Numbers 31 9

Numbers 31:9 kjv

And the children of Israel took all the women of Midian captives, and their little ones, and took the spoil of all their cattle, and all their flocks, and all their goods.

Numbers 31:9 nkjv

And the children of Israel took the women of Midian captive, with their little ones, and took as spoil all their cattle, all their flocks, and all their goods.

Numbers 31:9 niv

The Israelites captured the Midianite women and children and took all the Midianite herds, flocks and goods as plunder.

Numbers 31:9 esv

And the people of Israel took captive the women of Midian and their little ones, and they took as plunder all their cattle, their flocks, and all their goods.

Numbers 31:9 nlt

Then the Israelite army captured the Midianite women and children and seized their cattle and flocks and all their wealth as plunder.

Numbers 31 verses

Numbers 31 9 Meaning

Numbers 31:9 details a key outcome of Israel's war against Midian, reporting that the Israelites successfully took Midianite women and children captive, along with seizing all their vast array of livestock, flocks, and wealth as plunder. This act marked a decisive victory and the initial stage of processing the spoil of war according to divine instruction.

Numbers 31 9 Context

Numbers chapter 31 describes Israel's war of vengeance against the Midianites, commanded by God due to their role in enticing Israel into sin at Baal Peor (Numbers 25). The war's purpose was to "avenge the Lord on Midian" (Num 31:3), signifying a holy war of judgment. Moses, nearing his death, was specifically instructed to oversee this final act of divine justice.

Verse 9 falls immediately after the successful killing of the Midianite kings and all Midianite males (Num 31:7-8). This verse serves as a summary of the subsequent actions taken by the Israelite army: the comprehensive seizure of captives and possessions. It represents the successful completion of the initial military campaign, before Moses issued further, more detailed, and ethically complex instructions regarding the disposition of the captives in verses 15-18. The vast quantity of plunder described indicates the prosperity of Midian and the totality of Israel's victory.

Historically, Midian was a significant tribal confederation, often antagonistic towards Israel. They had actively participated with Moab in luring Israel into idolatry and sexual immorality, which resulted in a divine plague upon Israel (Num 25:1-9). This act made Midian a prime target for God's righteous wrath. The cultural context reflects ancient Near Eastern warfare practices, where victorious armies would take women, children, and all possessions as spoils, a practice distinct from the stricter herem (devotion to destruction) command which involved the annihilation of all life in specific cases. This verse captures the initial collection of spoils that was then subjected to further divine refinement by Moses.

Numbers 31 9 Word analysis

• Vayyishbu (וַיִּשְׁבּוּ): From the Hebrew root shavah (שָׁבָה), meaning "to take captive" or "to lead into captivity." The use of the waw-consecutive imperfect verb (Vayyishbu, literally "and they took captive") signifies a completed action that continues the narrative, emphasizing the decisive and active role of the Israelites in capturing, not merely finding or receiving, the captives. Its active form denotes agency and a successful military operation.
• Bᵊnê Yiśrā’ēl (בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל): Literally "sons of Israel." This collective term identifies the Israelite army, acting on behalf of the entire nation and as the instruments of divine judgment. It emphasizes their covenant identity and responsibility in executing God's commands.
• Et-nᵊšê Midyān (אֶת־נְשֵׁי מִדְיָן): "The women of Midian." The et particle marks the definite direct object. The term nᵊšê refers to women, often married, in contrast to young girls. Their capture is significant due to their documented role in the Baal Peor apostasy, which Moses specifically addresses in Num 31:15-18. This detail foreshadows the later, more severe instructions concerning the women based on their moral culpability.
• Vᵊ’et-ṭappām (וְאֶת־טַפָּם): "And their little ones/children." The term ṭap (טַף) refers to dependents, encompassing young children or the general "little ones" of a community, irrespective of specific age or gender. The capture of children was a common practice in ancient warfare, often to be absorbed into the victorious nation. Its inclusion here reflects the totality of the capture.
• Vᵊ’et kol-bᵊhĕmtām (וְאֵת כָּל־בְּהֶמְתָּם): "And all their livestock." Bᵊhēmāh (בְּהֵמָה) primarily refers to larger domesticated animals, especially cattle, though it can sometimes be used generally for beasts. The word kol ("all") emphasizes the comprehensive nature of the seizure, leaving nothing behind.
• Vᵊ’et kol-miqnēhem (וְאֵת כָּל־מִקְנֵהֶם): "And all their flocks." Miqneh (מִקְנֶה) refers more specifically to smaller domesticated animals, such as sheep and goats, which formed a major component of wealth in the ancient Near East. The reiteration of kol ("all") again stresses the complete appropriation of their animal wealth.
• Vᵊ’et kol-ḥêlām (וְאֵת כָּל־חֵילָם): "And all their wealth/goods." The term ḥayil (חַיִל) is versatile and can refer to military strength, wealth, substance, or goods. In this context, with kol ("all"), it denotes the entirety of the Midianites' movable possessions and valuables – their general wealth and accumulated goods, beyond just livestock. This word encapsulates all material plunder, signifying complete economic devastation for the Midianites.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Vayyishbu bᵊnê Yiśrā’ēl et-nᵊšê Midyān vᵊ’et-ṭappām": "And the Israelites captured the Midianite women and their children." This phrase details the human element of the capture. The separation of "women" and "children" is significant as Moses later makes a crucial distinction among them based on their moral complicity in the Baal Peor incident, implying that the initial capture was a general collection before sorting. This captures a crucial stage in ancient holy war, where certain lives were initially spared only to be judged later.
• "Vᵊ’et kol-bᵊhĕmtām vᵊ’et kol-miqnēhem vᵊ’et kol-ḥêlām": "And all their livestock and all their flocks and all their wealth." This triple enumeration of plunder, each prefaced with "all," conveys the comprehensive and overwhelming nature of the Israelite victory economically. It demonstrates not just military conquest but complete appropriation of the enemy's resources, highlighting the vastness of the spoils taken from the Midianites and underscoring the completeness of the judgment against them. The repeated "all" (kol) emphasizes thoroughness and no residual wealth left for the defeated.

Numbers 31 9 Bonus section

The act of taking "spoil" in ancient Israelite warfare was deeply theological. It was often permitted in cases of non-herem nations (Deut 20:10-15) or after herem (utter devotion to destruction) had been fulfilled (as with Jericho's metal dedicated to the tabernacle treasury, Josh 6:24, but with specific prohibitions like Achan's sin, Josh 7:1). In Midian's case, while elements of herem (destruction of males, kings) were present, the capture of women and children and taking of property indicated a less absolute application of the "ban" in this particular instance compared to, for example, Amalek (1 Sam 15). The subsequent divine directives for the disposition of the spoil (Num 31:25-54) illustrate the meticulous, sacred procedures for managing the spoils of a holy war, involving a priestly share and purification. This underscores that even the physical booty taken in battle was subjected to covenantal laws and not simply treated as secular property. The detailed accounting of the spoils (Num 31:32-47) further emphasizes the comprehensive nature of this operation and its meticulous administration under divine law.

Numbers 31 9 Commentary

Numbers 31:9 succinctly describes a pivotal moment in the execution of God’s judgment against Midian: the thorough taking of captives and immense spoils by the Israelite forces. This verse is not just a military report but a theological statement on the consequence of rebellion against God. The Midianites, who had enticed Israel into idolatry and immorality at Baal Peor, now face divine retribution. The capture of "women and children" highlights a common ancient Near Eastern warfare practice, yet within the context of holy war, it would later be refined by Moses’ specific and grim instructions (Num 31:15-18). This demonstrates that not all "spoil" of war was handled uniformly, and specific divine commands guided Israel's actions even within established customs.

The seizing of "all their livestock, flocks, and goods" signifies a comprehensive and total appropriation of Midianite wealth. This was not mere personal gain for the soldiers; it represented the stripping of power and resources from an enemy of God's people, often symbolizing the transfer of strength from the condemned to God's chosen instruments. The scale of the plunder underscores the extent of Midian's resources and the complete victory of Israel as an instrument of God's justice. The meticulousness in taking everything ("all their...") reinforces the completeness of their compliance with the general command to lay waste to the enemy. This outcome reflects God's promise to provide for His people while simultaneously judging those who oppose Him and corrupt His covenant community. The very success of the campaign served as a testament to God's faithfulness to His word and His unwavering holiness in punishing sin.