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Day 161 – Spoils of War Numbers 31:1 And JEHOVAH spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Take vengeance on the Midianites for the children of Israel. Afterward you will be gathered to your people.” 3 Moses spoke to the people, saying, “Arm some of yourselves for war, and let them go against the Midianites to take vengeance for JEHOVAH on Midian. 4 A thousand from each tribe of all the tribes of Israel you will send to the war.” 5 They recruited from the divisions of Israel one thousand from each tribe, twelve thousand armed for war. 6 Then Moses sent them to the war, one thousand from each tribe; he sent them to the war with Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, with the holy articles and the signal trumpets in his hand. 7 They warred against the Midianites, just as JEHOVAH commanded Moses, and killed all the males. 8 They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of those who were killed—Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam the son of Beor with the sword. 9 And the children of Israel took the women of Midian captive, with their little ones, and took as spoil their cattle, their flocks, and their goods. 10 They also burned the cities where they dwelt, and their forts. 11 They took the spoil and the booty—of man and beast. 12 Then they brought the captives, the booty, and the spoil to Moses, to Eleazar the priest, and to the congregation of the children of Israel, to the camp in the plains of Moab by the Jordan, across from Jericho. 13 Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the leaders of the congregation, went to meet them outside the camp. 14 Moses was angry with the officers of the army, with the captains over thousands and captains over hundreds, who had come from the battle. 15 Moses said to them, “Have you kept the women alive? 16 Look, these women caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against JEHOVAH in the incident of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of JEHOVAH. 17 Now, therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known a man intimately. 18 Keep alive for yourselves the young girls who have not known a man intimately. 19 As for you, remain outside the camp seven days; whoever killed a person, and whoever touched a slain, purify yourselves and your captives on the third day and on the seventh day. 20 Purify every garment, everything made of leather, everything woven of goats’ hair, and everything made of wood.” 21 Then Eleazar the priest said to the men of war who had gone to the battle, “This is the ordinance of the law which JEHOVAH commanded Moses. 22 Only the gold, silver, bronze, iron, tin, and lead, 23 everything that can endure fire, you will put through the fire, and it will be clean; and it will be purified with the water of purification. Everything that cannot endure fire you will put through water. 24 You will wash your clothes on the seventh day and be clean, and afterward you may come into the camp.” 25 Now JEHOVAH spoke to Moses, saying, 26 “Count the plunder that was taken—of man and beast—you and Eleazar the priest and the chief fathers of the congregation; 27 and divide the plunder into two parts, between those who took part in the war, who went out to battle, and the congregation. 28 Levy a tribute for JEHOVAH on the men of war who went out to battle: one of every five hundred of the persons, the cattle, the donkeys, and the sheep; 29 take it from their half and give it to Eleazar the priest as a heave offering to JEHOVAH. 30 From the children of Israel’s half you will take one of every fifty, drawn from the persons, the cattle, the donkeys, and the sheep, from the livestock, and give them to the Levites who keep charge of the tabernacle of JEHOVAH.” 31 Moses and Eleazar the priest did as JEHOVAH commanded Moses. 32 The booty remaining from the plunder, which the men of war had taken, was six hundred and seventy-five thousand sheep, 33 seventy-two thousand cattle, 34 sixty-one thousand donkeys, 35 and thirty-two thousand women who had not known a man intimately. 36 The half, the portion for those who had gone out to war, was in number three hundred and thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep; 37 and JEHOVAH’S tribute of the sheep was six hundred and seventy-five. 38 The cattle were thirty-six thousand, of which JEHOVAH’S tribute was seventy-two. 39 The donkeys were thirty thousand five hundred, of which JEHOVAH’S tribute was sixty-one. 40 The persons were sixteen thousand, of which JEHOVAH’S tribute was thirty-two persons. 41 Moses gave the tribute, which was JEHOVAH’S heave offering to Eleazar the priest, as JEHOVAH commanded Moses. 42 From the children of Israel’s half, which Moses separated from the men who fought— 43 now the half belonging to the congregation was three hundred and thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep, 44 thirty-six thousand cattle, 45 thirty thousand five hundred donkeys, 46 and sixteen thousand persons— 47 and from the children of Israel’s half Moses took one of every fifty, drawn from man and beast, and gave them to the Levites, who kept charge of the tabernacle of JEHOVAH, as JEHOVAH commanded Moses. 48 Then the officers who were over thousands of the army, the captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, came near to Moses; 49 and said to him, “Your servants took a count of the men of war under our command, and not a man of us is missing. 50 Therefore, we brought an offering for JEHOVAH, what every man found of ornaments of gold: armlets and bracelets and signet rings and earrings and necklaces, to make atonement for ourselves before JEHOVAH.” 51 Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from them, the fashioned ornaments. 52 The gold of the offering they offered to JEHOVAH, from the captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, was sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekels. 53 (The men of war took spoil, every man for himself.) 54 Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from the captains of thousands and of hundreds and brought it into the tabernacle of meeting as a memorial for the children of Israel before JEHOVAH. God’s names: JEHOVAH – Self-existent, Eternal Yeshuwa – Jesus God’s character: Commander Wars take place across the globe. You know about the ones affecting you with your soldiers sent to help in the war effort, and hope they come home alive. JEHOVAH told Moses to arm the men for war with Midian. They killed the men and brought the spoils of battle back with them. They also told Moses none of their soldiers died in battle. From the spoils brought back, Moses told them to kill the women who had children and the male children. Those remaining would be theirs. When they tallied the spoil, they gave a portion to JEHOVAH and to the Levites for the tabernacle. Moses also told them they needed to purify themselves and everything they brought from the battle either by fire or by water, or both. They also needed to purify themselves. Every day, Satan battles against you in a war he cannot win because Yeshuwa won the battle on the cross for your soul. When Satan comes against you, JEHOVAH, your commander, fights the war for you. You will always stand victorious in battle with the spoils of war at your feet. Every battle you win, you must give the spoils, praise, to JEHOVAH. When you praise Him for bringing you through the battle, He will bless you. Can you tally JEHOVAH’S blessings on your life when you praise Him for bringing you through the battle? There’s a wonderful older song by the Imperials that tells you what happens when you praise JEHOVAH. Let’s pray: Father, let your blessings fall on me when I praise you in the battle. Satan has no power over me. He already lost the battle before he attacked me by the power and blood of Jesus on the cross. Let my praise come before You every day as I stand victorious in the battle. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. Copyright © 27 June 2024 by Valerie Routhieaux