Numbers 31:1-54
31:1 God's mission for the children of Israel is to uproot the evil that interferes with them. Moses' passing away is approaching; although we will not say goodbye to him until Deuteronomy 34.
31:2-4 Moses gathers 1,000 men from each of the tribes of Israel to be soldiers against the corrupt Midianites.
31:4-6 In all, 12,000 men from the children of Israel are sent into the battle (including Phinehas from the previous chapter, son of the priest Eleazar.)
31:7-8 The children of Israel prevail in overcoming all of the corrupt Midianite men.
31:9-11 The children of Israel gather the Midianite women and children, all of the Midianite nation's livestock and goods and then burned the cities.
31:12-13 The 12,000 return from the battle with all of the people and goods acquired. Presently, the group is located in the planes of Moab by the Jordan, across from Jericho.
31:14-16 Moses is upset to find that the children of Israel brought back some of the corrupt Midianite women. Moses' concern is that the women will continue to plot against and tarnish the faith of the rest of the children of Israel.
31:17-18 This command is difficult perhaps to understand. Moses orders the corrupt women and their eldest sons to be killed. Although we know that life on earth is but a shadow, James 4:14, not our real or infinite life, Psalm 144:4, it is a difficult command to understand. Moses' intention is to root out evil at the beginning. He does not want any Midianite women raising their sons, with claims to Midianite nation, against the children of Israel. The unwed Midiante daughters are allowed to stay and marry with the children of Israel, assuming their innocence and assimilation to the faith.
31:19-20 The seven days away from camp, an order given by Moses, is meant to be a time of purification for the soldiers. War is, of course, traumatic, violent and destructive. It is always important for us to take time of reflection and re-alignment after any event, especially one so painful. The time is meant to remind the men of their values and priorities, motivations and intentions. God is not trying to create a brutal army. He is trying to root out evil through good. War never seems good but sometimes it is necessary (here in the world).
31:21-24 Eleazar the priest instructs the men (through Moses, from God) to only keep the strong metals. This is symbolic. God explains Himself as a hot fire: warm and refining to pure, kind, faithful souls but an eliminator of weak, corrupt souls.
31:25-54 The rest of this chapter is comprised of the divisions of all that was procured from the Midianites.
