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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>Numbers 31:54 And Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from the commanders of thousands and of hundreds and brought it into the Tent of Meeting as a memorial for the Israelites before the LORD.</title><link rel="canonical" href="https://biblehub.com/numbers/31-54.htm" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/new9.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><meta property="og:image" content="https://biblehub.com/visuals/3/04_Num_31_54.jpg" /><meta property="og:title" content="Numbers 31:54 - The Voluntary Offering" /><meta property="og:site_name" content="Bible Hub" /><meta property="og:description" content="And Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from the commanders of thousands 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class="clickchap2" title="Commentary"> Comm </a> <a href="#lexicon" class="clickchap2" title="Lexicon"> Heb </a> </div><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheadingv">Verse<a href="/bsb/numbers/31.htm" class="clickchap" style="color:#001320" title="Click any translation name for full chapter">  (Click for Chapter)</a></div><div id="par"><a href="/niv/numbers/31.htm">New International Version</a> Moses and Eleazar the priest accepted the gold from the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds and brought it into the tent of meeting as a memorial for the Israelites before the LORD. <a href="/nlt/numbers/31.htm">New Living Translation</a> So Moses and Eleazar the priest accepted the gifts from the generals and captains and brought the gold to the Tabernacle as a reminder to the LORD that the people of Israel belong to him. <a href="/esv/numbers/31.htm">English Standard Version</a> And Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the tent of meeting, as a memorial for the people of Israel before the LORD. <a href="/bsb/numbers/31.htm">Berean Standard Bible</a> And Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from the commanders of thousands and of hundreds and brought it into the Tent of Meeting as a memorial for the Israelites before the LORD. <a href="/kjv/numbers/31.htm">King James Bible</a> 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. <a href="/nkjv/numbers/31.htm">New King James Version</a> And Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the tabernacle of meeting as a memorial for the children of Israel before the LORD. <a href="/nasb_/numbers/31.htm">New American Standard Bible</a> So Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold from the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it to the tent of meeting as a memorial for the sons of Israel before the LORD. <a href="/nasb/numbers/31.htm">NASB 1995</a> So Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold from the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it to the tent of meeting as a memorial for the sons of Israel before the LORD. <a href="/nasb77/numbers/31.htm">NASB 1977 </a> So Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold from the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it to the tent of meeting as a memorial for the sons of Israel before the LORD. <a href="/lsb/numbers/31.htm">Legacy Standard Bible </a> So Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold from the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and they brought it to the tent of meeting as a memorial for the sons of Israel before Yahweh. <a href="/amp/numbers/31.htm">Amplified Bible</a> So Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle) as a memorial for the sons of Israel before the LORD. <a href="/csb/numbers/31.htm">Christian Standard Bible</a> Moses and the priest Eleazar received the gold from the commanders of thousands and of hundreds and brought it into the tent of meeting as a memorial for the Israelites before the LORD. <a href="/hcsb/numbers/31.htm">Holman Christian Standard Bible</a> Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from the commanders of thousands and of hundreds and brought it into the tent of meeting as a memorial for the Israelites before the LORD. <a href="/asv/numbers/31.htm">American Standard Version</a> And 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 Jehovah. <a href="/cev/numbers/31.htm">Contemporary English Version</a> So Moses and Eleazar placed the gold in the LORD's sacred tent to remind Israel of what had happened. <a href="/erv/numbers/31.htm">English Revised Version</a> And 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 the LORD. <a href="/gwt/numbers/31.htm">GOD'S WORD® Translation</a> Moses and the priest Eleazar took the gold from the commanders and brought it into the LORD's presence at the tent of meeting as a reminder to the Israelites. <a href="/gnt/numbers/31.htm">Good News Translation</a> So Moses and Eleazar took the gold to the Tent, so that the LORD would protect the people of Israel. <a href="/isv/numbers/31.htm">International Standard Version</a> Moses and Eleazar took the gold from the captains of thousands and hundreds and brought it to the Tent of Meeting, to serve as a memorial to the Israelis in the LORD's presence. <a href="/msb/numbers/31.htm">Majority Standard Bible</a> And Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from the commanders of thousands and of hundreds and brought it into the Tent of Meeting as a memorial for the Israelites before the LORD. <a href="/net/numbers/31.htm">NET Bible</a> So Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds and brought it into the tent of meeting as a memorial for the Israelites before the LORD. <a href="/nheb/numbers/31.htm">New Heart English Bible</a> 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 the LORD. <a href="/wbt/numbers/31.htm">Webster's Bible Translation</a> 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. <a href="/web/numbers/31.htm">World English Bible</a> 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. <div class="vheading2">Literal Translations</div><a href="/lsv/numbers/31.htm">Literal Standard Version</a> and Moses takes—Eleazar the priest also—the gold from the heads of the thousands and of the hundreds, and they bring it into the Tent of Meeting [as] a memorial for the sons of Israel before YHWH. <a href="/ylt/numbers/31.htm">Young's Literal Translation</a> and Moses taketh -- Eleazar the priest also -- the gold from the heads of the thousands and of the hundreds, and they bring it in unto the tent of meeting -- a memorial for the sons of Israel before Jehovah. <a href="/slt/numbers/31.htm">Smith's Literal Translation</a> And Moses will take, and Eleazar the priest, the gold from the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and they will bring it to the tent of appointment, a remembrance for the sons of Israel before Jehovah.<div class="vheading2">Catholic Translations</div><a href="/drb/numbers/31.htm">Douay-Rheims Bible</a> And that which was received they brought into the tabernacle of the testimony, for a memorial of the children of Israel before the Lord. <a href="/cpdv/numbers/31.htm">Catholic Public Domain Version</a> And having been accepted, they took it into the tabernacle of the testimony, as a memorial of the sons of Israel before the Lord. <a href="/nabre/numbers/31.htm">New American Bible</a> So Moses and Eleazar the priest accepted the gold from the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and put it in the tent of meeting as a reminder on behalf of the Israelites before the LORD. <a href="/nrsvce/numbers/31.htm">New Revised Standard Version</a> So Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the tent of meeting as a memorial for the Israelites before the LORD.<div class="vheading2">Translations from Aramaic</div><a href="/lamsa/numbers/31.htm">Lamsa Bible</a> And Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold from commanders of thousands and from captains of hundreds and brought it into the tabernacle of the congregation for a memorial for the children of Israel before the LORD. <a href="/hpbt/numbers/31.htm">Peshitta Holy Bible Translated</a> And Moshe and Eliazar the Priest took gold from the Heads of thousands and from the Heads of hundreds and they brought it to the Time Tabernacle as a memorial for the children of Israel before LORD JEHOVAH. <div class="vheading2">OT Translations</div><a href="/jps/numbers/31.htm">JPS Tanakh 1917</a> And 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 the LORD. <a href="/sep/numbers/31.htm">Brenton Septuagint Translation</a> And Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold from the captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, and brought the vessels into the tabernacle of witness, a memorial of the children of Israel before the Lord. <a href="/parallel/numbers/31-54.htm">Additional Translations ...</a></div></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="audio" id="audio"></a><div class="vheadingv">Audio Bible</div><iframe width="100%" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yauBFvKLNNo?start=9806" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe> <div class="vheadingv">Context</div><a href="/bsb/numbers/31.htm">The Voluntary Offering</a> …53Each of the soldiers had taken plunder for himself. 54<a href="/hebrew/4872.htm" title="4872: mō·šeh (N-proper-ms) -- A great Isr. leader, prophet and lawgiver. From mashah; drawing out, i.e. Rescued; Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver.">And Moses</a> <a href="/hebrew/499.htm" title="499: wə·’el·‘ā·zār (Conj-w:: N-proper-ms) -- God has helped, six Isr. From 'el and azar; God helper; Elazar, the name of seven Israelites.">and Eleazar</a> <a href="/hebrew/3548.htm" title="3548: hak·kō·hên (Art:: N-ms) -- Priest. Active participle of kahan; literally, one officiating, a priest; also an acting priest.">the priest</a> <a href="/hebrew/853.htm" title="853: ’eṯ- (DirObjM) -- Apparent contracted from 'owth in the demonstrative sense of entity; properly, self."></a> <a href="/hebrew/3947.htm" title="3947: way·yiq·qaḥ (Conj-w:: V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms) -- To take. A primitive root; to take.">received</a> <a href="/hebrew/2091.htm" title="2091: haz·zā·hāḇ (Art:: N-ms) -- Gold. From an unused root meaning to shimmer; gold, figuratively, something gold-colored, as oil, a clear sky.">the gold</a> <a href="/hebrew/854.htm" title="854: mê·’êṯ (Prep-m:: DirObjM) -- With (denoting proximity). Probably from 'anah; properly, nearness, near; hence, generally, with, by, at, among, etc."></a> <a href="/hebrew/8269.htm" title="8269: śā·rê (N-mpc) -- Chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince. From sarar; a head person.">from the commanders</a> <a href="/hebrew/505.htm" title="505: hā·’ă·lā·p̄îm (Art:: Number-mp) -- A thousand. Prop, the same as 'eleph; hence a thousand.">of thousands</a> <a href="/hebrew/3967.htm" title="3967: wə·ham·mê·’ō·wṯ (Conj-w, Art:: Number-fp) -- Hundred. Or metyah; properly, a primitive numeral; a hundred; also as a multiplicative and a fraction.">and of hundreds</a> <a href="/hebrew/935.htm" title="935: way·yā·ḇi·’ū (Conj-w:: V-Hifil-ConsecImperf-3mp) -- To come in, come, go in, go. A primitive root; to go or come.">and brought</a> <a href="/hebrew/853.htm" title="853: ’ō·ṯōw (DirObjM:: 3ms) -- Apparent contracted from 'owth in the demonstrative sense of entity; properly, self."></a> <a href="/hebrew/413.htm" title="413: ’el- (Prep) -- To, into, towards. ">it into</a> <a href="/hebrew/168.htm" title="168: ’ō·hel (N-msc) -- A tent. From 'ahal; a tent.">the Tent</a> <a href="/hebrew/4150.htm" title="4150: mō·w·‘êḏ (N-ms) -- Appointed time, place, or meeting. ">of Meeting</a> <a href="/hebrew/2146.htm" title="2146: zik·kā·rō·wn (N-ms) -- Memorial, remembrance. From zakar; a memento.">as a memorial</a> <a href="/hebrew/1121.htm" title="1121: liḇ·nê- (Prep-l:: N-mpc) -- Son. From banah; a son, in the widest sense (like 'ab, 'ach, etc.).">for the Israelites</a> <a href="/hebrew/3478.htm" title="3478: yiś·rā·’êl (N-proper-ms) -- From sarah and 'el; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also of his posterity."></a> <a href="/hebrew/6440.htm" title="6440: lip̄·nê (Prep-l:: N-cpc) -- Face, faces. Plural of an unused noun; the face; used in a great variety of applications; also as a preposition.">before</a> <a href="/hebrew/3068.htm" title="3068: Yah·weh (N-proper-ms) -- The proper name of the God of Israel. From hayah; self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God.">the LORD.</a> <div class="cred"><a href="//berean.bible">Berean Standard Bible</a> · <a href="//berean.bible/downloads.htm">Download</a></div> <a name="crossref" id="crossref"></a><div class="vheading">Cross References</div><div id="crf"><a href="/exodus/30-12.htm">Exodus 30:12-16</a> “When you take a census of the Israelites to number them, each man must pay the LORD a ransom for his life when he is counted. Then no plague will come upon them when they are numbered. / Everyone who crosses over to those counted must pay a half shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs. This half shekel is an offering to the LORD. / Everyone twenty years of age or older who crosses over must give this offering to the LORD. ... <a href="/leviticus/27-30.htm">Leviticus 27:30-33</a> Thus any tithe from the land, whether from the seed of the land or the fruit of the trees, belongs to the LORD; it is holy to the LORD. / If a man wishes to redeem part of his tithe, he must add a fifth to its value. / Every tenth animal from the herd or flock that passes under the shepherd’s rod will be holy to the LORD. ... <a href="/deuteronomy/20-10.htm">Deuteronomy 20:10-14</a> When you approach a city to fight against it, you are to make an offer of peace. / If they accept your offer of peace and open their gates, all the people there will become forced laborers to serve you. / But if they refuse to make peace with you and wage war against you, lay siege to that city. ... <a href="/joshua/6-19.htm">Joshua 6:19</a> For all the silver and gold and all the articles of bronze and iron are holy to the LORD; they must go into His treasury.” <a href="/1_chronicles/26-20.htm">1 Chronicles 26:20-28</a> Now their fellow Levites were in charge of the treasuries of the house of God and the treasuries of the dedicated things. / From the descendants of Ladan, who were Gershonites through Ladan and heads of the families of Ladan the Gershonite, were Jehieli, / the sons of Jehieli, Zetham, and his brother Joel. They were in charge of the treasuries of the house of the LORD. ... <a href="/2_chronicles/31-6.htm">2 Chronicles 31:6</a> And the Israelites and Judahites who lived in the cities of Judah also brought a tithe of their herds and flocks and a tithe of the holy things consecrated to the LORD their God, and they laid them in large heaps. <a href="/nehemiah/10-32.htm">Nehemiah 10:32-39</a> We also place ourselves under the obligation to contribute a third of a shekel yearly for the service of the house of our God: / for the showbread, for the regular grain offerings and burnt offerings, for the Sabbath offerings, for the New Moons and appointed feasts, for the holy offerings, for the sin offerings to make atonement for Israel, and for all the duties of the house of our God. / We have cast lots among the priests, Levites, and people for the donation of wood by our families at the appointed times each year. They are to bring it to the house of our God to burn on the altar of the LORD our God, as it is written in the Law. ... <a href="/psalms/68-18.htm">Psalm 68:18</a> You have ascended on high; You have led captives away. You have received gifts from men, even from the rebellious, that the LORD God may dwell there. <a href="/isaiah/60-6.htm">Isaiah 60:6-9</a> Caravans of camels will cover your land, young camels of Midian and Ephah, and all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and frankincense and proclaiming the praises of the LORD. / All the flocks of Kedar will be gathered to you; the rams of Nebaioth will serve you and go up on My altar with acceptance; I will adorn My glorious house. / Who are these who fly like clouds, like doves to their shelters? ... <a href="/ezekiel/44-30.htm">Ezekiel 44:30</a> The best of all the firstfruits and of every contribution from all your offerings will belong to the priests. You are to give your first batch of dough to the priest, so that a blessing may rest upon your homes. <a href="/malachi/3-8.htm">Malachi 3:8-10</a> Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you ask, ‘How do we rob You?’ In tithes and offerings. / You are cursed with a curse, yet you—the whole nation—are still robbing Me. / Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house. Test Me in this,” says the LORD of Hosts. “See if I will not open the windows of heaven and pour out for you blessing without measure. <a href="/matthew/5-17.htm">Matthew 5:17-20</a> Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them. / For I tell you truly, until heaven and earth pass away, not a single jot, not a stroke of a pen, will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. / So then, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do likewise will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever practices and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. ... <a href="/matthew/23-23.htm">Matthew 23:23</a> Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You pay tithes of mint, dill, and cumin. But you have disregarded the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. <a href="/mark/12-41.htm">Mark 12:41-44</a> As Jesus was sitting opposite the treasury, He watched the crowd putting money into it. And many rich people put in large amounts. / Then one poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amounted to a small fraction of a denarius. / Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more than all the others into the treasury. ... <a href="/luke/21-1.htm">Luke 21:1-4</a> Then Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, / and He saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. / “Truly I tell you,” He said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. ...</div> <a name="tsk" id="tsk"><div class="vheading">Treasury of Scripture</div>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.a memorial<a href="/numbers/16-40.htm">Numbers 16:40</a> To be a memorial unto the children of Israel, that no stranger, which is not of the seed of Aaron, come near to offer incense before the LORD; that he be not as Korah, and as his company: as the LORD said to him by the hand of Moses.<a href="/exodus/30-16.htm">Exodus 30:16</a> And thou shalt take the atonement money of the children of Israel, and shalt appoint it for the service of the tabernacle of the congregation; that it may be a memorial unto the children of Israel before the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls.<a href="/joshua/4-7.htm">Joshua 4:7</a> Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever.<div class="vheading">Jump to Previous</div><a href="/numbers/31-51.htm">Accepted</a> <a href="/numbers/31-52.htm">Captains</a> <a href="/numbers/31-47.htm">Children</a> <a href="/numbers/31-52.htm">Commanders</a> <a href="/numbers/31-43.htm">Congregation</a> <a href="/numbers/31-52.htm">Eleazar</a> <a href="/numbers/31-51.htm">Elea'zar</a> <a href="/numbers/31-52.htm">Heads</a> <a href="/numbers/31-52.htm">Hundreds</a> <a href="/numbers/31-42.htm">Israel</a> <a href="/numbers/31-42.htm">Israelites</a> <a href="/numbers/29-35.htm">Meeting</a> <a href="/numbers/10-10.htm">Memorial</a> <a href="/numbers/11-5.htm">Memory</a> <a href="/numbers/31-51.htm">Priest</a> <a href="/numbers/31-51.htm">Received</a> <a href="/numbers/26-10.htm">Sign</a> <a href="/numbers/31-47.htm">Tabernacle</a> <a href="/numbers/27-2.htm">Tent</a> <a href="/numbers/31-52.htm">Thousands</a><div class="vheading2">Jump to Next</div><a href="/deuteronomy/26-17.htm">Accepted</a> <a href="/deuteronomy/1-15.htm">Captains</a> <a href="/numbers/32-1.htm">Children</a> <a href="/deuteronomy/1-15.htm">Commanders</a> <a href="/numbers/32-2.htm">Congregation</a> <a href="/numbers/32-2.htm">Eleazar</a> <a href="/numbers/32-2.htm">Elea'zar</a> <a href="/numbers/32-28.htm">Heads</a> <a href="/deuteronomy/1-15.htm">Hundreds</a> <a href="/numbers/32-4.htm">Israel</a> <a href="/numbers/32-7.htm">Israelites</a> <a href="/numbers/32-2.htm">Meeting</a> <a href="/joshua/4-7.htm">Memorial</a> <a href="/deuteronomy/25-19.htm">Memory</a> <a href="/numbers/32-2.htm">Priest</a> <a href="/numbers/32-18.htm">Received</a> <a href="/deuteronomy/6-8.htm">Sign</a> <a href="/numbers/35-34.htm">Tabernacle</a> <a href="/deuteronomy/31-14.htm">Tent</a> <a href="/deuteronomy/1-15.htm">Thousands</a><div class="vheading2">Numbers 31</div>1. <a href="/numbers/31-1.htm">The Midianites are spoiled, and Balaam slain</a> 13. <a href="/numbers/31-13.htm">Moses is angry with the officers, for saving the women alive</a> 19. <a href="/numbers/31-19.htm">How the soldiers, with their captives and spoil, are to be purified</a> 25. <a href="/numbers/31-25.htm">The proportion in which the prey is to be divided</a> 48. <a href="/numbers/31-48.htm">The voluntary offering unto the treasure of the Lord</a> </div></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script>  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div>  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div>  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div>  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div>  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> </div> </td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="combox"><div class="padcom"><a name="study" id="study"></a><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top"><a href="/study/numbers/31.htm">Study Bible</a></td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/study/numbers/" title="Book Summary and Study">Book ◦</a> <a href="/study/chapters/numbers/31.htm" title="Chapter summary and Study">Chapter </a></tr></table></div>And Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold Moses, the leader of Israel, and Eleazar, the high priest, are central figures in this passage. Their roles signify the importance of leadership and priesthood in mediating between God and the people. The gold they received was part of the spoils of war from the Midianites, highlighting the practice of dedicating a portion of war spoils to God, a common practice in ancient Near Eastern cultures. This act of receiving gold also underscores the responsibility of leaders to manage resources for the community's spiritual and physical welfare.from the commanders of thousands and of hundreds The commanders of thousands and hundreds refer to the military leaders of Israel, indicating a structured and organized army. This structure reflects the military organization established by Moses, as seen in <a href="/exodus/18.htm">Exodus 18</a> when Jethro advised Moses to appoint leaders over groups of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. The mention of these commanders emphasizes the collective contribution and responsibility of the entire community in dedicating the spoils to God.and brought it into the Tent of Meeting The Tent of Meeting, also known as the Tabernacle, was the central place of worship and the dwelling place of God's presence among the Israelites. Bringing the gold into the Tent of Meeting signifies dedicating it to God, acknowledging His sovereignty and provision. This act of bringing offerings to the Tabernacle is a precursor to the later practices in the Temple in Jerusalem, where offerings and sacrifices were central to worship.as a memorial for the Israelites The gold served as a memorial, a physical reminder of God's deliverance and provision. Memorials in the Bible often serve to remind the people of God's past faithfulness and to encourage future obedience. This concept is seen in other biblical instances, such as the stones set up by Joshua after crossing the Jordan River (<a href="/joshua/4-7.htm">Joshua 4:7</a>). The memorial aspect underscores the importance of remembering God's acts and maintaining a covenant relationship with Him.before the LORD The phrase "before the LORD" indicates that the offering was made in the presence of God, signifying His acceptance and the sanctity of the act. It reflects the belief that all actions, especially those involving worship and offerings, are ultimately directed towards God. This phrase also connects to the broader biblical theme of living one's life coram Deo, or "before the face of God," emphasizing accountability and reverence in all aspects of life.<div class="vheading2">Persons / Places / Events</div>1. <a href="/topical/m/moses.htm">Moses</a> The leader of the Israelites, chosen by God to lead His people out of Egypt and through the wilderness. In this passage, Moses is responsible for receiving the gold and ensuring it is used as a memorial before the LORD. 2. <a href="/topical/e/eleazar_the_priest.htm">Eleazar the Priest</a> The son of Aaron and the high priest after Aaron's death. Eleazar plays a crucial role in the religious and ceremonial life of Israel, assisting Moses in receiving the gold. 3. <a href="/topical/c/commanders_of_thousands_and_hundreds.htm">Commanders of Thousands and Hundreds</a> Military leaders who led the Israelites in battle. They brought the gold as an offering to the LORD, acknowledging His role in their victory. 4. <a href="/topical/t/tent_of_meeting.htm">Tent of Meeting</a> Also known as the Tabernacle, it was the portable earthly dwelling place of God among the Israelites. The gold was brought here as a memorial, signifying God's presence and guidance. 5. <a href="/topical/m/memorial_for_the_israelites.htm">Memorial for the Israelites</a> The gold served as a reminder of God's deliverance and provision. It was a tangible representation of gratitude and acknowledgment of God's sovereignty.<div class="vheading2">Teaching Points</div><a href="/topical/a/acknowledging_god's_provision.htm">Acknowledging God's Provision</a> Just as the Israelites brought gold as a memorial, we should regularly acknowledge and give thanks for God's provision in our lives. <a href="/topical/g/generosity_in_worship.htm">Generosity in Worship</a> The commanders' willingness to give from the spoils of war teaches us the importance of generosity in our worship and service to God. <a href="/topical/m/memorials_of_faith.htm">Memorials of Faith</a> Establishing memorials or reminders of God's faithfulness can strengthen our faith and serve as a testimony to others. <a href="/topical/l/leadership_and_responsibility.htm">Leadership and Responsibility</a> Moses and Eleazar's roles highlight the importance of godly leadership and the responsibility leaders have in guiding others in worship and obedience. <a href="/topical/c/community_worship.htm">Community Worship</a> The collective act of bringing the gold into the Tent of Meeting emphasizes the importance of community in worship and the shared responsibility of honoring God.<div class="vheading2">Lists and Questions</div><a href="/top10/lessons_from_numbers_31.htm">Top 10 Lessons from Numbers 31</a> <a href="/q/can_you_find_peace_and_remain_still.htm">What did the Ark of the Covenant contain?</a> <a href="/q/who_were_eldad_and_medad_in_the_bible.htm">Who were Eldad and Medad in the Bible?</a> <a href="/q/why_commend_phinehas_for_killing.htm">Numbers 25:6-8: Why does God commend Phinehas for killing an Israelite man and a Midianite woman, raising moral questions about vigilante violence?</a> <a href="/q/what_does_the_bible_say_on_tithing.htm">What does the Bible teach about tithing?</a><a name="commentary" id="commentary"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/numbers/31.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div>Verse 54. - Brought it into the tabernacle of the congregation. It is not said what was done with this enormous quantity of gold, which must have been a cause of anxiety as well as of pride to the priests. It may have formed a fund for the support of the tabernacle services during the long years of neglect which followed the conquest, or it may have been drawn upon for national purposes. A memorial. To bring them into favourable remembrance with the Lord. For this sense of זִכָּרון (Septuagint, μνημόσυνον) cf. <a href="/exodus/28-12.htm">Exodus 28:12, 29</a>. NOTE ON THE EXTERMINATION OF THE MIDIANITES. The grave moral difficulty presented by the treatment of their enemies by the Israelites, under the sanction or even direct command of God, is here presented in its gravest form. It will be best first to state the proceedings in all their ugliness; then to reject the false excuses made for them; and lastly, to justify (if possible) the Divine sanction accorded to them. I. That the Midianites had injured Israel is clear; as also that they had done so deliberately, craftily, and successfully, under the advice of Balaam. They had so acted as if e.g., a modern nation were to pour its opium into the ports of a dreaded neighbour in time of peace, not simply for the sake of gain (which is base enough), but with deliberate intent to ruin the morals and destroy the manhood of the nation. Such a course of action, if proved, would be held to justify any reprisals possible within the limits of legitimate war; Christian nations have avenged far less weighty injuries by bloody wars in this very century. Midian, therefore, was attacked by a detachment of the Israelites, and for some reason seems to have been unable either to fight or to fly. Thereupon all the men (i.e., all who bore arms) were slain; the towns and hamlets were destroyed; the women, children, and cattle driven off as booty. So far the Israelites had but followed the ordinary customs of war, with this great exception in their favour, that they offered (as is evident from the narrative) no violence to the women. Upon their return to the camp Moses was greatly displeased at the fact of the Midianitish women having been brought in, and gave orders that all the male children and all the women who were not virgins were to be slain. The inspection necessary to determine the latter point was left presumably to the soldiers. The Targum of Palestine indeed inserts a fable concerning some miraculous, or rather magical, test which was used to decide the question in each individual case. But this is simply a fable invented to avoid a disagreeable conclusion; both soldiers and captives were unclean, and were kept apart; and the narrative clearly implies that there was no communication between them and the people at large until long after the slaughter was over. To put the matter boldly, we have to face the fact that, under Moses' directions, 12,000 soldiers had to deal with perhaps 50,000 women, first by ascertaining that they were not virgins, and then by killing them in cold blood. It is a small additional horror that a multitude of infants must have perished directly or indirectly with their mothers. II. It is commonly urged in vindication of this massacre that the war was God's war, and that God had a perfect right to exterminate a most guilty people. This is true in a sense. If God had been pleased to visit the Midianites with pestilence, famine, or hordes of savages worse than themselves, no one would have charged him with injustice. All who believe in an over-ruling Providence believe that in one way or other God has provided that great wickedness in a nation shall be greatly punished. But that is beside the question altogether; the difficulty is, not that the Midianites were exterminated, but that they were exterminated in an inhuman manner by the Israelites. If they had been so many swine the work would have been revolting; being men, women, and children, with all the ineffaceable beauty, interest, and hope of our common humanity upon them, the very soul sickens to think upon the cruel details of their slaughter. An ordinarily good man, sharing the feelings which do honour to the present century, would certainly have flung down his sword and braved all wrath human or Divine, rather than go on with so hateful a work; and there is not surely any Christian teacher who would not say that he acted quite rightly; if such orders proceeded from God's undoubted representative today, it would be necessary deliberately to disobey them. It is urged again that the question at issue really was, "whether an obscene and debasing idolatry should undermine the foundations of human society," or whether an awful judgment should at once stamp out the sinners, and brand the sin for ever. But no such question was at issue. There were obscene and debasing idolatries in abundance round about Israel, but no effort was made to exterminate them; the Moabites in particular seem to have been just as licentious as the Midianites at this time (see <a href="/numbers/25-1.htm">Numbers 25:1-3</a>), and certainly were quite as idolatrous, and yet they were passed by. Indeed the argument shows an entire failure, so to speak, in moral perspective. Harlotry and idolatry are great sins, but there is no reason to believe that God deals with them otherwise than he does with other sins. It was no part of the Divine intention concerning Israel that he should go about as a knight-errant avenging "obscene idolatries." Many a nation just as immoral as Midian rose to greatness, and displayed some valuable virtues, and (it is to be presumed) did some good work in God's world in preparation for the fullness of time. Harlotry and idolatry prevail to a frightful extent in Great Britain; but any attempt to pursue them with pains and penalties would be scorned by the conscience of the nation as Pharisaical. The fact is (and it is so obvious that it ought not to have been overlooked) that Midian was overthrown, not because he was given over to an "obscene idolatry," wherein he was probably neither much better nor much worse than his neighbours; but because he had made an unprovoked, crafty, and successful attack upon God's people, and had brought thousands of them to a shameful death. The motive which prompted the attack upon them was not horror of their sins, nor fear of their contamination, but vengeance; Midian was smitten avowedly "to avenge the children of Israel" (verse 2) who had fallen through Baal-peor, and at the same time "to avenge the Lord" (verse 3), who had been obliged to slay his own people. III. The true justification of these proceedings - which we should now call, and justly call, atrocities - divides itself into two parts. In the first place, we have to deal only with the fact that an expedition was sent by Divine command, to smite the Midianites. Now, this does indeed open up a very difficult moral question, but it does not involve any special difficulty of its own. It is certain that wars of revenge were freely sanctioned under the Old Testament dispensation (see on Exodus 17:14-16; 1 Samuel 15:2, 3). It is practically conceded that they are permitted by the New Testament dispensation. At any rate Christian nations habitually wage wars of revenge even against half-armed savages, and many of those who counsel or carry on such wars are men of really religious character. It is possible that if the principles of the New Testament take a deeper hold upon the national conscience, all such wars will be regarded as crimes. This means simply, that in regard to war the moral sentiment of religious people has changed, and is changing very materially from age to age. Even a bad man will shrink from doing today what a good man would have done without the least scruple some centuries ago; and (if the world last) a bad man will be able sincerely to denounce some centuries hence what a good man can bring himself to do with a clear conscience today. Now it has been pointed out again and again that when God assumed the Jews to be his peculiar people, he assumed them not only in the social and political stage, but in the moral stage also, which belonged to their place in the world and in history. Just as God adopted, as King of Israel, the social and political ideas which then prevailed, and made the best of them; in like manner he adopted the moral ideas then current, and made the best of them, so restraining them in one direction, and so enforcing them in another, and so bringing them all under the influence of religious sanctions, as to prepare the way for the bringing in of a higher morality. What God did for the Jews was not to teach them the precepts of a lofty and perfect morality, which was indeed only possible in connection with the revelation of his Son, but to teach them to act in all things from religious motives, and with direct reference to his good pleasure. Accordingly God himself, especially in the earlier part of their history as a nation, undertook to guide their vengeance, and taught them to look upon wars of vengeance (since their conscience freely sanctioned them) as waged for his honour and glory, not their own. If this seem to any one unworthy of the Divine Beings let him consider for a moment, that on no other condition was the Old Testament dispensation possible. If God was to be the Head of a nation among nations, he must regulate all its affairs, personal, social, and national. We escape the difficulty, and wage wars of vengeance, and commit other acts of doubtful morality, without compromising our religion, because our religion is strictly personal, and our wars are strictly national. But the Old Testament dispensation was emphatically temporal and national; all responsibility for all public acts devolved upon the King of Israel himself. It was absolutely necessary, then, either that God should reveal Christian morality without Christ (which is as though one should have heat without the sun, or a poem without a poet); or that he should sanction the morality then current in its best form, and teach men to walk bravely and devoutly according to the light of their own conscience. That light was dim enough in some ways, but it was slowly growing clearer through the gradual revelation which God made of himself; and even now it is growing clearer, and still while religion remains fundamentally the same, morality is distinctly advancing, and good people are learning to abhor today what they did in the faith and fear of God but yesterday. Take, e.g., that saying, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay." For the Jew it meant that in waging wars of vengeance he fought as the Lord's soldier and not as in a private quarrel. For the Christian of the present day it means that revenge of private injuries is to be left altogether to the just judgment of the last day. To the Christian of some future age it will mean that all revenge for injuries and humiliations, private or public, individual or national, must be left to the justice of him who ordereth all things in this world or the world to come. Each has a different standard of morality; yet each, even in doing what another will abhor, may claim the Divine sanction, for each acts truly and religiously according to his lights. This being so, it is only necessary further to point out that the slaying of all the men whom they could get at was the ordinary custom of war in those days, when no distinction could be drawn between combatants and non-combatants. The practice of war in this respect is entirely determined by the sentiment of the age, and is always in the nature of a compromise between the desire to kill and the desire to spare. As these two desires can never be reconciled, they divide the field between them with a curious inconsistency. The first is satisfied by the ever-increasing destructiveness of war; the second is gratified by the alleviations which strict discipline and skilled assistance can procure for the vanquished and the wounded. Whether ancient or modern wars really left the larger tale of misery behind them is a matter of great doubt; but at any rate the custom of war sanctioned the slaughter of all the combatants, i.e., of all the men, at that time; and if war is to be waged at all, it must be allowed to follow the ordinary practice. In the second place, however, we have to deal with horrors of an exceptional character, in the subsequent slaughter of the women and boys. Now it is to be observed that the orders for this slaughter proceeded from Moses alone. According to the narrative of verse 13 sq., Moses went out of the camp, and on perceiving the state of the case, gave instructions at once while his anger was hot. It is possible that he sought for Divine guidance, but it does not appear that he did, but rather that he acted upon his own judgment, and under the ordinary guidance of his own conscience. We have not, therefore, to face the difficulty of a direct command from God, but only the difficulty of a holy man, full of heavenly wisdom, having ordered a butchery so abhorrent to our modern feelings. Let it then in all fairness be observed - . . . <a href="/commentaries/numbers/31-54.htm">Parallel Commentaries ...</a> <a name="lexicon" id="lexicon"></a><div class="vheading">Hebrew</div>And Moses מֹשֶׁ֜ה (mō·šeh) Noun - proper - masculine singular <a href="/hebrew/strongs_4872.htm">Strong's 4872: </a> Moses -- a great Israelite leader, prophet and lawgiver and Eleazar וְאֶלְעָזָ֤ר (wə·’el·‘ā·zār) Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular <a href="/hebrew/strongs_499.htm">Strong's 499: </a> Eleazar -- 'God has helped', six Israelites the priest הַכֹּהֵן֙ (hak·kō·hên) Article | Noun - masculine singular <a href="/hebrew/strongs_3548.htm">Strong's 3548: </a> Priest received וַיִּקַּ֨ח (way·yiq·qaḥ) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular <a href="/hebrew/strongs_3947.htm">Strong's 3947: </a> To take the gold הַזָּהָ֔ב (haz·zā·hāḇ) Article | Noun - masculine singular <a href="/hebrew/strongs_2091.htm">Strong's 2091: </a> Gold, something gold-colored, as oil, a clear sky from the commanders שָׂרֵ֥י (śā·rê) Noun - masculine plural construct <a href="/hebrew/strongs_8269.htm">Strong's 8269: </a> Chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince of thousands הָאֲלָפִ֖ים (hā·’ă·lā·p̄îm) Article | Number - masculine plural <a href="/hebrew/strongs_505.htm">Strong's 505: </a> A thousand and of hundreds וְהַמֵּא֑וֹת (wə·ham·mê·’ō·wṯ) Conjunctive waw, Article | Number - feminine plural <a href="/hebrew/strongs_3967.htm">Strong's 3967: </a> A hundred and brought וַיָּבִ֤אוּ (way·yā·ḇi·’ū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural <a href="/hebrew/strongs_935.htm">Strong's 935: </a> To come in, come, go in, go it into אֶל־ (’el-) Preposition <a href="/hebrew/strongs_413.htm">Strong's 413: </a> Near, with, among, to the Tent אֹ֣הֶל (’ō·hel) Noun - masculine singular construct <a href="/hebrew/strongs_168.htm">Strong's 168: </a> A tent of Meeting מוֹעֵ֔ד (mō·w·‘êḏ) Noun - masculine singular <a href="/hebrew/strongs_4150.htm">Strong's 4150: </a> Appointed time, place, or meeting as a memorial זִכָּר֥וֹן (zik·kā·rō·wn) Noun - masculine singular <a href="/hebrew/strongs_2146.htm">Strong's 2146: </a> Memorial, remembrance for the Israelites לִבְנֵֽי־ (liḇ·nê-) Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct <a href="/hebrew/strongs_1121.htm">Strong's 1121: </a> A son before לִפְנֵ֥י (lip̄·nê) Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct <a href="/hebrew/strongs_6440.htm">Strong's 6440: </a> The face the LORD. יְהוָֽה׃ (Yah·weh) Noun - proper - masculine singular <a href="/hebrew/strongs_3068.htm">Strong's 3068: </a> LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel <div class="vheading">Links</div><a href="/niv/numbers/31-54.htm">Numbers 31:54 NIV</a> <a href="/nlt/numbers/31-54.htm">Numbers 31:54 NLT</a> <a href="/esv/numbers/31-54.htm">Numbers 31:54 ESV</a> <a href="/nasb/numbers/31-54.htm">Numbers 31:54 NASB</a> <a href="/kjv/numbers/31-54.htm">Numbers 31:54 KJV</a> <a href="//bibleapps.com/numbers/31-54.htm">Numbers 31:54 BibleApps.com</a> <a href="//bibliaparalela.com/numbers/31-54.htm">Numbers 31:54 Biblia Paralela</a> <a href="//holybible.com.cn/numbers/31-54.htm">Numbers 31:54 Chinese Bible</a> <a href="//saintebible.com/numbers/31-54.htm">Numbers 31:54 French Bible</a> <a href="/catholic/numbers/31-54.htm">Numbers 31:54 Catholic Bible</a> <a href="/numbers/31-54.htm">OT Law: Numbers 31:54 Moses and Eleazar the priest took (Nu Num.) </a></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="/numbers/31-53.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Numbers 31:53"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Numbers 31:53" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/numbers/32-1.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Numbers 32:1"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Numbers 32:1" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>