Matthew Henry's Complete Bible Commentary

Numbers 31

This chapter belongs to “the book of the wars of the Lord,” in which it is probable it was inserted. It is the history of a holy war, a war with Midian. Here is, I. A divine command for the war, Numbers 31:1, 31:2. II. The undertaking of the war, Numbers 31:3-31:6. III. The glorious success of it, Numbers 31:7-31:12. IV. Their triumphant return from the war. 1. The respect Moses paid to the soldiers, Numbers 31:13. 2. The rebuke he gave them for sparing the women, Numbers 31:14-31:18. 3. The directions he gave them for the purifying of themselves and their effects, Numbers 31:19-31:24. 4. The distribution of the spoil they had taken, one half to the soldiers, the other to the congregation, and a tribute to the Lord out of each, Numbers 31:25-31:47. 5. The free-will offering of the officers, Numbers 31:48-31:54 MHBCC 149.1