Today started out with specifics about vows for both men and women. A vow was something that should not have been made rashly, and a vow to the Lord must be kept.
When a man made a vow to the Lord, or swore an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do everything that proceeded out of his mouth.
When a young woman made a vow while in her father’s house she shall keep it if her father, when hearing of it, said nothing. If her father opposed it, then she was not bound to it and she would be forgiven by the Lord.
If she married a man while under her vows or any thoughtless utterance of her lips by which she had bound herself, and when hearing of it her husband said nothing, then she must keep it. If her husband heard of it and opposed it, then she would be forgiven.
Any vow of a widow or a divorced woman she had bound herself to, would stand against her.
So basically, a woman could attempt to do as she pleased and make decisions for herself, unless a man had a problem with it, then he could make the vow null and void?
Then it went on to discuss the vengeance on Midian. The Lord told Moses that the people of Israel would avenge themselves against the Midianites.
The Lord declared a holy war against the Midianites as one of Moses’ last actions before the end of his life. Moses was not motivated by petty jealousy; rather, the war was “the Lord’s vengeance” for the Midianites’ part in seducing the Israelites to engage in sexual immorality and to worship false gods. https://liveandlearnjourney.com/day-51-numbers-25-26/
The men were armed and ready for war. There were one thousand men from each of the tribes of Israel, so 12,000 men in all going to war. The burden of the holy war had to be shared equally.
The men were sent out with Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, vessels of the sanctuary, and the trumpets for sounding the alarm.
They warred against Midian as the Lord had commanded and killed every male. They killed the kings of Midian including Balaam. The people of Israel took captive the women of Midian and their children. They plundered all their cattle, flocks, and all their goods. All the places they lived and their encampments they burned with fire, and took all the spoil and plunder of both man and beast.
They brought the captives back to Moses and Eleazar, and to the congregation of the people. Moses was angry with the officers because they had let the women live. The only reason there was vengeance to be had on the Midianites was initially because of the Midianite women. There was a plague because of it. Isn’t that ironic!
They were told to kill all the male children, and all the women who were not virgins. Only the women who had never been with a man were allowed to live and were kept alive for themselves.
So, let me get this straight. Killing is a commandment and a big no-no, but if it’s for the Lord’s war it’s ok? Even killing women and children? This doesn’t make any sense to me. If it’s a rule/law/commandment not to kill, then why would there be a war in the first place?
It went on to explain how they could make themselves clean again and atone for their sins, but I just don’t buy it. I feel this is all very hypocritical. Why make a commandment if they’re “allowed” to break it?
They divided the plunder up evenly. Since this was a holy war, there was a fair distribution of the spoils of war. Both those who fought in battle, and those who stayed with the community got equal shares; along with the appropriate shares being given to the Lord, who’s battle it was.
The plunder remaining from the spoils that the soldiers took was:
-675,000 sheep
-72,000 cattle
-61,000 donkeys
-32,000 virgin women
The half share of those who fought in the battle was:
-337,500 sheep, Lord’s tribute was 675
-36,000 cattle, Lord’s tribute was 72
-30,500 donkeys, Lord’s tribute was 61
-16,000 people, Lord’s tribute was 32
The half belonging to the Israelites in the community, who didn’t fight was:
-337,500 sheep
-36,000 cattle
-30,500 donkeys
-16,000 people
*Of the communities’ share, Moses selected one out of every fifty person or animal to be given to the Levites who were responsible for taking care of the tabernacle.
When the officers counted their men from war, there was not one of them who was missing. They brought gold, armlets and bracelets, signet rings, earrings and beads, to make atonement for themselves before the Lord.
They presented 16,750 shekels before the Lord. Moses and Eleazar received the gold and took it into the tent of meeting as a memorial for the people of Israel before the Lord.
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