Numbers 31:54

31:53 (For the men of war had taken spoil, every man for himself.)

And Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the tabernacle of the congregation, for a memorial for the children of Israel before the LORD.

KJV

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Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the Tent of Meeting, for a memorial for the children of Israel before Yahweh.

And Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the tabernacle of the congregation, for a memorial for the children of Israel before the Lord.

What does Numbers 31:54 mean?

Numbers 31:54 is a verse in the book of Numbers, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include מֹשֶׁה (Môsheh), אֶלְעָזָר (ʼElʻâzâr), כֹּהֵן (kôhên). It connects to 7 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

And

MosesמֹשֶׁהMôsheh/mo-sheh'/H4872Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver

and

EleazarאֶלְעָזָרʼElʻâzâr/el-aw-zawr'/H499Elazar, the name of seven Israelites

the

priestכֹּהֵןkôhên/ko-hane'/H3548literally one officiating, a priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a layman)

tookלָקַחlâqach/law-kakh'/H3947to take (in the widest variety of applications)

the

goldזָהָבzâhâb/zaw-hawb'/H2091gold, figuratively, something gold-colored (i.e. yellow), as oil, a clear sky

the

captainsשַׂרsar/sar/H8269a head person (of any rank or class)

thousandsאֶלֶףʼeleph/eh'-lef/H505hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousand

and

hundreds,מֵאָהmêʼâh/may-aw'/H3967a hundred; also as a multiplicative and a fraction

and

broughtבּוֹאbôwʼ/bo/H935to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)

into

the

tabernacleאֹהֶלʼôhel/o'-hel/H168a tent (as clearly conspicuous from a distance)

the

congregation,מוֹעֵדmôwʻêd/mo-ade'/H4150properly, an appointment, i.e. a fixed time or season; specifically, a festival; conventionally ayear; by implication, an assembly (as convened for a definite purpose); technically the congregation; by extension, the place of meeting; also a signal (as appointed beforehand)

for

memorialזִכְרוֹןzikrôwn/zik-rone'/H2146a memento (or memorable thing, day or writing)

for

the

childrenבֵּןbên/bane/H1121a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)

IsraelיִשְׂרָאֵלYisrâʼêl/yis-raw-ale'/H3478Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity

beforeפָּנִיםpânîym/paw-neem'/H6440the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)

the

LORD.יְהֹוָהYᵉhôvâh/yeh-ho-vaw'/H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of God

Commentary on Numbers 31:54

HENRY_FULL · Numbers 31:51–54

all-caps">Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 53 Unto these the land shall be divided for an inheritance according to the number of names. 54 To many thou shalt give the more inheritance, and to few thou shalt give the less inheritance: to every one shall his inheritance be given according to those that were numbered of him. 55 Notwithstanding the land shall be divided by lot: according to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit. 56 According to the lot shall the possession thereof be divided between many and few. If any ask why such a particular account is kept of the tribes, and families, and numbers, of the people of Israel, here is an answer for them; as they were multiplied, so they were portioned, not by common providence, but by promise; and, for the support of the honour of divine revelation, God will have the fulfilling of the promise taken notice of both in their increase and in their inheritance. When Moses had numbered the people God did not say, By these shall the land be conquered; but, taking that for granted, he tells him, Unto these shall the land be divided. "These that are now registered as the sons of Israel shall be admitted (as it were by copy of court-roll) heirs of the land of Canaan." Now, in the distributing, or quartering, of these tribes, 1. The general rule of equity is here prescribed to Moses, that to many he should give more, and to few he should give less ( v. 54 ); yet, alas! he was so far from giving any to others that he must not have any himself, but this direction given to him was intended for Joshua his successor. 2. The application of this general rule was to be determined by lot ( v. 55 ); notwithstanding it seems thus to be left to the prudence of their prince, yet the matter must be finally reserved to the providence of their God, in which they must all acquiesce, how much soever it contradicted their policies or inclination: According to the lot shall the possession be divided. As the God of nations, so the God of Israel in particular, reserves it to himself to appoint the bounds of our habitation. And thus Christ, our Joshua, when he was urged to appoint one of his disciples to his right hand, another to his left in his kingdom, acknowledged the sovereignty of his Father in the disposal: It is not mine to give. Joshua must not dispose of inheritances in Canaan according to his own mind. But it shall be given to those for whom it is prepared of my Father. 57 And these

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Genesis 46:11

And the sons of Levi; Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Gershon: or, Gershom

Exodus 6:16

And these are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari: and the years of the life of Levi were an hundred thirty and seven years.

Numbers 3:1

These also are the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day that the LORD spake with Moses in mount Sinai.

Numbers 35:2

Command the children of Israel, that they give unto the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in; and ye shall give also unto the Levites suburbs for the cities round about them.

Numbers 35:3

And the cities shall they have to dwell in; and the suburbs of them shall be for their cattle, and for their goods, and for all their beasts.

1 Chronicles 6:1

The sons of Levi; Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Gershon: or, Gershom

1 Chronicles 6:16

The sons of Levi; Gershom, Kohath, and Merari. Gershom: or, Gershon

Topics

Desert, Journey of Israel Through The Spoils Tabernacle Treasure-Houses

People & places in this verse

People

Moses Eleazar

Things

Tabernacle

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Numbers 31:54.

Ezekiel 48:30

And these are the goings out of the city on the north side, four thousand and five hundred measures.

Ezekiel 48:32

And at the east side four thousand and five hundred: and three gates; and one gate of Joseph, one gate of Benjamin, one gate of Dan.

Ezekiel 48:33

And at the south side four thousand and five hundred measures: and three gates; one gate of Simeon, one gate of Issachar, one gate of Zebulun.

Ezekiel 48:34

At the west side four thousand and five hundred, with their three gates; one gate of Gad, one gate of Asher, one gate of Naphtali.

Isaiah 37:36

Then the angel of the LORD went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.

Jeremiah 52:30

In the three and twentieth year of Nebuchadrezzar Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive of the Jews seven hundred forty and five persons: all the persons were four thousand and six hundred.

Nehemiah 7:63

And of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children of Barzillai, which took one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite to wife, and was called after their name.

Psalms 119:72

The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.

Frequently asked questions

What does Numbers 31:54 say?

Numbers 31:54 (King James Version) reads: "And Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the tabernacle of the congregation, for a memorial for the children of Israel before the LORD."

Is Numbers 31:54 in the Old or New Testament?

Numbers 31:54 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Numbers.

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