Numbers 31:15

KJV

And Moses said unto them, Have ye saved all the women alive?

KJV (with Strong's)

And Moses {H4872} said {H559} unto them, Have ye saved {H2421} all the women {H5347} alive {H2421}?

Complete Jewish Bible

Moshe asked them, "You let the women live?

Berean Standard Bible

“Have you spared all the women?” he asked them.

American Standard Version

And Moses said unto them, Have ye saved all the women alive?

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Numbers 31:15 captures Moses' sharp rebuke to the Israelite commanders returning from the war against Midian, questioning why they had spared the Midianite women. This verse highlights the immediate aftermath of Israel's military victory, revealing Moses' profound displeasure at their incomplete obedience to God's command for vengeance, especially given the Midianites' role in luring Israel into idolatry and immorality at Baal-peor. It underscores the critical importance of absolute spiritual purity and unwavering obedience in the life of God's covenant people, setting the stage for the subsequent, more stringent commands regarding the captured population.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Numbers 31:15 is situated immediately after the successful military campaign against the Midianites, as commanded by God in [Numbers 31:1-2](/numbers/31-1 "Numbers 31:1-2 - God Commands Vengeance on Midian"). The preceding verses detail the swift and decisive defeat of Midian, including the slaying of their kings and Balaam. The Israelite army returns with plunder, captives, and livestock. Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the leaders of the congregation go out to meet them. It is at this precise moment that Moses delivers his stern interrogation, indicating that the commanders' actions, though militarily successful, fell short of the divine mandate's spiritual intent. This verse serves as a pivotal transition, shifting the narrative from the execution of warfare to the purification of the spoils and the community, directly leading into the controversial commands of [Numbers 31:17-18](/numbers/31-17 "Numbers 31:17-18 - Moses' Command Regarding Midianite Captives").
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The command for vengeance against Midian arose directly from the devastating incident at Baal-peor, detailed in [Numbers 25](/numbers/25 "Numbers 25 - The Sin at Baal-Peor"). There, Midianite women enticed Israelite men into sexual immorality and idolatry, leading to a plague that killed 24,000. This historical backdrop is crucial for understanding the severity of God's judgment and Moses' reaction. In the ancient Near East, warfare often involved the complete annihilation of enemies, especially those deemed a spiritual threat or under a divine curse (herem). While the wholesale slaughter of women and children is deeply disturbing to modern sensibilities, it must be understood within this ancient context of divine judgment against nations whose practices were an existential threat to the purity and covenant fidelity of God's chosen people. The Midianites were not merely political enemies but spiritual polluters.
* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in Numbers and the Pentateuch. It highlights the theme of **Divine Judgment** against sin and those who corrupt God's people, emphasizing God's intolerance for idolatry and immorality, as seen in the plague at [Numbers 25:9](/numbers/25-9 "Numbers 25:9 - The Plague at Baal-Peor"). It also underscores the critical importance of **Holiness and Purity** for Israel, a recurring motif throughout the Mosaic Law, where God continually calls His people to be set apart from the nations ([Leviticus 11:44](/leviticus/11-44 "Leviticus 11:44 - Be Holy, For I Am Holy")). Furthermore, Moses' rebuke illuminates the theme of **Complete Obedience** to God's commands, demonstrating that partial obedience, especially when it compromises spiritual integrity, is unacceptable. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the **Consequences of Spiritual Compromise**, showing how even a remnant of pagan influence can quickly lead to widespread defilement and divine wrath.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Saved alive (חָיָה, _chayah_):** This Hebrew verb means "to live," "to keep alive," or "to preserve life." In this context, Moses' use of "saved alive" carries a strong implication of deliberate preservation, directly contrasting with the divine mandate for vengeance. It's not merely that they happened to survive, but that the Israelite commanders actively chose to spare them, which Moses views as a failure to fully execute God's judgment against the source of Israel's recent spiritual plague. The word choice emphasizes the active decision of the commanders to preserve those who, from Moses' perspective, should have been utterly destroyed.
* **Women (אִשָּׁה, _'ishshah_):** The term "women" here refers specifically to the adult female population of Midian. In the context of the Baal-peor incident ([Numbers 25](/numbers/25 "Numbers 25 - The Sin at Baal-Peor")), it was the Midianite women who were instrumental in luring Israelite men into sexual immorality and idolatry. Moses' focus on "all the women" highlights his understanding that they represented the primary vector of spiritual corruption and a continuing threat to Israel's covenant purity. His question is not merely about military protocol but about the spiritual integrity and future well-being of the nation.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And Moses said unto them,"**: This introduces Moses' direct address to the returning military commanders. The tone implied by the subsequent question is one of immediate confrontation and profound displeasure, indicating a significant breach of expectation or command.
* **"Have ye saved all the women alive?"**: This is a rhetorical question, expressing shock, dismay, and an implied accusation. Moses is not genuinely seeking information but is rather expressing his profound disappointment and condemnation of their actions. The question highlights the commanders' failure to fully grasp or execute the spiritual dimension of the war, which was to eradicate the source of the recent idolatry and plague. The emphasis on "all" suggests that the commanders had made a blanket decision to spare the women, rather than discerning who might be spared (as later specified for virgins).

#### Literary Devices
The primary literary device employed in Numbers 31:15 is a **Rhetorical Question**. Moses' inquiry, "Have ye saved all the women alive?", is not posed to elicit new information but to express his strong disapproval and to underscore the commanders' failure to adhere to the spirit of the divine command. This question carries a heavy tone of **Irony**, as the very people who had just been the instruments of Israel's spiritual downfall were now being preserved. The verse also serves as a moment of **Dramatic Dialogue**, creating tension and immediately setting the stage for Moses' subsequent, more explicit commands in the following verses, thereby acting as a form of **Foreshadowing** for the purification rituals and the specific instructions regarding the captives. The directness of the question also emphasizes Moses' role as God's unwavering representative, upholding divine standards of holiness and obedience.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Numbers 31:15 powerfully illustrates God's unwavering commitment to the holiness of His covenant people and the severity with which He views spiritual compromise. The Midianites, having actively lured Israel into idolatry and sexual immorality at Baal-peor, represented an existential spiritual threat. Moses' rebuke underscores the principle that remnants of sin or corrupting influences must be decisively dealt with, lest they continue to defile the community and provoke divine wrath. This passage serves as a stark reminder that God demands not just outward conformity but a radical separation from anything that would compromise His people's unique relationship with Him, emphasizing that partial obedience can be as dangerous as outright rebellion when it comes to spiritual purity.

* [Deuteronomy 7:1-6](/deuteronomy/7-1 "Deuteronomy 7:1-6 - Command to Destroy Nations")
* [Joshua 7:1-26](/joshua/7-1 "Joshua 7:1-26 - Achan's Sin and Its Consequences")
* [1 Samuel 15:1-23](/1_samuel/15-1 "1 Samuel 15:1-23 - Saul's Disobedience Regarding the Amalekites")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
While the specific context of ancient warfare and the command for physical eradication are unique to Israel's historical role in establishing the Promised Land, the underlying spiritual principles of Numbers 31:15 remain profoundly relevant for believers today. This passage challenges us to examine the areas in our own lives where we might be tolerating or preserving influences that compromise our spiritual purity and devotion to God. It calls for a radical vigilance against the subtle allure of the world, reminding us that even seemingly small compromises can lead to widespread spiritual defilement. Just as Moses insisted on complete obedience to protect Israel's holiness, so too are we called to wholeheartedly pursue holiness, making decisive choices to cut off anything that hinders our walk with Christ. Our spiritual battle is not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces that seek to draw us away from God.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **What "Midianite women" (i.e., persistent temptations or corrupting influences) might I be tolerating or "saving alive" in my own life or spiritual environment that need to be decisively dealt with?**
* **In what areas of my life might I be practicing partial obedience, and what are the potential spiritual consequences of such compromise?**
* **How does this passage deepen my understanding of God's holiness and His demand for purity from His people?**

### FAQ
**Why did Moses command the killing of women and children, which seems so harsh?**

Answer: This command, while deeply challenging for modern readers, must be understood within its specific historical and theological context. The Midianites were not merely political enemies but had actively lured Israel into idolatry and sexual immorality at [Baal-peor](/numbers/25 "Numbers 25 - The Sin at Baal-Peor"), resulting in a divine plague that killed 24,000 Israelites. In the ancient Near East, divine judgment against nations deemed utterly corrupt often involved their complete annihilation (known as "herem" or "devotion to destruction") to prevent future spiritual contamination of God's covenant people. Moses' command in [Numbers 31:17-18](/numbers/31-17 "Numbers 31:17-18 - Moses' Command Regarding Midianite Captives") was a drastic measure to safeguard Israel's spiritual purity and ensure their fidelity to the Lord, preventing the recurrence of such devastating sin. It highlights God's absolute intolerance for idolatry and His commitment to protecting His people's holiness.

**Does this passage justify violence or genocide in modern times?**

Answer: No, this passage does not justify violence or genocide in modern times. The commands given to ancient Israel regarding the Midianites were unique, specific to their role as God's chosen instrument of judgment against particular nations that posed an existential spiritual threat to their covenant purity and the establishment of the Promised Land. These commands are part of the Old Covenant's historical narrative and are not prescriptive for New Testament believers. The New Testament emphasizes spiritual warfare, love for enemies, and the spread of the Gospel through peaceful means ([Matthew 5:44](/matthew/5-44 "Matthew 5:44 - Love Your Enemies"), [Ephesians 6:12](/ephesians/6-12 "Ephesians 6:12 - Spiritual Warfare")). While the principles of divine judgment against sin and the need for spiritual purity remain, their application in the New Covenant is transformed from physical eradication to spiritual separation from sin and the world's corrupting influences.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Numbers 31:15, with Moses' stern rebuke concerning the spared Midianite women, powerfully foreshadows the radical separation from sin and the world that is accomplished and demanded in Christ. The Midianite women represented a source of spiritual defilement and a constant temptation to idolatry, necessitating their removal for Israel's purity. In the New Covenant, Christ is the ultimate purifier, who, through His sacrifice, cleanses His people from all sin ([Hebrews 9:14](/hebrews/9-14 "Hebrews 9:14 - Christ's Blood Cleanses")). He is the one who ultimately deals with the "spiritual Midianites"—the forces of sin, temptation, and idolatry—not by physical eradication, but by breaking their power over believers. We are called to be a holy people, set apart for God, just as Israel was, but this holiness is now an inward transformation by the Spirit, leading to outward actions of righteousness ([1 Peter 1:15-16](/1_peter/1-15 "1 Peter 1:15-16 - Be Holy in All Your Conduct")). Christ's work enables us to truly "put to death" the deeds of the flesh ([Colossians 3:5](/colossians/3-5 "Colossians 3:5 - Put to Death Earthly Things")) and to live lives of complete obedience and spiritual purity, reflecting the holiness of God Himself. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, making us truly clean and enabling us to live in uncompromising devotion to God ([John 1:29](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

1 Samuel 15:3

Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.

Jeremiah 48:10

Cursed [be] he that doeth the work of the LORD deceitfully, and cursed [be] he that keepeth back his sword from blood.

Deuteronomy 2:34

And we took all his cities at that time, and utterly destroyed the men, and the women, and the little ones, of every city, we left none to remain:

Joshua 6:21

And they utterly destroyed all that [was] in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword.

Psalms 137:8

O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy [shall he be], that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.

Psalms 137:9

Happy [shall he be], that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.

Joshua 11:14

And all the spoil of these cities, and the cattle, the children of Israel took for a prey unto themselves; but every man they smote with the edge of the sword, until they had destroyed them, neither left they any to breathe.