Numbers 31:44 kjv
And thirty and six thousand beeves,
Numbers 31:44 nkjv
thirty-six thousand cattle,
Numbers 31:44 niv
36,000 cattle,
Numbers 31:44 esv
36,000 cattle,
Numbers 31:44 nlt
36,000 cattle,
Numbers 31 44 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Num 31:25-29 | The LORD said to Moses, "Take an accounting of the plunder... And divide the plunder... give tribute to the LORD... for Eleazar the priest." | Divine command for plunder division and tribute for the priest. |
| Num 31:36 | The half share for those who had gone to war was... six hundred and seventy-five thousand sheep. | Provides context for the source of the 675 sheep. |
| Num 31:52 | All the gold of the heave offering that they offered to the LORD, from the commanders... was sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekels. | Other spoils designated as a "heave offering" to the LORD. |
| Num 18:8 | The LORD said to Aaron, "I myself have given you charge of My heave offerings; all the holy gifts of the Israelites I have given to you... and to your sons." | Establishes the right of priests to heave offerings. |
| Num 18:20 | The LORD said to Aaron, "You shall have no inheritance in their land... I am your share and your inheritance among the Israelites." | Priests' sustenance comes directly from God's portion, not land inheritance. |
| Num 18:21-26 | "To the Levites I have given every tithe... for their service... And concerning the Levites, you shall speak to them... that when you take the tithe... you shall offer a heave offering of it to the LORD." | Levites receive tithes, and from that, give a "heave offering" to the priests. |
| Lev 7:32-34 | "You shall give the right thigh to the priest as a heave offering... I have taken the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the heave offering... for Aaron and for his sons." | Specific portions of sacrifices are designated as priestly "heave offerings." |
| Exo 29:27-28 | "You shall consecrate the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the heave offering... they shall be for Aaron and his sons as their due forever." | Established system for priests' support from offerings. |
| Deut 14:27-29 | "The Levite who is within your gates... you shall not abandon him, for he has no portion... So that the LORD your God may bless you..." | Emphasizes supporting the landless Levites/priests. |
| Neh 10:37b-38 | "...to bring a tithe of our ground to the Levites... and the Levites shall bring a tithe of the tithes to the house of our God..." | Post-exilic commitment to tithes supporting religious functions. |
| Gen 14:19-20 | Melchizedek blessed him and said... "Blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!" And Abram gave him a tenth of everything. | Early example of giving a "tenth" of spoils in gratitude. |
| Mal 3:8-10 | "Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed You?’ In tithes and contributions. Bring the full tithe into the storehouse..." | Rebukes Israel for withholding God's portion and emphasizes its importance. |
| Exo 23:19 | "The best of the firstfruits of your ground you shall bring into the house of the LORD your God." | Principle of dedicating "first and best" to God. |
| Num 3:47-48 | For the redemption of the 273 firstborn males who are over and above the number of the Levites, you shall take five shekels apiece... and give the money to Aaron and his sons. | Precise numerical redemption fees supporting priesthood. |
| Deut 20:14 | "...you may take as spoil for yourselves the women, the children, your livestock, and everything else in the city, all its spoil. And you may make use of the spoil..." | General rule for spoils in war; Israel is unique in the divine "tribute." |
| Eze 48:10-14 | "This holy allotment of land shall be for the priests... This is their holy portion from the land..." | Prophetic vision of a priestly holy portion of land in future. |
| Rom 15:27 | "For if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material things." | New Testament principle of supporting those who minister spiritual things. |
| 1 Cor 9:13-14 | "Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings? In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel." | Connects Old Testament priestly support to New Testament ministerial support. |
| Heb 7:1-6 | Mentions Melchizedek receiving tithes from Abraham, noting "the less is blessed by the greater. In the one case, tithes are received by mortal men, but in the other, by one of whom it is testified that he lives." | Underscores the validity and purpose of priestly maintenance through tithes/tributes. |
| 2 Cor 8:12 | "For if the eagerness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have." | Principle of giving for God's purposes; while Numbers 31 is mandatory, this highlights heart. |
| Luk 16:10 | "One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much." | God's expectation of faithfulness in even small, precise matters. |
Numbers 31 verses
Numbers 31 44 Meaning
Numbers 31:44 records a specific numerical portion of sheep designated as the Lord's "tribute" or sacred share from the war spoils taken from Midian. This was part of the meticulous distribution of plunder commanded by God through Moses, where a fraction of the immense wealth obtained was set apart for divine purposes, specifically to support the priesthood represented by Eleazar the high priest. It underscores God's sovereignty over all things, including the bounty of victory, and the precise obedience expected from His people in administering His laws.
Numbers 31 44 Context
Numbers 31 details the war waged against Midian as divine retribution for their role in luring Israelites into sin at Baal-Peor (Num 25). Moses, at the LORD's command, sends an army, which utterly defeats Midian, taking vast plunder. Following the victory, God gives meticulous instructions on how to purify and distribute the immense spoils. The spoils were divided into two equal halves: one for the 12,000 warriors who fought, and one for the rest of the Israelite congregation. From the warriors' half, a unique "tribute" of 1/500th of every type of spoil (persons, cattle, donkeys, sheep) was given directly to Eleazar the high priest as the LORD's share (Num 31:29). From the congregation's half, a larger tribute of 1/50th was given to the Levites, who also served the Tabernacle but were not priests (Num 31:30). Numbers 31:44 falls within the detailed enumeration of the precise quantities of this special priestly tribute taken from the warriors' portion, specifically accounting for the sheep. This command reinforced the central role and sustenance of the priesthood, directly provided for by God through His people's obedience in military triumphs.
Numbers 31 44 Word analysis
- And: (וְ, ve) A simple conjunction connecting this specific detail to the broader context of the spoils division described in the preceding verses.
- the LORD's: (יהוה, YHWH) Refers to the personal, covenant name of God. This emphasizes that the tribute is not merely a government tax or an arbitrary share, but a direct allotment for God Himself, reinforcing His supreme ownership and sovereign right over the spoils and His people. It signifies the sacred nature of the contribution.
- tribute: (מֶכֶס, meches) This Hebrew word denotes a levy, tax, or impost. In this context, it specifies a mandated divine portion exacted from the spoils of war. While related to a "heave offering" (terumah, as used in Num 31:29 for the overall gift from the warriors), meches implies a fixed, calculated contribution rather than a general sacred donation, underscoring its precise, unnegotiable nature as determined by divine command.
- of the sheep: (הַצֹּאן, ha'tzon) Clearly specifies the category of animal from which this particular portion of the tribute was drawn. This meticulous detailing is consistent with the exactitude of the Mosaic Law, emphasizing comprehensive accountability and the proper categorization of all elements of the plunder.
- was: (הָיָה, hayah) The Hebrew verb "to be," indicating the established numerical outcome or reality of the calculated tribute.
- six hundred: (שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת, shesh me'ot) The numeral, establishing the magnitude.
- and threescore: (וְשִׁשִּׁים, v'shishshim) "Threescore" is an archaic English term for sixty. This continues the numerical specification.
- and fifteen: (וַחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר, va'chamishshah asar) The final numerical component, fifteen.
- Six hundred and threescore and fifteen (675): This exact number represents 1/500th of the 337,500 sheep allocated to the warriors' half of the spoils (Num 31:36-37). The meticulous recording of this precise quantity highlights the divine requirement for absolute accuracy in matters pertaining to God's share. It demonstrates the immense scale of the plunder and God's right to a precise, calculated portion, signifying the orderly and just nature of divine law, as well as Israel's diligent adherence.
Numbers 31 44 Bonus section
The extremely detailed accounting in Numbers 31 for all spoils – humans, cattle, donkeys, and sheep – and their exact portions, not only for the warriors and the congregation but also the meticulous "tribute" for the priesthood and Levites, signifies the utmost importance placed on obedience and adherence to God's specific instructions. This level of detail affirms the victory as divinely sanctioned and executed according to divine law. The principle of the "Lord's tribute" showcases that all possessions, particularly those gained through divine intervention, ultimately belong to God, and a portion must be dedicated back to Him to sustain the sacred work. It teaches accountability, proportionality, and divine economy.
Numbers 31 44 Commentary
Numbers 31:44 precisely enumerates the sheep allocated as "the LORD's tribute" from the spoils of war against Midian. This was a non-negotiable, divinely ordained portion, representing 1/500th of the warriors' share of livestock. It wasn't an arbitrary gift, but a mandated levy (meches) affirming God's ultimate ownership and sovereignty over all things, including victory's bounty. This meticulous accounting underscores the precise and orderly nature of God's commands and Israel's obedience. Such provisions ensured the sustenance of the priestly line (specifically Eleazar, the high priest) from the sacred plunder, reinforcing their holy calling and demonstrating that God Himself provides for those consecrated to His service. It set a precedent for proper management of sacred funds and goods derived from divine favor.