Numbers 31 18

Numbers 31:18 kjv

But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves.

Numbers 31:18 nkjv

But keep alive for yourselves all the young girls who have not known a man intimately.

Numbers 31:18 niv

but save for yourselves every girl who has never slept with a man.

Numbers 31:18 esv

But all the young girls who have not known man by lying with him keep alive for yourselves.

Numbers 31:18 nlt

Only the young girls who are virgins may live; you may keep them for yourselves.

Numbers 31 verses

Numbers 31 18 Meaning

Numbers 31:18 commands the Israelite soldiers to preserve alive only the young girls who have not experienced sexual intercourse with a man, after their initial error of saving all women and male children. This specific injunction serves as a precise limitation on the taking of captives during the holy war against Midian, driven by the Lord's judgment against Midian for seducing Israel into idolatry and sexual immorality at Baal of Peor. Those deemed innocent of this specific defilement, by reason of their youth and virginity, were to be kept for integration into Israelite society.

Numbers 31 18 Context

Numbers chapter 31 describes the Lord's commanded vengeance against the Midianites, serving as a direct judgment for their role in enticing Israel to idolatry and sexual sin at Baal of Peor (Numbers 25). The war is framed as a "holy war," a direct execution of divine wrath. Following the battle, the returning Israelite army faced Moses' severe displeasure because they had spared all the Midianite women and male children (Num 31:14-15), contrary to the divine intention. Moses clarifies the command: kill all adult women (who had participated in the sexual cult and thus posed an ongoing spiritual threat) and all male children (who would grow up to be future enemies). Verse 18 then carves out a specific exception within this strict directive, permitting only the young girls who had not known a man sexually to be kept alive. This verse therefore signifies the boundaries of divine judgment, focusing retribution on those culpable while providing a very narrow window for the preservation of the innocent, likely for integration into Israelite society as potential wives or servants.

Numbers 31 18 Word analysis

• But: This adversative conjunction signals a contrast or exception to the preceding commands given in verses 15-17 (to kill all women who had known a man and all male children). It introduces the only group to be spared.
• all the young girls: In Hebrew, הַטַּף (hattaf). This term broadly means "little ones" or "children," but when specified by the following phrase "who have not known a man intimately," it narrows the scope precisely to virginal, pre-sexual, or unmarried females. Their youth implied a lesser degree of culpability in the sins of the Midianites and less potential for having already introduced spiritual or moral contamination. The command highlights a focus on preserving the uncorrupted element from among the spoil.
• who have not known a man intimately: This key phrase in Hebrew is אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יָדְעוּ מִשְׁכַּב זָכָר (asher lo-yad'u mishkav zakar).
  • אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יָדְעוּ (asher lo-yad'u): "who have not known." The verb יָדַע (yada'), "to know," in this biblical context signifies a profound, often experiential knowledge, and when applied to individuals, can strongly imply sexual relations (as seen in Gen 4:1). The negative "not known" clearly asserts their virginity.
  • מִשְׁכַּב זָכָר (mishkav zakar): literally, "the lying of a male," or "a man by lying with him." This precise, explicit phrase removes all ambiguity about the nature of the "knowing," ensuring the meaning is strictly about sexual intercourse. This distinction was crucial for determining moral and ritual purity within Israelite law, particularly in the context of the sexual immorality of Baal of Peor. It identified individuals not directly defiled by or involved in the pagan cult's practices.
• keep alive: הַחֲיוּ (hachayu). This is an imperative verb, a direct command to preserve their lives. It stands in stark contrast to the divine command for utter destruction (cherem) applied to other nations or other Midianite populations in this same judgment. This act of preservation reflects a specific exception rooted in the purity (or lack of culpability) of these individuals.
• for yourselves: לָכֶם (lakhem). This dative pronoun signifies acquisition "for yourselves" or "for your benefit/possession." These preserved virgins were to be taken as spoils of war, to be integrated into Israelite households. They would likely serve as slaves or, over time and after a period of ritual purification (as implied in other laws for female captives, e.g., Deut 21:10-14), potentially as wives, thereby becoming part of the Israelite community, contributing to its population and labor. This points to the economic and social utility of these captives.

Numbers 31 18 Bonus section

• The allocation of these 32,000 virgin captives among the soldiers, the Levites, and the Lord (Num 31:35-47) illustrates how even the "spoils" of holy war were under divine direction and consecrated through various offerings, further removing them from a purely secular context of plunder.
• The distinction in Numbers 31 highlights that not all "destroy them utterly" commands (cherem) were absolute for all inhabitants; specific criteria, in this case, direct participation in heinous sins like cultic prostitution tied to idolatry, informed the judgment.
• This passage reminds us of the stark reality of ancient warfare and judgment as recorded in Scripture, often involving practices alien to contemporary ethics, but always framed within the narrative of a holy God dealing with human sin and the necessity of maintaining the holiness of His covenant people.

Numbers 31 18 Commentary

Numbers 31:18, situated within the difficult context of the Midianite war, underscores the profound Israelite concern for spiritual purity and the severe consequences of idolatry coupled with sexual immorality. The explicit command to spare only virgin girls demonstrates a precise form of judgment and conditional mercy. It wasn't arbitrary slaughter but a divinely commanded eradication of sources of corruption—specifically, adult Midianite women who were instruments in enticing Israel to sin (Num 25), and male children who would grow up as enemies. The sparing of young, sexually "unknown" girls distinguished them as innocent from the particular sin that provoked the war, making them candidates for assimilation into a covenant community where purity was paramount. While the command seems harsh by modern sensibilities, it reflects ancient Near Eastern warfare practices, God's zealous judgment against specific abominations, and a consistent biblical theme: sin leads to death, but mercy can be extended to the untainted. These girls represented the least defiled element among the spoil, suitable for integration under the rigorous standards of Israel's covenant with God.