Numbers 31:32
And the booty, being the rest of the prey which the men of war had caught, was six hundred thousand and seventy thousand and five thousand sheep,
Original Language Analysis
וַֽיְהִי֙
H1961
וַֽיְהִי֙
Strong's:
H1961
Word #:
1 of 16
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
הַמַּלְק֔וֹחַ
And the booty
H4455
הַמַּלְק֔וֹחַ
And the booty
Strong's:
H4455
Word #:
2 of 16
transitively (in dual) the jaws (as taking food)
יֶ֣תֶר
being the rest
H3499
יֶ֣תֶר
being the rest
Strong's:
H3499
Word #:
3 of 16
properly, an overhanging, i.e., (by implication) a small rope (as hanging free)
אֲשֶׁ֥ר
H834
אֲשֶׁ֥ר
Strong's:
H834
Word #:
5 of 16
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc
עַ֣ם
which the men of
H5971
עַ֣ם
which the men of
Strong's:
H5971
Word #:
7 of 16
a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock
הַצָּבָ֑א
war
H6635
הַצָּבָ֑א
war
Strong's:
H6635
Word #:
8 of 16
a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized for war (an army); by implication, a campaign, literally or figuratively (speci
צֹ֗אן
sheep
H6629
צֹ֗אן
sheep
Strong's:
H6629
Word #:
9 of 16
a collective name for a flock (of sheep or goats); also figuratively (of men)
שֵׁשׁ
was six
H8337
שֵׁשׁ
was six
Strong's:
H8337
Word #:
10 of 16
six (as an overplus beyond five or the fingers of the hand); as ordinal, sixth
אֲלָפִֽים׃
thousand
H505
אֲלָפִֽים׃
thousand
Strong's:
H505
Word #:
12 of 16
hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousand
Historical Context
Midian descended from Abraham through Keturah (Genesis 25:1-2), occupying Arabian territory with vast pastoral wealth. Their alliance with Moab to curse Israel (Numbers 22-25) and seduce Israel into idolatry (Numbers 25:1-18) brought divine judgment. The spoils represented restitution for spiritual warfare waged against God's people.
Questions for Reflection
- How do these massive spoils demonstrate God's ability to provide abundantly beyond human expectation?
- What does Israel's imminent land conquest suggest about God's timing of provision?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
And the booty, being the rest of the prey which the men of war had caught, was six hundred thousand and seventy thousand and five thousand sheep—The precise number 675,000 (tson, flocks) demonstrates meticulous inventory and enormous scale. After setting aside tribute, soldiers received approximately 337,500 sheep; congregation received equal amount.
The staggering quantity reveals Midianite wealth and God's provision for desert-wandering Israel about to enter Canaan. These flocks provided meat, wool, sacrificial animals, and trade goods. The number's precision (not 'about 700,000') reflects ancient Near Eastern accounting practices and historical reliability. Skeptics doubt these figures, but Midian controlled lucrative trade routes, explaining accumulated wealth.