Holy War
31: 13-18
Holy war DIG: What is a holy war to you? What is the difference between a holy war and a regular war? Why was it a bad thing that little Midianites would grow up to be big Midianites? Why were the young girls spared, but not the rest? How has ADONAI shown you mercy?
REFLECT: Does the fact that all these men, women, and young boys were all killed bother you? Why? Why not? What makes it acceptable? After the slaughter of 1,200 Israelis and foreigners on October 7th, 2024, is Isra’el’s response a holy war? Why? Why not?
The triumphant army returns with the spoils of war and captive women and children.
Ha’Shem’s vengeance (31:13-17): Moshe, Eleazar the high priest and all the community leaders went to meet the soldiers and the prisoners of war outside the camp. The returning army, requiring purification from corpse contamination, could not enter the camp. This requirement follows the mitzvah of Numbers 5:1-4 and Deuteronomy 23:10-15. In contrast to a settlement, the war camp always needed to be in a state of purity to allow for the holy Presence of God to rest there (to see link click Fs – Purification by Fire).
The taking of women captives was permitted in any war with non-Canaanites (Deuteronomy 20:14; see Genesis 34:28-29), but in this instance the sight of the Midianite women aroused Moshe’s wrath. They were responsible for the apostasy and plague that killed 24,000 Israelites at Ba’al-Peor (see Ea – Taking a stand for God).709 Moshe was angry with the army officers, the commanders of thousands and the leaders of the elite units from each tribe coming in from the battlefield because this was a holy war, so he asked them, “You let the women live? Why, these are the ones who – because of Balaam’s advice (Revelation 2:14) – caused the people of Isra’el to rebel, breaking faith with ADONAI in the Peor incident, so that the plague broke out among ADONAI’s community! So, Moses ordered: Kill every woman who has slept with an Israelite man, and also kill all the boys. Why kill all the males, regardless of age? Because in biblical times, the male line determined nationality. All the Midianite men in the Transjordan had already been killed (see Fq – Report of the battle), and by killing all the boys, all five clans of the Midianites (31:8) would be wiped out.
Did the Israelite soldiers do something wrong? Why was Moshe angry? The holy war mitzvot laid out most fully in Deuteronomy 20 seems to form some of the background here in Numbers 31. Some holy war texts in the TaNaKh assure us that everything and everyone in an enemy town was to be destroyed. But, the Israelite commanders apparently obeyed the general holy war instructions from Deuteronomy 20 (see the commentary on Deuteronomy Dp – Regulations for a Holy War) here in Numbers 31. At this time the mitzvah was probably verbal, but would be written down later in Deuteronomy. Moses was angry because the war against Midian was a special case of holy war. The women of Midian had seduced the Israelite men into sexual relations and apostasy, guided by the counsel of Balaam (Revelation 2:14). Thus, a compromise was reached and a special arrangement was made: Isra’el needed to kill all the Midianite women and boys (see Fp – The War Against Midian). They were apparently viewed as potential warriors and thus enemies that would need to be killed. The execution of Moshe’s instruction is not recorded. But you may keep for yourselves all the women, children, livestock, and other plunder. You may enjoy the plunder from your enemies that the LORD your God has given you (Deuteronomy 20:14).710
ADONAI’s mercy (31:18): However, ADONAI showed His mercy when He said to Moses, “But the prepubescent young girls who were virgins, keep alive for yourselves.” This was done because women did not determine national identity and shows how Gentile women taken in war could be incorporated into the nation of Isra’el. Those girls who were kept alive would have had to be rather young. Though the lives of those girls were to be preserved, their mothers would have to be killed.711 Those given to the Levites became servants to help around the Tabernacle (Exodus 38:8 and First Samuel 2:22). They would have been subject to the mitzvot of the fair treatment of slaves/servants (see the commentary on Deuteronomy Ed – Treat Fugitive Slaves Kindly); if eventually given to the sons in marriage, they were subject to the mitzvot of captured women (see Deuteronomy Dr – When You Go Out to War). The most important issue in approaching texts such as this is not to concentrate on the suffering and pain of the God-rejecting Midianites, but to focus on the holiness of the LORD that it celebrates. In the midst of His terrible wrath, God demonstrates His mercy.712
Holy war: It is important to see that the holy war is portrayed as only a temporary measure in the Bible, confined to the time of the conquest of Canaan. No later texts in the prophets or elsewhere ever urge Isra’el to take up holy war again. In fact, the goal of the holy war against Canaan, to eliminate all the inhabitants so that they would not tempt Isra’el to follow their gods, was never achieved (see the commentary on Joshua Aq – The Angel of ADONAI at Bokim). The holy war of violence was a strategy that failed in its attempt to define a clear boundary between the Israelites and the godless Canaanites. Isra’el continued to struggle throughout her history to discern when to welcome and when to resist the culture and the peoples of other nations. Isra’el continued to fight battles against the enemies of God’s will, but it became more and more a battle of words, persuasion, obedience, and education through devotion to God’s Word.713 Joshua would declare: Only be strong and very bold in taking care to follow all the Torah which Moshe my servant ordered you to follow; do not turn from it either to the right or to the left; then you will succeed wherever you go. Yes, keep this book of the Torah on your lips, and meditate on it day and night, so that you will take care to act according to everything written in it. Then your undertakings will prosper, and you will succeed. Haven’t I ordered you, ‘Be strong, be bold’? So don’t be afraid or downhearted, because ADONAI your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:7-9).
Dear Heavenly Father, Praise Your awesome wisdom and love, and that even in Your wrath You demonstrate mercy. Thank you that though Isra’el is Your first born (Exodus 4:22), You welcome those from other nations who choose You as the one they love and follow. You included in Messiah’s line, several women from other nations who chose to love and follow You. Ruth, the Moabitess, chose to leave her home, come to follow You and she became the great-grandmother of King David (Ruth 1:21-22), from whom Messiah came (Matthew 1:1). Tamar from Timnah, a Canaanite city, bore Judah sons Perez and Zerah, in the line of Messiah (Matthew 1:3).
You are not a God who plays favorites with some people/nations and excludes other people/nations. You do not hate the Midianites or any nation simply because they are Gentiles. You are Holy and cannot tolerate it when a nation makes sin its god. You call all to come to you to drink (Isaiah 55:1). When someone comes to You to love and to follow You – then they find rest for their souls. Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls (Matthew 11:28-29). It is not the nation of origin that is the ticket to heaven, but it is the heart of love that opens heaven’s door due to Your righteousness (First Corinthians 5:21).
Thank You that You are a Holy God who calls for a Holy War when needed, to protect Your people from the sinful corruption of other nations. You are omniscient and know when to open the door to people from all nations who love You, and when You should take out habitually evil people who will not change. It brings great shalom to know that You protect Your children from sin’s evil grasp and also open the door to all who love You. In Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen
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