31:1 VA YEDABER YHVH EL MOSHEH LEMOR
וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה אֶל מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר
KJ (King James translation): And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
BN (BibleNet translation): Then YHVH spoke to Mosheh, saying:
31:2 NEKOM NIKMAT BENEY YISRA-EL MEY ET HA MIDYANIM ACHAR TE'ASEPH EL AMEYCHA
נְקֹם נִקְמַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאֵת הַמִּדְיָנִים אַחַר תֵּאָסֵף אֶלעַמֶּיךָ
KJ: Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people.
BN: Avenge the Beney Yisra-El against the Midyanim; afterwards you shall be gathered to your people.
NEKOM: Once again we are reminded that the Judeo-Christian divinity, like the Moslem, is not simply and exclusively a god of peace, justice, mercy, truth and compassion, though we might like to publicise these virtues first and only remember his other aspects somewhat later; he is a god of destruction, both by natural and by human means. Vengeance is mine, says the lord. Though why, in this particular instance, has alas not been informed. Is this a continuation of the squabble over Kazbi (Numbers 25)? But the text told us that Yisra-El won that little skirmish. And is Mosheh about to wipe out his own in-laws?
MIDYAN: As noted before, Mosheh spent a period of asylum in Midyan, with Yitro, and married Tsiporah, and fathered Gershom and Eli-Ezer, who he sent home when he sent Tsiporah home (Exodus 18), so we can safely assume that they will be among the victims when this slaughter is undertaken.
ACHAR: This last clause added in by the Redactor to get around the double-problem. The obvious first is that the President cum Commander-in-Chief left the White House three chapters ago, handing over to his newly inaugurated successor, so being gathered to his people now or later isn't relevant - Yehoshu'a is in charge, and he is the one who should ve receiving this executive order from the heavens, and carrying it out.
The second problem is the more interesting though. In all probability there never was a Mosheh and there never was a Yehoshu'a, but there was an Egyptian named Ach-Mousa, who drove the Hyksos conquerors out of Egypt, across the Sinai peninsula, through Kena'an, doing immense damage to both Midyan, Edom and Mo-Av in the process, before returing to Egypt to re-establish his family as the ruling dynasty, with himself as Pharaoh - all of this remembered by the Yisra-Elim later on, through various tribal legends, which also absorb various other pieces of legend, myth and history; and in some of those tribal memories he was called Mosheh, and in others Yehoshu'a; but for reasons of religious ideology probably related to tribal rivalries, Yehoshu'a has his own book, separate from the Torah, so anything that happens in Torah has to be Mosheh.
31:3 VA YEDABER MOSHEH EL HA AM LEMOR HECHALTSU MEY IT'CHEM ANASHIM LA TSAVA VA YIHEYU AL MIDYAN LATET NIKMAT YHVH BE MIDYAN
KJ: And Moses spake unto the people, saying, Arm some of yourselves unto the war, and let them go against the Midianites, and avenge the LORD of Midian.
BN: Then Mosheh spoke to the people, saying: Arm men from among you for the war, that they may go against Midyan, to execute YHVH's vengeance on Midyan.
31:4 ELEPH LA MATEH ELEPH LA MATEH LE CHOL MATOT YISRA-EL TISHLECHU LA TSAVA
KJ: Of every tribe a thousand, throughout all the tribes of Israel, shall ye send to the war.
BN: A thousand from each tribe, from all the tribes of Yisra-El, you shall send to the war.
31:5 VA YIMASRU MEY ALPHEY YISRA-EL ELEPH LA MATEH SHENEYM ASAR ELEPH TSAVA
KJ: So there were delivered out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand of every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war.
BN: So were provided, out of the thousands of Yisra-El, a thousand from every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war.
31:6 VA YISHLACH OTAM MOSHEH ELEPH LA MATEH LA TSAVA OTAM VE ET PINCHAS BEN AL-AZAR HA KOHEN LA TSAVA U CHLEY HA KODESH VA CHATSOTSROT HA TERU'AH BE YADO
KJ: And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand of every tribe, them and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the holy instruments, and the trumpets to blow in his hand.
BN: And Mosheh sent them to the war, a thousand from every tribe, plus Pinchas ben El-Azar the Kohen, with the holy vessels and the trumpets for the alarum in his hand.
KLEY KODESH: Which ones exactly did he take? Fast-forward to the Book of Samuel (1:4:4-14), when the sons of the then High Priest Eli took the ark of the covenant itself into battle, and it was captured... we can take it for granted that the Ark was not taken on this occasion (or it would surely have been mentioned, giving it the praise for the victory), and that El-Azar would have carried the Urim and Tumim as well as the trumpets - though we are not told if they were Shofarim or Chatatsrot (see my notes and links at Numbers 10:2 for the difference) - presumably the former as this is a holy war. But what else?
31:3 VA YEDABER MOSHEH EL HA AM LEMOR HECHALTSU MEY IT'CHEM ANASHIM LA TSAVA VA YIHEYU AL MIDYAN LATET NIKMAT YHVH BE MIDYAN
וַיְדַבֵּר מֹשֶׁה אֶל הָעָם לֵאמֹר הֵחָלְצוּ מֵאִתְּכֶם אֲנָשִׁים לַצָּבָא וְיִהְיוּ עַל מִדְיָן לָתֵת נִקְמַת יְהוָה בְּמִדְיָן
KJ: And Moses spake unto the people, saying, Arm some of yourselves unto the war, and let them go against the Midianites, and avenge the LORD of Midian.
BN: Then Mosheh spoke to the people, saying: Arm men from among you for the war, that they may go against Midyan, to execute YHVH's vengeance on Midyan.
31:4 ELEPH LA MATEH ELEPH LA MATEH LE CHOL MATOT YISRA-EL TISHLECHU LA TSAVA
אֶלֶף לַמַּטֶּה אֶלֶף לַמַּטֶּה לְכֹל מַטּוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל תִּשְׁלְחוּ לַצָּבָא
KJ: Of every tribe a thousand, throughout all the tribes of Israel, shall ye send to the war.
BN: A thousand from each tribe, from all the tribes of Yisra-El, you shall send to the war.
31:5 VA YIMASRU MEY ALPHEY YISRA-EL ELEPH LA MATEH SHENEYM ASAR ELEPH TSAVA
וַיִּמָּסְרוּ מֵאַלְפֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶלֶף לַמַּטֶּה שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר אֶלֶף חֲלוּצֵי צָבָא
KJ: So there were delivered out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand of every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war.
BN: So were provided, out of the thousands of Yisra-El, a thousand from every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war.
31:6 VA YISHLACH OTAM MOSHEH ELEPH LA MATEH LA TSAVA OTAM VE ET PINCHAS BEN AL-AZAR HA KOHEN LA TSAVA U CHLEY HA KODESH VA CHATSOTSROT HA TERU'AH BE YADO
וַיִּשְׁלַח אֹתָם מֹשֶׁה אֶלֶף לַמַּטֶּה לַצָּבָא אֹתָם וְאֶת פִּינְחָס בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן לַצָּבָא וּכְלֵי הַקֹּדֶשׁ וַחֲצֹצְרוֹת הַתְּרוּעָה בְּיָדוֹ
KJ: And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand of every tribe, them and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the holy instruments, and the trumpets to blow in his hand.
BN: And Mosheh sent them to the war, a thousand from every tribe, plus Pinchas ben El-Azar the Kohen, with the holy vessels and the trumpets for the alarum in his hand.
KLEY KODESH: Which ones exactly did he take? Fast-forward to the Book of Samuel (1:4:4-14), when the sons of the then High Priest Eli took the ark of the covenant itself into battle, and it was captured... we can take it for granted that the Ark was not taken on this occasion (or it would surely have been mentioned, giving it the praise for the victory), and that El-Azar would have carried the Urim and Tumim as well as the trumpets - though we are not told if they were Shofarim or Chatatsrot (see my notes and links at Numbers 10:2 for the difference) - presumably the former as this is a holy war. But what else?
31:7 VA YITSBE'U AL MIDYAN KA ASHER TSIVAH YHVH ET MOSHEH VA YAHARGU KOL ZACHAR
וַיִּצְבְּאוּ עַל מִדְיָן כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה אֶת מֹשֶׁה וַיַּהַרְגוּ כָּל זָכָר
KJ: And they warred against the Midianites, as the LORD commanded Moses; and they slew all the males.
BN: And they made war against Midyan, as YHVH instructed Mosheh; and they slew every male.
We like to return to the Bible as our model of the divine word, but need to remember that ethnic cleansing to the point of genocide is a familar and repeated and divinely approved (nay encouraged, commanded and required) activity within the holy scripture.
One residual question: amongst the "every male" of Midyan that was slaughtered must have been Gershom and Eli-Ezer. Did Mosheh mourn their deaths, or celebrate the victory? Yitro too, of course. When Aharon lost two of his sons (Leviticus 10) because of an incident unacceptable to the deity, he was instructed not to mourn; logically the same should apply here.
31:8 VE ET MALCHEY MIDYAN HARGU AL CHALELEYHEM ET EVI VE ET REKEM VE ET TSUR VE ET CHOR VE ET REVA CHAMESHET MALCHEY MIDYAN VE ET BIL'AM BEN BE'OR HARGU BE CHEREV
וְאֶת מַלְכֵי מִדְיָן הָרְגוּ עַל חַלְלֵיהֶם אֶת אֱוִי וְאֶת רֶקֶם וְאֶת צוּר וְאֶת חוּר וְאֶת רֶבַע חֲמֵשֶׁת מַלְכֵי מִדְיָן וְאֵת בִּלְעָם בֶּן בְּעוֹר הָרְגוּ בֶּחָרֶב
KJ: And they slew the kings of Midian, beside the rest of them that were slain; namely, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword.
BN: And they slew the kings of Midyan with the rest of their slain: Evi, and Rekem, and Tsur, and Chor, and Reva, the five kings of Midyan; Bil'am also, the son of Be'or, they slew with the sword.
CHAMESHET MALCHEY MIDYAN: These are the areas where scholars need to go, but seem never to go. They take for granted. It says "kings" so they must have been kings, like William the Conqueror and Charles 1 and the gloriously mad George III. But a country with five kings? A tiny country too, Midyan, about the size of Wales - with five kings? But MELECH in Yehudit means "king", does it not?
The root is HALACH, which means "to go", but that initial MEM tells us it is in either the intensive (Pi'el) or causative (Hiphil) form, and therefore means "to lead", or "to guide", either way a position as the shepherd, where the root is for the sheep.
At the same time, and for the same reason, MELECH is connected to MOLOCH, who was a divinity, and each of his city-shrines had a priest-king who ruled in his name, like Avi-Melech in the Yitschak (Isaac) and Rivkah (Rebecca) story (Genesis 26), or Malki-Tsedek in the tale of Av-Raham's visit to pre-Yeru-Shala'im (Genesis 14), or like Herakles in the Greek tales, who is really Herakles Melkarth, "the beloved of Hera and the high priest of Moloch" (a name exactly equivalent in meaning to King David's!). So "five kings" really means "five priest-kings", theocratic rulers of five shrines or towns within Midyan - and if he was still alive, and not yet retired, Yitro would have been one of them. Like ancient Greece, which was divided into city-states and never conceived of itself as a nation, like mediaeval Italy, which was never Italy until half a millennium later, but divided into city-states, so also was ancient Yisra-El, though they called these divisions "tribes" because big cities had not yet been much developed; and so too most of the surrounding "nations".
31:9 VA YISHBU VENEY YISRA-EL ET NESHEY MIDYAN VE ET TAPAM VE ET KOL BEHEMTAM VE ET KOL MIKNEYHEM VE ET KOL CHEYLAM BE ZAZU
KJ: And the children of Israel took all the women of Midian captives, and their little ones, and took the spoil of all their cattle, and all their flocks, and all their goods.
BN: And the Beney Yisra-El took captive the women of Midyan and their little ones; and all their cattle, and all their flocks, and all their goods, they took for a prey.
And you shall have just laws, the same laws for you and the people who live among you, because you were slaves in Mitsrayim (Egypt)... but in the meanwhile, take the captive women and children and use them as you please... I wonder if that included Tsiporah? And Gershom and Eli-Ezer would have been in their forties by this time, so bound to have been married, with children; wouldn't it be an odd coincidence if one of Mosheh's own grandchildren...
31:9 VA YISHBU VENEY YISRA-EL ET NESHEY MIDYAN VE ET TAPAM VE ET KOL BEHEMTAM VE ET KOL MIKNEYHEM VE ET KOL CHEYLAM BE ZAZU
וַיִּשְׁבּוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת נְשֵׁי מִדְיָן וְאֶת טַפָּם וְאֵת כָּל בְּהֶמְתָּם וְאֶת כָּל מִקְנֵהֶם וְאֶת כָּל חֵילָם בָּזָזוּ
KJ: And the children of Israel took all the women of Midian captives, and their little ones, and took the spoil of all their cattle, and all their flocks, and all their goods.
BN: And the Beney Yisra-El took captive the women of Midyan and their little ones; and all their cattle, and all their flocks, and all their goods, they took for a prey.
And you shall have just laws, the same laws for you and the people who live among you, because you were slaves in Mitsrayim (Egypt)... but in the meanwhile, take the captive women and children and use them as you please... I wonder if that included Tsiporah? And Gershom and Eli-Ezer would have been in their forties by this time, so bound to have been married, with children; wouldn't it be an odd coincidence if one of Mosheh's own grandchildren...
BEHEMTAM: Which means they don't need YHVH to send them any more manna!
31:10 VE ET KOL AREYHEM BE MOSHAVOTAM VE ET KOL TIROTAM SARPHU BA ESH
KJ: And they burnt all their cities wherein they dwelt, and all their goodly castles, with fire.
BN: And they razed every one of their cities, every place in which they dwelt, even the Bedou encampments.
Does what is described in these verses provide an accurate description-definition for the word "pogrom"? Pera'ot in Yehudit, to save you looking it up.
31:11 VA YIK'CHU ET KOL HA SHALAL VE ET KOL HA MALKO'ACH BA ADAM U VA BEHEMAH
KJ: And they took all the spoil, and all the prey, both of men and of beasts.
BN: And they took all the spoil, and all the prey, both of man and of beast.
31:10 VE ET KOL AREYHEM BE MOSHAVOTAM VE ET KOL TIROTAM SARPHU BA ESH
וְאֵת כָּל עָרֵיהֶם בְּמוֹשְׁבֹתָם וְאֵת כָּל טִירֹתָם שָׂרְפוּ בָּאֵשׁ
KJ: And they burnt all their cities wherein they dwelt, and all their goodly castles, with fire.
BN: And they razed every one of their cities, every place in which they dwelt, even the Bedou encampments.
Does what is described in these verses provide an accurate description-definition for the word "pogrom"? Pera'ot in Yehudit, to save you looking it up.
31:11 VA YIK'CHU ET KOL HA SHALAL VE ET KOL HA MALKO'ACH BA ADAM U VA BEHEMAH
וַיִּקְחוּ אֶת כָּל הַשָּׁלָל וְאֵת כָּל הַמַּלְקוֹחַ בָּאָדָם וּבַבְּהֵמָה
KJ: And they took all the spoil, and all the prey, both of men and of beasts.
BN: And they took all the spoil, and all the prey, both of man and of beast.
This, of course, is how Cortés dealt with Montezuma, how Alexander acquired the sobriquet "the great", how Napoleon came to find himself exiled to St Helena, why Goerring and co found themselves in Nuremburg on trial, and why Slobodan Milošević and Radovan Karadžić and Ratko Mladić and others have been putting in appearances at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. In today's parlance, war crimes. In yesterday's parlance, "the glory that was Rome" and "the greatness of the British Empire". I wonder if Kazbi was among the captured women, and what fate awaited her and her fellow "zonot" when they reached the Yisra-Eli camp. Presumably as "spoils of war" it was no longer considered harlotry (see Numbers 25).
31:12 VA YAVI'U EL MOSHEH VE EL EL-AZAR HA KOHEN VE EL ADAT BENEY YISRA-EL ET HA SHEVI VE ET HA MALKO'ACH VE ET HA SHALAL EL HA MACHANEH EL ARVOT MO-AV ASHER AL YARDEN YERECHO
31:12 VA YAVI'U EL MOSHEH VE EL EL-AZAR HA KOHEN VE EL ADAT BENEY YISRA-EL ET HA SHEVI VE ET HA MALKO'ACH VE ET HA SHALAL EL HA MACHANEH EL ARVOT MO-AV ASHER AL YARDEN YERECHO
וַיָּבִאוּ אֶל מֹשֶׁה וְאֶל אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן וְאֶל עֲדַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הַשְּׁבִי וְאֶת הַמַּלְקוֹחַ וְאֶת הַשָּׁלָל אֶל הַמַּחֲנֶה אֶל עַרְבֹת מוֹאָב אֲשֶׁר עַל יַרְדֵּן יְרֵחוֹ
KJ: And they brought the captives, and the prey, and the spoil, unto Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and unto the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the camp at the plains of Moab, which are by Jordan near Jericho.
BN: And they brought the captives, and the prey, and the spoil, to Mosheh, and to El-Azar the Kohen, and to the congregation of the Beney Yisra-El, to the camp, to the plains of Mo-Av, which are by the river Yarden at Yerecho.
samech break
31:13 VA YETSU MOSHEH VE EL-AZAR HA KOHEN VE CHOL NESIY'EY HA EDAH LIKRATAM EL MICHUTS LA MACHANEH
וַיֵּצְאוּ מֹשֶׁה וְאֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן וְכָל נְשִׂיאֵי הָעֵדָה לִקְרָאתָם אֶל מִחוּץ לַמַּחֲנֶה
KJ: And Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and all the princes of the congregation, went forth to meet them without the camp.
BN: And Mosheh, and El-Azar the Kohen, and all the princes of the congregation, went out to meet them, outside the camp.
Outside because of their numbers, or because they were treyf? And we know they were treyf, precisely from the story of Kazbi, and the reason for this "holy war".
31:14 VA YIKTSOPH MOSHEH AL PEKUDEY HE CHAYIL SAREY HA ALAPHIM VE SAREY HA ME'OT HA BA'IM MI TSEVA HA MILCHAMAH
וַיִּקְצֹף מֹשֶׁה עַל פְּקוּדֵי הֶחָיִל שָׂרֵי הָאֲלָפִים וְשָׂרֵי הַמֵּאוֹת הַבָּאִים מִצְּבָא הַמִּלְחָמָה
KJ: And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host, with the captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, which came from the battle.
BN: And Mosheh was angry with the officers of the army, the captains of thousands and the captains of hundreds, who came from serving in the war.
Numbers 31 is not a chapter that tends to get much attention among the priests and Rabbis who are looking for a good text for a sermon, nor for visiting speakers at school assemblies. What you have read thus far, with my increasingly acerbic commentary, should have self-explained why not: Mosheh the great leader, who turns out to have been... well, my friends, prepare yourselves, cause you ain't read nothing yet...
31:15 VA YOMER ALEYHEM MOSHEH HA CHIYITEM KOL NEKEVAH
וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם מֹשֶׁה הַחִיִּיתֶם כָּל נְקֵבָה
KJ: And Moses said unto them, Have ye saved all the women alive?
BN: And Mosheh said to them: "Have you saved all the women alive?..
And you thought he was angry because of all the unnecessary bloodshed! No, this is equivalent to the prophet Shemu-El arriving at Sha'ul's camp (1 Samuel 15), after the pogrom against the Amalekites, and his fury at finding the king, Agag, still alive. The problem is "not enough blood".
31:16 HEN HENAH HAYU LIVNEY YISRA-EL BI DEVAR BILAM LIMSAR MA'AL BA YHVH AL DEVAR PE'OR VA TEHI HA MAGEPHAH BA ADAT YHVH
הֵן הֵנָּה הָיוּ לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּדְבַר בִּלְעָם לִמְסָר מַעַל בַּיהוָה עַל דְּבַר פְּעוֹר וַתְּהִי הַמַּגֵּפָה בַּעֲדַת יְהוָה
KJ: Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD.
BN: "Behold, these caused the Beney Yisra-El, through the counsel of Bil'am, to revolt, so as to break faith with YHVH in the matter of Pe'or, and so there was a plague among the congregation of YHVH...
HEN HENAH HAYU: such poetry!
BI DEVAR BIL'AM: Wait a moment - what did Bil'am's prophecies have to do with the Beney Yisra-El following the rites of Anat? Yes, he delivered his final blessing from the shrine of Ba'al Pe'or (Numbers 23:28), which is where the Beney Yisra-El then went to participate in the rites, but... something must have been missing from the text, which has clearly had a huge impact on the remainder of his tale.
Mosheh at least has not forgotten Kazbi.
31:17 VE ATAH HIRGU CHOL ZACHAR BA TAPH VE CHOL ISHAH YODA'AT ISH LE MISHKAV ZACHAR HAROGU
וְעַתָּה הִרְגוּ כָל זָכָר בַּטָּף וְכָל אִשָּׁה יֹדַעַת אִישׁ לְמִשְׁכַּב זָכָר הֲרֹגוּ
KJ: Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him.
BN: "Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known a man by lying with him...
VE ATAH HIRGU CHOL ZACHAR BA TAPH: Echoes of the events surrounding his own birth! Exodus 1:15ff.
CHOL ZACHAR BA TAPH: Which must include Gershom and Eli-Ezer, if they are still alive.
CHOL ISHAH: Which must include Tsiporah, if she is still alive.
31:18 VE CHOL HA TOPH BA NASHIM ASHER LO YADU MISHKAV ZACHAR HACHAYU LACHEM
וְכֹל הַטַּף בַּנָּשִׁים אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָדְעוּ מִשְׁכַּב זָכָר הַחֲיוּ לָכֶם
KJ: But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves.
BN: "But all the girl-children, who have not known a man by lying with him, keep them alive for yourselves...
Yes, but you can keep the virgins. How gentlemanly!
In the world of Moslem terrorists, the promise of 72 virgins when you reach Heaven is used to encourage suicide bombers and human shields. But this is so much better; 72 virgins right now, even though they are the daughters of precisely those Midyanite women whose lack of sexual propriety caused this war in the first place. Long live hypocrisy!
31:19 VE ATEM CHANU MI CHUTS LA MACHANEH SHIVAT YAMIM KOL HOREG NEPHESH VE CHOL NOGE'A BE CHALAL TIT'CHATU BA YOM HA SHELISHI U VA YOM HA SHEVIYI ATEM U SHEVICHEM
In the world of Moslem terrorists, the promise of 72 virgins when you reach Heaven is used to encourage suicide bombers and human shields. But this is so much better; 72 virgins right now, even though they are the daughters of precisely those Midyanite women whose lack of sexual propriety caused this war in the first place. Long live hypocrisy!
31:19 VE ATEM CHANU MI CHUTS LA MACHANEH SHIVAT YAMIM KOL HOREG NEPHESH VE CHOL NOGE'A BE CHALAL TIT'CHATU BA YOM HA SHELISHI U VA YOM HA SHEVIYI ATEM U SHEVICHEM
וְאַתֶּם חֲנוּ מִחוּץ לַמַּחֲנֶה שִׁבְעַת יָמִים כֹּל הֹרֵג נֶפֶשׁ וְכֹל נֹגֵעַ בֶּחָלָל תִּתְחַטְּאוּ בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי אַתֶּם וּשְׁבִיכֶם
KJ: And do ye abide without the camp seven days: whosoever hath killed any person, and whosoever hath touched any slain, purify both yourselves and your captives on the third day, and on the seventh day.
BN: "Make camp outside the camp for seven days; whoever has killed anyone, and whoever has touched any of the slain, purify yourselves on the third day and on the seventh day, you and your captives...
As I said above, treyf.
"Go out of the camp you defiled people; go and purify yourselves; then, a week from now, you can come back and rape the captive women!" In the name of YHVH the Compassionate, the Merciful, the True, the Just.
Note that the key days are 3 and 7, as previously: 3 for the moon-goddess, 7 for the sun-god.
31:20 VE CHOL BEGED VE CHOL KELI OR VE CHOL MA'ASEH IZIM VE CHOL ETS TIT'CHATA'U
וְכָל בֶּגֶד וְכָל כְּלִי עוֹר וְכָל מַעֲשֵׂה עִזִּים וְכָל כְּלִי עֵץ תִּתְחַטָּאוּ
BN: "And every garment, and everything that is made of skin, and everything made of goats' hair, and everything made of wood, you shall purify."
And once it has all been purified, like the captive women, the stolen goods are yours too, with YHVH's blessing. Spoils of war.
samech break
31:21 VA YOMER EL-AZAR HA KOHEN EL ANSHEY HA TSAVA HA BA'IM LA MILCHAMAH ZOT CHUKAT HA TORAH ASHER TSIVAH YHVH ET MOSHEH
וַיֹּאמֶר אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן אֶל אַנְשֵׁי הַצָּבָא הַבָּאִים לַמִּלְחָמָה זֹאת חֻקַּת הַתּוֹרָה אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה אֶת מֹשֶׁה
KJ: And Eleazar the priest said unto the men of war which went to the battle, This is the ordinance of the law which the LORD commanded Moses;
BN: Then El-Azar the Kohen said to the men of war who went into battle: This is the statute of the law which YHVH has instructed Mosheh.
I wonder how this verse would have gone down, if quoted by the on-trial Nazis at Nuremberg? (Oh, it was? But not directly - surely? "I was only obeying orders". No, you're right: different words, same meaning.)
31:22 ACH ET HA ZAHAV VE ET HA KESEPH ET HA NECHOSHET ET HA BARZEL ET HA BADIYL VE ET HA OPHARET
אַךְ אֶת הַזָּהָב וְאֶת הַכָּסֶף אֶת הַנְּחֹשֶׁת אֶת הַבַּרְזֶל אֶת הַבְּדִיל וְאֶת הָעֹפָרֶת
BN: However, the gold, and the silver, the brass, the iron, the tin, and the lead...
31:23 KOL DAVAR ASHER VA ESH TA'AVIYRU VA ESH VE TAHER ACH BE MEY NIDAH YIT'CHATA VE CHOL ASHER LO YAVO BA ESH TA'AVIYRU VA MAYIM
כָּל דָּבָר אֲשֶׁר יָבֹא בָאֵשׁ תַּעֲבִירוּ בָאֵשׁ וְטָהֵר אַךְ בְּמֵי נִדָּה יִתְחַטָּא וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָבֹא בָּאֵשׁ תַּעֲבִירוּ בַמָּיִם
KJ: Every thing that may abide the fire, ye shall make it go through the fire, and it shall be clean: nevertheless it shall be purified with the water of separation: and all that abideth not the fire ye shall make go through the water.
BN: Everything that can withstand fire, you shall put through the fire, and it shall be clean; after which it shall be purified with sprinkling-water; and anything that will not withstand the fire you shall purify with water.
Treyf. Always this obsession with treyf. In food, but also in people, objects, everything.
31:24 VE CHIBASTEM BIGDEYCHEM BA YOM HA SHEVIYI U TEHARTEM VE ACHAR TAVO'U EL HA MACHANEH
וְכִבַּסְתֶּם בִּגְדֵיכֶם בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי וּטְהַרְתֶּם וְאַחַר תָּבֹאוּ אֶל הַמַּחֲנֶה
KJ: And ye shall wash your clothes on the seventh day, and ye shall be clean, and afterward ye shall come into the camp.
BN: And you shall wash your clothes on the seventh day, and you shall be clean, and afterwards you may come into the camp.
samech break
31:25 VA YOMER YHVH EL MOSHEH LEMOR
וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר
KJ: And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
BN: Then YHVH spoke to Mosheh, saying:
31:26 SA ET ROSH MALKO'ACH HA SHEVI BA ADAM U VA BEHEMAH ATAH VE EL-AZAR HA KOHEN VE RA'SHEY AVOT HA EDAH
שָׂא אֵת רֹאשׁ מַלְקוֹחַ הַשְּׁבִי בָּאָדָם וּבַבְּהֵמָה אַתָּה וְאֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן וְרָאשֵׁי אֲבוֹת הָעֵדָה
BN: Make an inventory of the spoils that have been , both of humans and of animals, you, and El-Azar the Kohen, and the heads of the clans of the congregation.
31:27 VE CHATSIYTA ET HA MALKO'ACH BEYN TOPHSHEY HA MILCHAMAH HA YOTS'IM LA TSAVA U VEYN KOL HA EDAH
וְחָצִיתָ אֶת הַמַּלְקוֹחַ בֵּין תֹּפְשֵׂי הַמִּלְחָמָה הַיֹּצְאִים לַצָּבָא וּבֵין כָּל הָעֵדָה
BN: And divide the spoils in two parts: between the men skilled in war, who went out to battle, and all the congregation.
MALKO'ACH: At least YHVH has the decency to recognise that it is "spoils" (some translations go even further and say "prey"), which is to say "stolen goods", "treasure", "booty". I may be overstating matters with the word "decency" however; perhaps "cynicism" would be more accurate.
31:28 VA HAREMOTA MECHES LA YHVH ME ET ANSHEY HA MILCHAMAH HA YOTSIM LA TSAVA ECHAD NEPHESH ME CHAMESH HA ME'OT MIN HA ADAM U MIN HA BAKAR U MIN HA CHAMORIM U MIN HA TSON
וַהֲרֵמֹתָ מֶכֶס לַיהוָה מֵאֵת אַנְשֵׁי הַמִּלְחָמָה הַיֹּצְאִים לַצָּבָא אֶחָד נֶפֶשׁ מֵחֲמֵשׁ הַמֵּאוֹת מִן הָאָדָם וּמִן הַבָּקָר וּמִן הַחֲמֹרִים וּמִן הַצֹּאן
BN: And levy a tribute to YHVH from the men of war who went into battle: one soul for every five hundred, both of the people, and of the cattle, and of the asses, and of the flocks.
LEVY: Is the translator playing word-games? Good one if he is. I have retained it, with thanks.
Note that YHVH insists on his unfair share of the spoils too.
31:29 MI MACHATSITAM TIKACHU VE NATATAH LE EL-AZAR HA KOHEN TERUMAH YHVH
KJ: Take it of their half, and give it unto Eleazar the priest, for an heave offering of the LORD.
BN: Take it from their half, and give it to El-Azar the priest, as a portion set apart for YHVH.
This is one of the points at which it becomes hard to tell a religious cult from a Ponzi scheme. Give a part of what you have to the god - gold, silver, jewelery, even your sons, daughters, your hearts, souls - and we, who are the high priests of the cult (chief executives of the Ponzi scheme) will look after it on behalf of the deity... and your reward for doing this... later, you will see, the god will reward you sevenfold, on earth, or maybe when you get to heaven...
31:30 U MI MACHATSIT BENEY YISRA-EL TIKACH ECHAD ACHUZ MIN HA CHAMISHIM MIN HA ADAM MIN HA BAKAR MIN HA CHAMORIM U MIN HA TSON MI KOL HA BEHEMAH VE NATATAH OTAM LA LEVIYIM SHOMREY MISHMERET MISHKAN YHVH
KJ: And of the children of Israel's half, thou shalt take one portion of fifty, of the persons, of the beeves, of the asses, and of the flocks, of all manner of beasts, and give them unto the Levites, which keep the charge of the tabernacle of the LORD.
BN: And of the half given to the Beney Yisra-El, you shall take one drawn from every fifty, of the people, of the cattle, of the asses, and of the flocks, even of all the cattle, and give them to the Leviyim, who keep the charge of the tabernacle of YHVH.
So there it is, the pun confirmed (verse 28): a levy for the Levi.
מִמַּחֲצִיתָם תִּקָּחוּ וְנָתַתָּה לְאֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן תְּרוּמַת יְהוָה
BN: Take it from their half, and give it to El-Azar the priest, as a portion set apart for YHVH.
This is one of the points at which it becomes hard to tell a religious cult from a Ponzi scheme. Give a part of what you have to the god - gold, silver, jewelery, even your sons, daughters, your hearts, souls - and we, who are the high priests of the cult (chief executives of the Ponzi scheme) will look after it on behalf of the deity... and your reward for doing this... later, you will see, the god will reward you sevenfold, on earth, or maybe when you get to heaven...
31:30 U MI MACHATSIT BENEY YISRA-EL TIKACH ECHAD ACHUZ MIN HA CHAMISHIM MIN HA ADAM MIN HA BAKAR MIN HA CHAMORIM U MIN HA TSON MI KOL HA BEHEMAH VE NATATAH OTAM LA LEVIYIM SHOMREY MISHMERET MISHKAN YHVH
וּמִמַּחֲצִת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל תִּקַּח אֶחָד אָחֻז מִן הַחֲמִשִּׁים מִן הָאָדָם מִן הַבָּקָר מִן הַחֲמֹרִים וּמִן הַצֹּאן מִכָּל הַבְּהֵמָה וְנָתַתָּה אֹתָם לַלְוִיִּם שֹׁמְרֵי מִשְׁמֶרֶת מִשְׁכַּן יְהוָה
BN: And of the half given to the Beney Yisra-El, you shall take one drawn from every fifty, of the people, of the cattle, of the asses, and of the flocks, even of all the cattle, and give them to the Leviyim, who keep the charge of the tabernacle of YHVH.
So there it is, the pun confirmed (verse 28): a levy for the Levi.
31:31 VA YA'AS MOSHEH VE EL-AZAR HA KOHEN KA ASHER TSIVAH YHVH ET MOSHEH
וַיַּעַשׂ מֹשֶׁה וְאֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה אֶת מֹשֶׁה
BN: And Mosheh and El-Azar the Kohen did as YHVH instructed Mosheh.
31:32 VA YEHI HA MALKO'ACH YETER HA BAZ ASHER BAZEZU AM HA TSAVA TSON SHESH ME'OT ELEPH VE SHIV'IM ELEPH VE CHAMESHET ALAPHIM
וַיְהִי הַמַּלְקוֹחַ יֶתֶר הַבָּז אֲשֶׁר בָּזְזוּ עַם הַצָּבָא צֹאן שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת אֶלֶף וְשִׁבְעִים אֶלֶף וַחֲמֵשֶׁת אֲלָפִים
KJ: 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,
BN: Now the prey, over and above the booty which the men of war took, was six hundred and seventy-five thousand sheep.
What is the distinction between MALKO'ACH and BAZ? I think it is simply the difference between the stuff that was on the list of officially approved for stealing, and those other items that weren't officially approved, but got stolen anyway. So, Lord Elgin, you are free to bring home slaves, nubile women, fine clothing, gold and silver, but ancient marbles count as MALKO'ACH, not BAZ, so you may one day be required to give them back.
31:33 U VAKAR SHENAYIM VE SHIV'IM ALEPH
וּבָקָר שְׁנַיִם וְשִׁבְעִים אָלֶף
BN: And seventy-two thousand beef-cattle.
31:34 VE CHAMORIM ECHAD VE SHISHIM ELEPH
וַחֲמֹרִים אֶחָד וְשִׁשִּׁים אָלֶף
BN: And sixty-one thousand donkeys.
Donkeys or asses? As pointed out many times previously, "donkey" was the Anglo-Saxon name for the species, "ass" the Italian, though both words evolved as they came into the English, and they often get mistaken for different species, because why would there be two names? Click here.
31:35 VE NEPHESH ADAM MIN HA NASHIM ASHER LO YADU MISHKAV ZACHAR KOL NEPHESH SHENAYIM U SHELOSHIM ALEPH
וְנֶפֶשׁ אָדָם מִן הַנָּשִׁים אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָדְעוּ מִשְׁכַּב זָכָר כָּל נֶפֶשׁ שְׁנַיִם וּשְׁלֹשִׁים אָלֶף
KJ: And thirty and two thousand persons in all, of women that had not known man by lying with him.
BN: And thirty-two thousand persons in all, of the women who had not known a man by lying with him.
32,000. In the Second World War, when the Japanese occupied countries and their soldiers needed "rest and recuperation", such women were euphemised as "comfort women". But we have to do the numbers. 32,000 is a lot of women, but there were 1000 men of war from each tribe, multiplied by 12 tribes, divided by whatever unstated number died in the battle, which calculates out to... oh, more than enough comfort women to go around... and then, as far as the number who died in the battle are concerned, see verse 49.
31:36 VA TEHI HA MECHETSAH CHELEK HA YOTSIM BA TSAVA MISPAR HA TSON SHELOSH ME'OT ELEPH U SHELOSHIM ELEPH VE SHIV'AT ALAPHIM VA CHAMESH ME'OT
וַתְּהִי הַמֶּחֱצָה חֵלֶק הַיֹּצְאִים בַּצָּבָא מִסְפַּר הַצֹּאן שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת אֶלֶף וּשְׁלֹשִׁים אֶלֶף וְשִׁבְעַת אֲלָפִים וַחֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת
BN: And the half, which was the portion of those who went out to war, came to a total of three hundred and thirty-seven thousand, five hundred sheep.
And they actually went to the trouble of counting every last one of them!
31:37 VA YEHI HA MECHES LA YHVH MIN HA TSON SHESH ME'OT CHAMESH VE SHIV'IM
וַיְהִי הַמֶּכֶס לַיהוָה מִן הַצֹּאן שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת חָמֵשׁ וְשִׁבְעִים
BN: And YHVH's tribute from the sheep was six hundred and seventy-five.
"Tribute" is a lovely euphemism for "tax"! Or perhaps, in those times, "tithe". See my notes on "Baa Baa Black Sheep" here.
31:38 VA HA BAKAR SHISHAH U SHELOSHIM ALEPH U MICHSAM LA YHVH SHENAYIM VE SHIV'IM
KJ: And the beeves were thirty and six thousand; of which the LORD'S tribute was threescore and twelve.
BN: And thirty-six thousand beef-cattle, of which YHVH's tribute was seventy-two.
31:38 VA HA BAKAR SHISHAH U SHELOSHIM ALEPH U MICHSAM LA YHVH SHENAYIM VE SHIV'IM
וְהַבָּקָר שִׁשָּׁה וּשְׁלֹשִׁים אָלֶף וּמִכְסָם לַיהוָה שְׁנַיִם וְשִׁבְעִים
KJ: And the beeves were thirty and six thousand; of which the LORD'S tribute was threescore and twelve.
BN: And thirty-six thousand beef-cattle, of which YHVH's tribute was seventy-two.
BN (irresistible alternate translation): And thirty-six thousand beef-cattle, of which YHVH's cut was seventy-two.
Because "tax" in this context also means a huge barbecue - and definitely no further need for YHVH to provide manna.
31:39 VE CHAMORIM SHELOSHIM ELEPH VA CHAMESH ME'OT U MICHSAM LA YHVH ECHAD VE SHISHIM
KJ: And the asses were thirty thousand and five hundred; of which the LORD'S tribute was threescore and one.
BN: And thirty thousand, five hundred asses, of which YHVH's tribute was sixty-one.
Less obvious what YHVH wants the asses for, as they were treyf, so not for the barbecue; and if you want oracles from asses, you don't need that many.
31:40 VE NEPHESH ADAM SHISHAH ASAR ALEPH U MICHSAM LA YHVH SHENAYIM U SHELOSHIM NAPHESH
וְנֶפֶשׁ אָדָם שִׁשָּׁה עָשָׂר אָלֶף וּמִכְסָם לַיהוָה שְׁנַיִם וּשְׁלֹשִׁים נָפֶשׁ
KJ: And the persons were sixteen thousand; of which the LORD'S tribute was thirty and two persons.
BN: And sixteen thousand humans, of whom YHVH's tribute was thirty-two.
What on Earth is YHVH going to do with these 32 virgins? In theory they go to the Levites, but the Levites are disbarred from touching them (though Hophni and Pinchas, Eli's sons, don't seem to have paid much attention to that mishpat). Have them serve as hierodules in the Ohel Mo'ed perhaps? Oh no, of course not; the Beney Yisra-El did not go in for that kind of thing.
31:41 VA YITEN MOSHEH ET MECHES TERUMAT YHVH LE EL-AZAR HA KOHEN KA ASHER TSIVA YHVH ET MOSHEH
KJ: And Moses gave the tribute, which was the LORD'S heave offering, unto Eleazar the priest, as the LORD commanded Moses.
BN: And Mosheh gave the tribute, which was set apart for YHVH, to El-Azar the Kohen, as YHVH had instructed Mosheh.
Gave him all the tribute, including the 32 virgins? Maybe they put them through seven years of intensive conversion training, and then hired them as priestesses.
31:42 U MI MACHATSIT BENEY YISRA-EL ASHER CHATSAH MOSHEH MIN HA ANASHIM HA TSOV'IM
וּמִמַּחֲצִית בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר חָצָה מֹשֶׁה מִן הָאֲנָשִׁים הַצֹּבְאִים
KJ: And of the children of Israel's half, which Moses divided from the men that warred,
BN: And of the Beney Yisra-El's half, which Mosheh divided off from the men who went to war...
31:43 VA TEHI MECHETSAT HA EDAH MIN HA TSON SHELOSH ME'OT ELEPH U SHELOSHIM ELEPH SHIVAT ALAPHIM VA CHAMESH ME'OT
KJ: (Now the half that pertained unto the congregation was three hundred thousand and thirty thousand and seven thousand and five hundred sheep,
BN: (Now the congregation's half was three hundred and thirty-seven thousand, five hundred sheep...
Because "tax" in this context also means a huge barbecue - and definitely no further need for YHVH to provide manna.
31:39 VE CHAMORIM SHELOSHIM ELEPH VA CHAMESH ME'OT U MICHSAM LA YHVH ECHAD VE SHISHIM
וַחֲמֹרִים שְׁלֹשִׁים אֶלֶף וַחֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת וּמִכְסָם לַיהוָה אֶחָד וְשִׁשִּׁים
BN: And thirty thousand, five hundred asses, of which YHVH's tribute was sixty-one.
Less obvious what YHVH wants the asses for, as they were treyf, so not for the barbecue; and if you want oracles from asses, you don't need that many.
31:40 VE NEPHESH ADAM SHISHAH ASAR ALEPH U MICHSAM LA YHVH SHENAYIM U SHELOSHIM NAPHESH
וְנֶפֶשׁ אָדָם שִׁשָּׁה עָשָׂר אָלֶף וּמִכְסָם לַיהוָה שְׁנַיִם וּשְׁלֹשִׁים נָפֶשׁ
BN: And sixteen thousand humans, of whom YHVH's tribute was thirty-two.
What on Earth is YHVH going to do with these 32 virgins? In theory they go to the Levites, but the Levites are disbarred from touching them (though Hophni and Pinchas, Eli's sons, don't seem to have paid much attention to that mishpat). Have them serve as hierodules in the Ohel Mo'ed perhaps? Oh no, of course not; the Beney Yisra-El did not go in for that kind of thing.
31:41 VA YITEN MOSHEH ET MECHES TERUMAT YHVH LE EL-AZAR HA KOHEN KA ASHER TSIVA YHVH ET MOSHEH
וַיִּתֵּן מֹשֶׁה אֶת מֶכֶס תְּרוּמַת יְהוָה לְאֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה אֶת מֹשֶׁה
BN: And Mosheh gave the tribute, which was set apart for YHVH, to El-Azar the Kohen, as YHVH had instructed Mosheh.
Gave him all the tribute, including the 32 virgins? Maybe they put them through seven years of intensive conversion training, and then hired them as priestesses.
31:42 U MI MACHATSIT BENEY YISRA-EL ASHER CHATSAH MOSHEH MIN HA ANASHIM HA TSOV'IM
וּמִמַּחֲצִית בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר חָצָה מֹשֶׁה מִן הָאֲנָשִׁים הַצֹּבְאִים
KJ: And of the children of Israel's half, which Moses divided from the men that warred,
BN: And of the Beney Yisra-El's half, which Mosheh divided off from the men who went to war...
31:43 VA TEHI MECHETSAT HA EDAH MIN HA TSON SHELOSH ME'OT ELEPH U SHELOSHIM ELEPH SHIVAT ALAPHIM VA CHAMESH ME'OT
וַתְּהִי מֶחֱצַת הָעֵדָה מִן הַצֹּאן שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת אֶלֶף וּשְׁלֹשִׁים אֶלֶף שִׁבְעַת אֲלָפִים וַחֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת
BN: (Now the congregation's half was three hundred and thirty-seven thousand, five hundred sheep...
Which rather undermines my Baa Baa Black Sheep comparison earlier - half for the ordinary folk, half for the leadership and clergy (all of whom are from the tribe of Levi): still totally unequal proportions, when you reckon the Levites represent roughly one-twelfth of the total population; but still far better than those wool quotients.
31:44 U VAKAR SHISHAH U SHELOSHIM ALEPH
וּבָקָר שִׁשָּׁה וּשְׁלֹשִׁים אָלֶף
KJ: And thirty and six thousand beeves,
BN: And thirty-six thousand beef-cattle...
31:45 VE CHAMORIM SHELOSHIM ELEPH VA CHAMESH ME'OT
וַחֲמֹרִים שְׁלֹשִׁים אֶלֶף וַחֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת
KJ: And thirty thousand asses and five hundred,
BN: And thirty thousand, five hundred donkeys...
31:46 VE NEPHESH ADAM SHISHAH ASAR ALEPH
KJ: And sixteen thousand persons
BN: And sixteen thousand humans...)
31:47 VA YIKACH MOSHEH MI MACHATSIT BENEY YISRA-EL ET HA ACHUZ ECHAD MIN HA CHAMISHIM MIN HA ADAM U MIN HA BEHEMAH VA YITEN OTAM LA LEVIYIM SHOMREY MISHMERET MISHKAN YHVH KA ASHER TSIVAH YHVH ET MOSHEH
KJ: Even of the children of Israel's half, Moses took one portion of fifty, both of man and of beast, and gave them unto the Levites, which kept the charge of the tabernacle of the LORD; as the LORD commanded Moses.
BN: ... Of the Beney Yisra-El's half, Mosheh took one from every fifty, both of human and of animal, and gave them to the Leviyim, who kept the charge of the tabernacle of YHVH; as YHVH had instructed Mosheh.
Complicated sentence, including four verses of parenthesis; this is the resumption of verse 42. Presumably these were given to this group of Leviyim for sacrifice, for eating, rather than as livestock for farming, which means the people have received their share, and as a thank you have given back a "cut" to YHVH via his priests. One for the master, one for the dame, one part of the little boy down the lane's cut also for the dame...
31:44 U VAKAR SHISHAH U SHELOSHIM ALEPH
KJ: And thirty and six thousand beeves,
BN: And thirty-six thousand beef-cattle...
31:45 VE CHAMORIM SHELOSHIM ELEPH VA CHAMESH ME'OT
וַחֲמֹרִים שְׁלֹשִׁים אֶלֶף וַחֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת
KJ: And thirty thousand asses and five hundred,
BN: And thirty thousand, five hundred donkeys...
31:46 VE NEPHESH ADAM SHISHAH ASAR ALEPH
וְנֶפֶשׁ אָדָם שִׁשָּׁה עָשָׂר אָלֶף
KJ: And sixteen thousand persons
BN: And sixteen thousand humans...)
31:47 VA YIKACH MOSHEH MI MACHATSIT BENEY YISRA-EL ET HA ACHUZ ECHAD MIN HA CHAMISHIM MIN HA ADAM U MIN HA BEHEMAH VA YITEN OTAM LA LEVIYIM SHOMREY MISHMERET MISHKAN YHVH KA ASHER TSIVAH YHVH ET MOSHEH
וַיִּקַּח מֹשֶׁה מִמַּחֲצִת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הָאָחֻז אֶחָד מִן הַחֲמִשִּׁים מִן הָאָדָם וּמִן הַבְּהֵמָה וַיִּתֵּן אֹתָם לַלְוִיִּם שֹׁמְרֵי מִשְׁמֶרֶת מִשְׁכַּן יְהוָה כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה אֶת מֹשֶׁה
BN: ... Of the Beney Yisra-El's half, Mosheh took one from every fifty, both of human and of animal, and gave them to the Leviyim, who kept the charge of the tabernacle of YHVH; as YHVH had instructed Mosheh.
Complicated sentence, including four verses of parenthesis; this is the resumption of verse 42. Presumably these were given to this group of Leviyim for sacrifice, for eating, rather than as livestock for farming, which means the people have received their share, and as a thank you have given back a "cut" to YHVH via his priests. One for the master, one for the dame, one part of the little boy down the lane's cut also for the dame...
But see verse 50, where the "officers" do exactly the same with their material booty: the word used there is "oblation".
31:48 VA YIKREVU EL MOSHEH HA PEKUDIM ASHER LE ALPHEY HA TSAVA SAREY HA ALAPHIM VE SAREY HA ME'OT
וַיִּקְרְבוּ אֶל מֹשֶׁה הַפְּקֻדִים אֲשֶׁר לְאַלְפֵי הַצָּבָא שָׂרֵי הָאֲלָפִים וְשָׂרֵי הַמֵּאוֹת
BN: And the officers who were over the thousands of the host, the captains of thousands, and the captains of hundreds, approached Mosheh.
PEKUDIM: The word here clearly means "officers", and it is how the word is understood by most Hebrew scholars, and modern Ivrit speakers; but go back and see the word in use a dozen times in the Book of Numbers; and it has never yet meant "offficers". Am I missing something in the spelling perhaps?
31:49 VA YOMRU EL MOSHEH AVADEYCHA NASU ET ROSH ANSHEY HA MILCHAMAH ASHER BE YADEYNU VE LO NIPHKAD MIMENU ISH
וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֶל מֹשֶׁה עֲבָדֶיךָ נָשְׂאוּ אֶת רֹאשׁ אַנְשֵׁי הַמִּלְחָמָה אֲשֶׁר בְּיָדֵנוּ וְלֹא נִפְקַד מִמֶּנּוּ אִישׁ
KJ: And they said unto Moses, Thy servants have taken the sum of the men of war which are under our charge, and there lacketh not one man of us.
BN: And they said to Mosheh: "Your servants have taken the sum of the men of war that are under our charge, and not one of us is missing...
Impressive, to fight a battle on the scale that we have just read, to wipe out an entire male population, and not to lose a single man. I guess this is one of the benefits of having the deity on your side.
31:50 VA NAKREV ET KARBAN YHVH ISH ASHER MATSA CHELI ZAHAV ETS'ADAH VE TSAMID TABA'AT AGIYL VE CHUMAZ LECHAPER AL NAPHSHOTEYNU LIPHNEY YHVH
וַנַּקְרֵב אֶת קָרְבַּן יְהוָה אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר מָצָא כְלִי זָהָב אֶצְעָדָה וְצָמִיד טַבַּעַת עָגִיל וְכוּמָז לְכַפֵּר עַל נַפְשֹׁתֵינוּ לִפְנֵי יְהוָה
BN: "And we have brought our offering to YHVH, everything that each man has obtained, of gold jewellery, armlets, bracelets, signet-rings, ear-rings and girdles, to make atonement for our souls before YHVH."
Very generous of the men to give up everything they obtained. However, a) none of these items is any use as a burnt offering, because they won't burn; b) "everything they obtained" means booty that they helped themselves to (verse 53 confirms this, though we already knew it in part from verses 11, 12 and 26), rather than the "official" booty that was handed in, and counted, as above; given the amount of that that they are receiving, why try to conceal the illegal stuff?
31:51 VA YIKACH MOSHEH VE EL-AZAR HA KOHEN ET HA ZAHAV ME ITAM KOL KELI MA'ASEH
KJ: And Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of them, even all wrought jewels.
BN: And Mosheh and El-Azar the Kohen took the gold from them, and all the wrought jewellery.
Does all the above provide evidence to convict Mosheh as a war criminal?
31:52 VA YEHI KOL ZEHAV HA TERUMAH ASHER HERIYMU L'YHVH SHISHAH ASAR ELEPH SHEVA ME'OT VA CHAMISHIM SHAKEL ME ET SAREY HA ALAPHIM U ME ET SAREY HA ME'OT
KJ: And all the gold of the offering that they offered up to the LORD, of the captains of thousands, and of the captains of hundreds, was sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekels.
BN: And all the gold of the gift that they set apart for YHVH, of the captains of thousands, and of the captains of hundreds, was sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekels.
HERIMU: translated here as "set apart", which is not the same as "offered as a burnt offering"; but is that an accurate translation? See verse 54.
31:53 ANSHEY HA TSAVA BAZEZU ISH LO
KJ: 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.
BN: And Mosheh and El-Azar the Kohen took the gold from the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it to the Tent of Meeting, for a memorial for the Beney Yisra-El before YHVH.
ZIKARON: Wonderful use of language! And wonderful sequence of expediencies. The men don't want to get in trouble for stealing booty, and they don't need the risk or the guilt because they have plenty of legal booty, so they bring non-inflammables as a burnt-offering to atone for their guilt - and no doubt get massive praise for their honesty and their role-model leadership. And in the meanwhile, the Ohel Mo'ed gets adorned with yet more gold and jewellery, which can't be burned anyway, and so what else is there to do with it, but set it up as a "memorial", and make it a functional part of liturgy?
pey break
31:51 VA YIKACH MOSHEH VE EL-AZAR HA KOHEN ET HA ZAHAV ME ITAM KOL KELI MA'ASEH
וַיִּקַּח מֹשֶׁה וְאֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן אֶת הַזָּהָב מֵאִתָּם כֹּל כְּלִי מַעֲשֶׂה
BN: And Mosheh and El-Azar the Kohen took the gold from them, and all the wrought jewellery.
Does all the above provide evidence to convict Mosheh as a war criminal?
31:52 VA YEHI KOL ZEHAV HA TERUMAH ASHER HERIYMU L'YHVH SHISHAH ASAR ELEPH SHEVA ME'OT VA CHAMISHIM SHAKEL ME ET SAREY HA ALAPHIM U ME ET SAREY HA ME'OT
וַיְהִי כָּל זְהַב הַתְּרוּמָה אֲשֶׁר הֵרִימוּ לַיהוָה שִׁשָּׁה עָשָׂר אֶלֶף שְׁבַע מֵאוֹת וַחֲמִשִּׁים שָׁקֶל מֵאֵת שָׂרֵי הָאֲלָפִים וּמֵאֵת שָׂרֵי הַמֵּאוֹת
BN: And all the gold of the gift that they set apart for YHVH, of the captains of thousands, and of the captains of hundreds, was sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekels.
HERIMU: translated here as "set apart", which is not the same as "offered as a burnt offering"; but is that an accurate translation? See verse 54.
31:53 ANSHEY HA TSAVA BAZEZU ISH LO
אַנְשֵׁי הַצָּבָא בָּזְזוּ אִישׁ לוֹ
KJ: (For the men of war had taken spoil, every man for himself.)
BN: For the men of war had taken booty, each man for himself.
31:54 VA YIKACH MOSHEH VE EL-AZAR HA KOHEN ET HA ZAHAV ME ET SAREY HA ALAPHIM VE HA ME'OT VA YAVI'U OTO EL OHEL MO'ED ZIKARON LIVNEY YISRA-EL LIPHNEY YHVH
BN: For the men of war had taken booty, each man for himself.
31:54 VA YIKACH MOSHEH VE EL-AZAR HA KOHEN ET HA ZAHAV ME ET SAREY HA ALAPHIM VE HA ME'OT VA YAVI'U OTO EL OHEL MO'ED ZIKARON LIVNEY YISRA-EL LIPHNEY YHVH
וַיִּקַּח מֹשֶׁה וְאֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן אֶת הַזָּהָב מֵאֵת שָׂרֵי הָאֲלָפִים וְהַמֵּאוֹת וַיָּבִאוּ אֹתוֹ אֶל אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד זִכָּרוֹן לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לִפְנֵי יְהוָה
BN: And Mosheh and El-Azar the Kohen took the gold from the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it to the Tent of Meeting, for a memorial for the Beney Yisra-El before YHVH.
ZIKARON: Wonderful use of language! And wonderful sequence of expediencies. The men don't want to get in trouble for stealing booty, and they don't need the risk or the guilt because they have plenty of legal booty, so they bring non-inflammables as a burnt-offering to atone for their guilt - and no doubt get massive praise for their honesty and their role-model leadership. And in the meanwhile, the Ohel Mo'ed gets adorned with yet more gold and jewellery, which can't be burned anyway, and so what else is there to do with it, but set it up as a "memorial", and make it a functional part of liturgy?
pey break
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