King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
And of the children of Israel's half, which Moses divided from the men that warred,
Complete Jewish Bible:
From the half that went to people of Isra'el, which Moshe separated from that of the men who had gone to fight -
Berean Standard Bible:
From the Israelites’ half, which Moses had set apart from the men who had gone to war,
American Standard Version:
And of the children of Israel’s half, which Moses divided off from the men that warred
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And of the children{H1121} of Israel's{H3478} half{H4276}, which Moses{H4872} divided{H2673} from the men{H582} that warred{H6633},
Cross-References (KJV):
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Commentary for Numbers 31:42
1. Themes:
- Divine Justice and Judgment: The verse reflects the implementation of divine directives concerning the distribution of spoils after battle, emphasizing God's role in the allocation of rewards.
- Obedience to God's Commands: The actions of Moses and the Israelites demonstrate their obedience to God's instructions regarding the handling of the spoils of war.
- Warfare and its Consequences: The verse is part of a narrative that deals with the realities of war in ancient times, including the division of plunder and the treatment of captives.
2. Historical Context:
- The verse is set within the context of the Israelites' war against the Midianites, as commanded by God in Numbers 31:1-2. This war was a response to the Midianites' role in seducing the Israelites into idolatry and immorality, as described in Numbers 25.
- Moses is leading the Israelites at this point, acting as God's mediator and executing His commands. The division of the spoils is specifically between those who participated in the war (the warriors) and the rest of the Israelite community.
- The verse occurs after the battle, detailing how the plunder was apportioned. Moses took the half belonging to the Israelites, which was further divided into two parts: one for the warriors and the other for the rest of the community.
- This division was to ensure that those who actually fought in the battle received a share, while also providing for the wider community, including those who did not participate directly in the combat.
In summary, Numbers 31:42 reflects the themes of divine justice, obedience to God, and the consequences of war, set within the historical context of the Israelites' execution of a divinely mandated war against the Midianites and the subsequent division of the spoils according to God's instructions.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H1121
There are 3654 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בֵּן
Transliteration: bên
Pronunciation: bane
Description: from בָּנָה; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.); [phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, [idiom] came up in, child, colt, [idiom] common, [idiom] corn, daughter, [idiom] of first, [phrase] firstborn, foal, [phrase] very fruitful, [phrase] postage, [idiom] in, [phrase] kid, [phrase] lamb, ([phrase]) man, meet, [phrase] mighty, [phrase] nephew, old, ([phrase]) people, [phrase] rebel, [phrase] robber, [idiom] servant born, [idiom] soldier, son, [phrase] spark, [phrase] steward, [phrase] stranger, [idiom] surely, them of, [phrase] tumultuous one, [phrase] valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth. - Strong's Number: H3478
There are 2229 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יִשְׂרָאֵל
Transliteration: Yisrâʼêl
Pronunciation: yis-raw-ale'
Description: from שָׂרָה and אֵל; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity; Israel. - Strong's Number: H4276
There are 14 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מַחֲצִית
Transliteration: machătsîyth
Pronunciation: makh-ats-eeth'
Description: from חָצָהlemma חָעָה ayin, corrected to חָצָה; a halving or the middle; half (so much), mid(-day). - Strong's Number: H4872
There are 704 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מֹשֶׁה
Transliteration: Môsheh
Pronunciation: mo-sheh'
Description: from מָשָׁה; drawing out (of the water), i.e. rescued; Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver; Moses. - Strong's Number: H2673
There are 14 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: חָצָה
Transliteration: châtsâh
Pronunciation: khaw-tsaw'
Description: lemma חָעָה ayin, corrected to חָצָה; a primitive root (compare זֵד)); to cut or split in two; to halve; divide, [idiom] live out half, reach to the midst, participle - Strong's Number: H582
There are 648 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אֱנוֹשׁ
Transliteration: ʼĕnôwsh
Pronunciation: en-oshe'
Description: from אָנַשׁ; properly, a mortal (and thus differing from the more dignified אָדָם); hence,; a man in general (singly or collectively); another, [idiom] (blood-) thirsty, certain, chap(-man); divers, fellow, [idiom] in the flower of their age, husband, (certain, mortal) man, people, person, servant, some ([idiom] of them), [phrase] stranger, those, [phrase] their trade. It is often unexpressed in the English versions, especially when used in apposition with another word. Compare אִישׁ. - Strong's Number: H6633
There are 12 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: צָבָא
Transliteration: tsâbâʼ
Pronunciation: tsaw-baw'
Description: a primitive root; to mass (an army or servants); assemble, fight, perform, muster, wait upon, war.