translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: NUM

label: NET translator note

text: The imperative is followed by its cognate accusative to stress this vengeance. The Midianites had attempted to destroy Israel with their corrupt pagan practices, and now will be judged. The accounts indicate that the effort by Midian was calculated and evil.


text: The Niphal imperative, literally “arm yourselves,” is the call to mobilize the nation for war. It is followed by the jussive, “and they will be,” which would then be subordinated to say “that they may be.” The versions changed the verb to a Hiphil, but that is unnecessary: “arm some of yourselves.”


text: Heb “give.”


text: The Hebrew text uses the idiom that these “were in his hand,” meaning that he had the responsibility over them.


text: Heb “burned with fire.”


text: The ban applied to the encampments and forts of this group of Midianite tribes living in the region of Moab.


text: Or “steppes.”


text: The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.


text: Again this expression, “the Jordan of Jericho,” is used. It describes the intended location along the Jordan River, the Jordan next to or across from Jericho. map For the location of Jericho see Map5-B2 ; Map6-E1 ; Map7-E1 ; Map8-E3 ; Map10-A2 ; Map11-A1 .


text: The verb is the Piel perfect of the word חָיָה ( khayah , “to live”). In the Piel stem it must here mean “preserve alive,” or “allow to live,” rather than make alive.


text: Heb “every male among the little ones.” sn The command in holy war to kill women and children seems in modern times a terrible thing to do (and it was), and something they ought not to have done. But this criticism fails to understand the situation in the ancient world. The entire life of the ancient world was tribal warfare. God’s judgment is poured out on whole groups of people who act with moral abandonment and in sinful pursuits. See E. J. Young, My Servants, the Prophets , 24; and J. W. Wenham, The Enigma of Evil .


text: Heb “every woman who has known [a] man by lying with a man.”


text: Or “girls.” The Hebrew indicates they would be female children, making the selection easy.


text: Heb “who have not known [a] man by lying with a man.”


text: The idiom here is “take up the head,” meaning take a census, or count the totals.


text: The verb is the Hiphil, “you shall cause to be taken up.” The perfect with vav ( ו ) continues the sequence of the instructions. This raised offering was to be a tax of one-fifth of one percent for the Lord .


text: Heb “people.”


text: Heb “had plundered.”


text: The word “numbered” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.


text: Heb “soul.”


text: Heb “the men who were fighting.”


text: Heb “to Moses”; the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“him”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.


text: Heb “lifted up the head.”


text: Heb “in our hand.”


text: Heb “our souls.”


text: The Hebrew text does not repeat the word “commanders” here, but it is implied.


text: The purpose of the offering was to remind the Lord to remember Israel. But it would also be an encouragement for Israel as they remembered the great victory.