Numbers 31 · a question people ask
Why did God command this war?
Numbers gives its own reasons, and they all go back to Peor. The LORD had said, "Harass the Midianites, and strike them; for they harassed you with their wiles, wherein they have deceived you in the matter of Peor, and in the incident regarding Cozbi" (25:17-18). Here he says, "Avenge the children of Israel on the Midianites" (31:2), and Moses calls it "the LORD’s vengeance on Midian" (31:3). Moses also says the women of Midian had caused Israel, "through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, and so the plague was among the congregation of the LORD" (31:16), and at Peor "Those who died by the plague were twenty-four thousand" (25:9). Christians who hold these verses read the command with two main emphases. Both start from what the chapter says: the LORD spoke the command to Moses (31:1-2), and Moses passed it on to the people (31:3). Both also read it beside what the New Testament says to believers: Jesus taught his disciples, "love your enemies" (Matthew 5:44), and Paul writes, "Don’t seek revenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to God’s wrath" (Romans 12:19).
How Christians read it
Where Christians differ, Favor sets out the main views side by side and doesn't pick one.
The LORD's judgment on Midian
Some put the weight on the word vengeance. The chapter calls the war "the LORD’s vengeance on Midian" (31:3), for what Midian had done at Peor (25:17-18). On this reading the LORD acted as judge, and Israel carried out his sentence. Abraham calls him "the Judge of all the earth" (Genesis 18:25), a psalm calls him "God to whom vengeance belongs" (Psalm 94:1), and Paul quotes, "Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord" (Romans 12:19).
Numbers 31:3 · Numbers 25:17-18 · Genesis 18:25 · Psalm 94:1 · Romans 12:19
Guarding Israel from being led away
Others put the weight on what Moses says had happened: the women of Midian "caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the LORD" (31:16). At Peor "they called the people to the sacrifices of their gods. The people ate and bowed down to their gods" (25:2). At Sinai the LORD had warned about the inhabitants of the land in words close to these,"lest they play the prostitute after their gods, and sacrifice to their gods, and one call you and you eat of his sacrifice" (Exodus 34:15). On this reading the command's main concern is Israel's faithfulness to the LORD.
Numbers 31:16 · Numbers 25:1-2 · Exodus 34:15-16
The verses
“Those who died by the plague were twenty-four thousand.”
““Harass the Midianites, and strike them; for they harassed you with their wiles, wherein they have deceived you in the matter of Peor, and in the incident regarding Cozbi, the daughter of the prince of Midian, their sister, who was slain on the day of the plague in the matter of Peor.””
“The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Avenge the children of Israel on the Midianites. Afterward you shall be gathered to your people.” Moses spoke to the people, saying, “Arm men from among you for war, that they may go against Midian, to execute the LORD’s vengeance on Midian.”
“Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, and so the plague was among the congregation of the LORD.”