NUMBERS LESSON 38


     We will begin this lesson in Numbers 31:1 "And the LORD spake
unto Moses, saying," Numbers 31:2 "Avenge the children of Israel of
the Midianites: afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people."

     This attack on the Midianites had been planned for quite some
time. It appears, that this is the last thing that Moses is to head
up.
The LORD had already told him he would not go into the promised land.
"Be gathered unto thy people" means he will die. This is the LORD's
vengeance, here. He wants the Midianites destroyed, for what they had
done to the Israelites.

     Numbers 31:3 "And Moses spake unto the people, saying, Arm some
of yourselves unto the war, and let them go against the Midianites,
and avenge the LORD of Midian."

     The huge army of over 600,000 men would not be needed here. They
arm just a few of their men. Moses had not started this war against
Midian, until God ordered it. When these Midianite women had seduced
the Israelites and mixed with them, it was against God, as much as
against the Israelites. These women had caused the men of Israel to
commit adultery, and even caused them to bow to false gods.

     Numbers 31:4 "Of every tribe a thousand, throughout all the
tribes of Israel, shall ye send to the war."

     These means it will only take 12,000 men of war to destroy the
Medianites.

     Numbers 31:5 "So there were delivered out of the thousands of
Israel, a thousand of [every] tribe, twelve thousand armed for war."

     Each of the 12 tribes furnished 1,000 men to go to war.

     Numbers 31:6 "And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand of
[every] tribe, them and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the
war, with the holy instruments, and the trumpets to blow in his hand."

     This was a holy war to clear the name of the LORD amongst the
heathen. The priest Phinehas, son of Eleazar, went to war with them
with the holy instruments, and blew the alarm with the silver trumpet.
Phinehas was the same one who had run the javelin through two of the
sinners, and stopped the plague.

     Numbers 31:7 "And they warred against the Midianites, as the LORD
commanded Moses; and they slew all the males."

     This was more of an annihilation of the men. It appears, they
killed them all. When God went with them to battle, there was no
problem winning.

     Numbers 31:8 "And they slew the kings of Midian, beside the rest
of them that were slain; [namely], Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur,
and Reba, five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew
with the sword."

     We read earlier of the five kings of Midian. It appears, here,
that they were all killed. Balaam was killed, also. It appeared, he
was in on the plot to infiltrate the Israelites. They, probably, were
not killed in battle, but run through with the sword, as an execution.
These are, probably, not the entire Median army, but some in this
area, because later we see the Medians, again.

     Numbers 31:9 "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."

     It is interesting that they took the women and children. The LORD
sometimes, will not allow this. The battle, in the first place was
because of the Midianite women. They have spoiled all the Midianite's
goods.

     Numbers 31:10 "And they burnt all their cities wherein they
dwelt, and all their goodly castles, with fire."

     The Midianites were nomads and would not have built permanent
type cities. Perhaps, the cities were built by someone they had
overrun.

     Numbers 31:11 "And they took all the spoil, and all the prey,
[both] of men and of beasts."

     This just means they took everything of any value at all for
themselves.

     Numbers 31:12 "And they brought the captives, and the prey, and
the spoil, unto Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and unto the
congregation of the children of Israel, unto the camp at the plains of
Moab, which [are] by Jordan [near] Jericho."

     Moses and Eleazar had sent them to the battle, so they brought
the spoil to Moses and Eleazar. Whatever they keep, must be divided
among all the people.

     Numbers 31:13  "And Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and all the
princes of the congregation, went forth to meet them without the
camp."

     They did not bring these Midianite women and children into the
camp. All of the leaders went out to meet them, to inspect what they
had done.

     Numbers 31:14 "And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host,
[with] the captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, which
came from the battle."

     To win the war is one thing, but to leave the problem that caused
the war is another. Moses is angry with the soldiers, for not
following orders.

     Numbers 31:15 "And Moses said unto them, Have ye saved all the
women alive?"

     The Midianite women had been the problem, in the first place. The
lust of these Israelite men for these women, it seems, has not gone
away. They have plans of keeping these women for the men. Moses is
really saying, "Why have you kept these evil women alive?"

     Numbers 31:16 "Behold, these caused the children of Israel,
through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the LORD in
the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of
the LORD."

     They have not eliminated the problem. They have brought it home
with them. The plague that swept through the Israelite camp, was
because the men of Israel were sleeping with the Midianite women. Now,
they have brought them all home with them, to further the sin. This
would greatly anger God.

     Numbers 31:17 "Now therefore kill every male among the little
ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him."

     This seems cruel, but the LORD will not allow the teachings of
Midian to come into the camp. Women, just like these, had caused the
Israelite men to bow to false gods. This must not be, again. The males
among the little ones could come to maturaty and cause terrible
problems in the camp. Notice the young girls, who were not
contaminated were left alive.  This was not senseless killing. It was
done to preserve the LORD as God among the Israelites.

     Numbers 31:18 "But all the women children, that have not known a
man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves."

     They were to be slaves in the homes, and undoubtedly, concubines
to some of the men. In some instances, they, probably, married some of
the young men.

     Numbers 31:19 "And do ye abide without the camp seven days:
whosoever hath killed any person, and whosoever hath touched any
slain, purify [both] yourselves and your captives on the third day,
and on the seventh day."

     We remember, that anyone who had come near a dead body was
unclean for 7 days. They must all, including the young Midianite
women, go through the purification, before they could enter the camp,
again. We read of this earlier of the washings on the third and
seventh day.  This had to do with the water of separation. The girls
fell into the law about the stranger, and were purified by the water
of separation.

     Numbers 31:20 "And purify all [your] raiment, and all that is
made of skins, and all work of goats' [hair], and all things made of
wood."

     In chapter 19 of Numbers, we studied of how everything that had
come in contact with the dead must be purified. They did this, because
no impure thing could come into the camp.

     Numbers 31:21  "And Eleazar the priest said unto the men of war
which went to the battle, This [is] the ordinance of the law which the
LORD commanded Moses;"

     Eleazar is the one to advise them how to keep everything pleasing
unto the LORD. He is the guardian of the spiritual aspect of these
people.

     Numbers 31:22 "Only the gold, and the silver, the brass, the
iron, the tin, and the lead,"

     These were the precious metals they had spoiled from the
Midianites.

     Numbers 31:23 "Every thing that may abide the fire, ye shall make
[it] go through the fire, and it shall be clean: nevertheless it shall
be purified with the water of separation: and all that abideth not the
fire ye shall make go through the water."

     All things made of these precious metals, were to be melted for
further use. Many false gods were made of silver and gold. It would be
very important to melt those two metals. Things, like wood, that could
not stand the fire would be washed with the purifying water.

     Numbers 31:24  "And ye shall wash your clothes on the seventh
day, and ye shall be clean, and afterward ye shall come into the
camp."

     Even the clothes, they were wearing, must be purified, before
they could come into the camp. After the seven days of purification,
they were allowed back into the camp.














                        Numbers 38 Questions


1.  What did the LORD tell Moses to instruct the people to do?
2.  What will happen to Moses, after this is over?
3.  How many men from each tribe will go to war?
4.  How had these people offended God?
5.  How many men fought the war?
6.  Who went with the soldiers to war?
7.  What was his purpose for being there?
8.  Who did the Israelites kill?
9.  What happened to the five kings, and to Balaam?
10. What did the Israelites do with the rest of the people?
11. What did they do to the cities of Midian?
12. What kind of people were the Midianites?
13. Where did Moses, and Eleazar, and the princes meet with them?
14. What was Moses angry with them about?
15. What question did Moses ask them?
16. Why was it so bad to keep the women alive?
17. Who did Moses tell them to kill?
18. Who was spared death?
19. Why must they remain out of camp seven days?
20. How were the girls cleansed?
21. What else was cleansed with water?
22. What did they do with the precious metals, to make them clean?
23. When can they re-enter the camp?