Wesley Corpus

Chapter XXXI God commands Moses to avenge Israel of the Midianites, ver. 1,2. Moses sends them to the war, ver. 3 - 6. They slay the Midianites, ver. 7 - 12. He reproves them for sparing the women, ver. 13 - 18. Directions for purifying themselves, ver. 19 - 24. The distribution of the spirit, ver. 25 - 47. The free - will - offering of the officers, ver. 48 - 54. Avenge ye the Lord - For the affront which they offered to God, by their own idolatry and lewdness, and by seducing God's people into rebellion against him. God's great care was to avenge the Israelites, Nu 31:2, and Moses's chief desire was to avenge God rather than himself or the people. Twelve thousand - God would send no more, though it is apparent the Midianites were numerous and strong, because he would exercise their trust in him, and give them an earnest of their Canaanitish conquests. Them and Phinehas - Who had the charge not of the army, as general, (an office never committed to a priest in all the Old Testament) but of the holy instruments, and was sent to encourage, and quicken, them in their enterprize. The holy instruments - The holy breast - plate, wherein was the Urim and Thummim, which was easily carried, and very useful in war upon many emergent occasions. All the males - Namely all who lived in those parts, for colonies of them, were sent forth to remoter places, which therefore had no hand either in their former sin, or in this present ruling. And herein they did according to God's own order concerning such people, Deu 20:13, only their fault was, that they did not consider the special reason which they had to involve the women in the destruction. Without the camp - Partly to put respect upon them, and congratulate with them for their happy success; and partly to prevent the pollution of the camp by the untimely entrance of the warriors into it.