to live. The army violated the law by allowing all the women and children to live. This was a rebuke to the army leaders. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-rquestion)
Numbers 31:16
Look
This word is used here to draw the audience's attention to what is said next. Alternate translation: "Listen" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-idiom)
Numbers 31:17
has known a man by lying with him
"has had sexual relations with a man" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-euphemism)
Numbers 31:18
General Information:
Moses speaks to the commanders of the Israelite army about becoming clean before God.
who have not known a man by lying with him
"who have not had sexual relations with any man." This refers to girls who were virgins. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-euphemism)
Numbers 31:19
All of you
Moses is referring to anyone who fought in battle, not just the commanders.
you must purify yourselves
They must become spiritually clean again before entering the camp.
Numbers 31:20
everything made of animal hide and goats' hair, and everything made of wood
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "everything that someone has made of animal hide, goats' hair, or wood" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
Numbers 31:21
General Information:
Eleazar teaches the soldiers the customs of becoming ceremonially clean before Yahweh after going to war.
Numbers 31:22
gold, silver, bronze, iron, tin, and lead
metals that were used during that time period
Numbers 31:23
that resists fire
"that will not burn"
put it through the fire
"put it into the fire"
water of cleansing
This refers to water that someone has mixed with ashes from a sin offering. See: Numbers 19:17-19.
Numbers 31:24
then you will become clean
These are the customs of becoming ceremonially clean before Yahweh.
Numbers 31:25
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Numbers 31:26
Count all the plundered things that were taken
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "Count all of the possessions that the soldiers took" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
family heads of the ancestor's clans
"the leaders of each clan"
Numbers 31:27
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Numbers 31:28
General Information:
Yahweh continues speaking to Moses. The word "me" refers to Yahweh.
Then levy a tax to be given to me from the soldiers who went out to battle
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "Collect a tax from the soldiers' plunder and give it to me" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
every five hundred
"every 500" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-numbers)
Numbers 31:29
from their half
"from the soldiers' half"
to be presented to me
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "which he will present to me" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
Numbers 31:30
General Information:
Yahweh continues speaking to Moses.
Also from the people of Israel's half
"Also from the people of Israel's half of the plunder"
who take care
those who oversee and maintain the tabernacle and sacrifices to Yahweh
Numbers 31:31
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Numbers 31:32
Now
This word is used here to mark a break in the main teaching. Here Moses begins listing the amount of plunder and how much went to the soldiers, to the people, and to Yahweh.
675,000 sheep
"six hundred and seventy-five thousand sheep" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-numbers)
Numbers 31:33
seventy-two thousand cattle
"72,000 cattle" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-numbers)
Numbers 31:34
sixty-one thousand donkeys
"61,000 donkeys" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-numbers)
Numbers 31:35
thirty-two thousand women
"32,000 women" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-numbers)
women who had not known a man by lying with him
"women who had no had sexual relations with a man." This refers to women who are virgins. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-euphemism)
Numbers 31:36
General Information:
Moses is listing the plunder that goes to the soldiers and the tax that goes to Yahweh. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-numbers)
The half that was kept for the soldiers
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "The soldiers' part of the sheep" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
337,000 sheep
"three hundred and thirty-seven thousand sheep" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-numbers)
Numbers 31:37
was 675
"was six hundred and seventy-five" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-numbers)
Numbers 31:38
thirty-six thousand
36,000 (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-numbers)
seventy-two
72 (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-numbers)
Numbers 31:39
General Information:
Moses is listing the plunder that goes to the soldiers and the tax that goes to Yahweh. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-numbers)
were 30,500
"were thirty thousand five hundred" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-numbers)
sixty-one
61 (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-numbers)
Numbers 31:40
sixteen thousand
16,000 (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-numbers)
thirty-two
32 (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-numbers)
Numbers 31:41
to be an offering presented to Yahweh
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "to be an offering to Yahweh" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
Numbers 31:42
General Information:
Moses is listing the plunder that goes to the people and the tax that goes to Yahweh. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-numbers)
Numbers 31:43
337,500 sheep
"three hundred and thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-numbers)
Numbers 31:44
thirty-six thousand oxen
36,000 oxen (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-numbers)
Numbers 31:45
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Numbers 31:46
sixteen thousand women
"16,000 women." It has been stated earlier that all the males and the married women captives were put to death (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-numbers and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-explicit)
Numbers 31:47
General Information:
Moses is listing the plunder that goes to the people and the tax that goes to Yahweh. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-numbers) The tax on the people's portion was higher than the tax on the soldiers' portion.
Numbers 31:48
the commanders over thousands and the captains over hundreds
Possible meanings are 1) these numbers represent the exact amount of soldiers that these commanders and captains led. Alternate translation: "the commanders over 1,000 soldiers and the captains over 100 soldiers" or 2) the words translated as "thousands" and "hundreds" do not represent exact numbers, but are the names of larger and smaller military divisions. Alternate translation: "the commanders over large military divisions and the captains over smaller military divisions" See how you translated a similar phrase in Numbers 31:14. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-numbers)
Numbers 31:49
Your servants have counted
The commanders refer to themselves as "your servants." This is a polite way to speak to someone with greater authority.
not one man is missing
This can be stated in a positive statement. "we know for certain that every man is here" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-litotes)
Numbers 31:50
General Information:
The officers of the army continue speaking to Moses.
armlets and bracelets, signet rings, earrings, and necklaces
These are all types of jewelry that people wore.
to make atonement for ourselves before Yahweh
"to thank God for saving our lives"
Numbers 31:51
the gold and all the articles of craftsmanship
"all the articles of gold" or "all the golden jewelry"
Numbers 31:52
All the gold of the offering that they gave to Yahweh—the offerings from the commanders of thousands and from the captains of hundreds—weighed
"All the gold of the offering that the commanders of thousands and the captains of hundreds gave to Yahweh weighed"
from the commanders of thousands and from the captains of hundreds
Possible meanings are 1) these numbers represent the exact amount of soldiers that these commanders and captains led. Alternate translation: "from the commanders of 1,000 soldiers and from the captains of 100 soldiers" or 2) the words translated as "thousands" and "hundreds" do not represent exact numbers, but are the names of larger and smaller military divisions. Alternate translation: "from the commanders of large military divisions and from the captains of smaller military divisions" See how you translated a similar phrase in Numbers 31:14. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-numbers)
16,750
"sixteen thousand, seven hundred and fifty" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-numbers)
shekels
A shekel is 11 grams. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-bmoney)
Numbers 31:53
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Numbers 31:54
as a reminder of the people of Israel for Yahweh
The gold will remind the people that Yahweh gave them victory. It will also remind Yahweh that the people fulfilled his revenge on the Midianites.