Bible Commentaries

Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people.

Avenge the children of Israel. — This is called the vengeance of Jehovah. Numbers 31:3 The righteous Judge will not fail to avenge our unrighteous vexations, if we "commit ourselves to him in well doing." 1 Peter 4:19

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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.

Arm some of yourselves unto the war. — Lactantius Instit., lib. vi. cap. 20. being, according to his name, a mild and gentle man, abhorred bloodshed, thought it not lawful for a just man to be a warrior, whose justice was his warfare. But this was his error; Patres legendi sunt cum venia; God bids here, Arm yourselves, … Indeed it is utterly unlawful for men wilfully to thrust themselves into unnecessary wars: and it is reported in the life of Augustine, that he would never pray for such. But when God sounds the alarm, as here, "Cursed is he that doeth this work of the Lord negligently: Cursed is he that keepeth back his sword from blood." Jeremiah 48:10

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

Twelve thousand. — This was no great army, but they were Deo armati, with whom "there is no restraint to save by many or by few." 1 Samuel 14:6 How wondrously did God work by that handful of Hussites in Bohemia, when all Germany was up in arms against them by the Pope’s instigation! And may it not be said of that small remnant, that now fighteth the Lord’s battles in Ireland, "The Lord hath done great things for them, whereof we are glad?" Have they not been "helped with a little help indeed?" Daniel 11:34 The more is our shame, that send them no more.

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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.

Them and Phinehas. — Not without Joshua, the general (though not here mentioned), the mighty conqueror of all Israel’s enemies that rose up and resisted them: famous is he for his faithfulness and fortitude, In cognoscendis rebus bellicis perspicax, in agendo solers: noverat optime insidias facere, proelium committere, victoria uti, …, as Dio saith Dio, in Domitiano. of Decebalus, king of the Daci, in Domitian’s days: i.e., Well skilled in warlike businesses, and diligent in despatching them; He knew well how to lay an ambush, worst an enemy, use a victory, …

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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.

And Zur. — The father of Cozbi, that noble harlot. Dignitas in indigno est ornamentum in luto. Sedes prima, et vita ima, is but golden rubbish, eminent infamy, noble dishonour.

Balaam, also, the son of Beor. — See Trapp on " Numbers 24:25 " Oh that God would cause the false prophets, and the unclean spirit (for whom they act, and by whom they are acted) to pass out of our land, according to his promise! Zechariah 13:2

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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.

Took all the women. — The Jews are a nation, to this day noted for effeminate; and yet they hold that women are of a lower creation, made for the propagation and pleasure of man; and, therefore, they suffer them not to enter their synagogues but appoint them a gallery without. Blunt’s Voyage.

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And they burnt all their cities wherein they dwelt, and all their goodly castles, with fire.

And they burnt all their cities. — For the same reason, perhaps, that our Henry VIII demolished so many monasteries, saying, Corvorum nidos esse penitus disturbandos, ne iterunt ad cohibitandum convolent, That the crows’ nests were to be utterly, destroyed, lest they should make further use of them again another time. Diruendi sunt etiam ipsi ciconiarum nidi ne redeant, - said Zisca Lavat. in Deuter. Sander. Schism. Anglic., lib. i. Or rather, lest sloth or covetousness should draw any of the Israelites to hide themselves in these nests, and neglect the Promised Land. See Judges 6:1 .

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And Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and all the princes of the congregation, went forth to meet them without the camp.

Went forth to meet them. — As Melchisedec went forth to meet Abraham returning with victory; Genesis 14:18 as Archbishop Hubert met our Richard I returning from the Holy Land, (as they called it,) both of them first falling to the earth, rose again and ran into each other’s arms, comforting themselves with mutual embraces, and weeping with joy. Speed, Hist., fol. 540.

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