And the people of Israel took captive the women of Midian and their little ones, and they took as plunder all their cattle, their flocks, and all their goods.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse lists the plunder taken—women, children, cattle, flocks, and goods—but the inclusion of "their little ones" among the captives, alongside the women, points to a collective punishment or consequence, not just for the men who waged war, but for their entire community, a detail that can be easily overlooked amidst the enumeration of spoils.
And the people of Israel took captive the women of Midian and their little ones, and they took as plunder all their cattle, their flocks, and all their goods.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Following a devastating plague that resulted from Israelite men being lured into idolatry by Moabite and Midianite women, God commanded a punitive expedition against Midian. This verse describes the immediate aftermath of that successful military campaign, detailing the spoils of war taken by the Israelite soldiers as they returned to Moses and the camp.
This verse describes the spoils of war, but what does it reveal about God's ultimate purpose in this conflict?
The conquest of Midian was a direct act of divine judgment. The people of Israel were God's instruments, carrying out His decree against a nation that had actively worked to curse and corrupt them.
Beyond the immediate military action, what was the deeper significance of the plunder taken?
The immense amount of plunder taken—cattle, flocks, and goods—was not just material gain for the Israelites. It served several critical purposes:
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Understand the original words
Yisra'el · Hebrew Proper Noun
The covenant community chosen by God, descended from the patriarch Jacob. They are defined by their submission to the Mosaic Law and their status as the people of the LORD.
baz · Hebrew Noun
Spoils of war, including property, livestock, and captives taken by a victorious army. In the context of the conquest, plunder was often subject to divine decree regarding what should be consecrated to the LORD and what could be taken by the soldiers.
This event wasn't just a random raid; it was a divinely ordained judgment against the Midianites for their role in seducing Israel into sin and idolatry at Peor, an act that had brought a deadly plague upon God's people.
c. 1400 BC
Israelites in Moabite Territory
The Israelites are encamped on the plains of Moab, near the Jordan River, after their exodus from Egypt. They have recently been warned against worshipping the local deity Peor, a sin that led to a plague.
c. 1400 BC— this verse
Midianite Deception at Peor
The Midianites, in league with Moab, entice Israelite men into sexual immorality and idolatry, leading to a devastating plague. This act prompts God to command a punitive expedition against Midian.
c. 1400 BC
Israelite Military Campaign Against Midian
A force of 12,000 Israelite warriors, led by Phinehas, is sent to attack the Midianites. They kill all the men, including five kings and the sorcerer Balaam, and take the women and children captive, along with all their possessions.
c. 1400 BC
Division of Spoils and Purification
The spoils of war are brought back to the Israelite camp. Moses and Eleazar the priest oversee the division of the plunder and the purification of the soldiers and the captured goods according to the Law.
This passage describes the plundering of a fallen Babylon, listing similar valuable goods and even people as plunder, mirroring the inventory taken from the Midianites in Numbers 31:9.
Deuteronomy 20:10-14This passage outlines the rules of war for Israel, detailing how to treat conquered cities, including taking spoil and captives, which provides a legislative context for the actions described in Numbers 31:9.
Joshua 6:24After the destruction of Jericho, Israel was instructed to 'utterly destroy everything in the city, both man and woman, young and old, ox and sheep and donkey, with the edge of the sword.' This shows a precedent for the comprehensive destruction and taking of spoil in warfare commanded by God, even though the treatment of women and children differed in Numbers 31.
Psalm 149:6-9This psalm speaks of God's people executing vengeance on the nations with the sword, aligning with the military action and subsequent spoils taken in Numbers 31:9 as an act of divine judgment.
gillNumbers 31:9: "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."
And the children of Israel took all the women of Midian captives,.... The word "all" is not in the original text, nor should it be supplied; for if all had been taken, and carried captive, and put to death, as those were afterwards, how could there have been such an increase of the Midianites as there was in s…
calvinNumbers 31:1-54: "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,"
And they slew the kings of Midian, besides the rest of them that were slain; namely, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hut, and Reba, five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword.
Reges quoque Madian occiderunt cum occisis eorum, Evi et Recem, et Sur, et Hur, et Reba, quinque reges Madian: et Balaam filium Beor occiderunt gladio.
And the children of Israel took all the women of Midian captives, and the…
The verse lists the plunder taken—women, children, cattle, flocks, and goods—but the inclusion of "their little ones" among the captives, alongside the women, points to a collective punishment or consequence, not just for the men who waged war, but for their entire community, a detail that can be easily overlooked amidst the enumeration of spoils.
Following a devastating plague that resulted from Israelite men being lured into idolatry by Moabite and Midianite women, God commanded a punitive expedition against Midian. This verse describes the immediate aftermath of that successful military campaign, detailing the spoils of war taken by the Israelite soldiers as they returned to Moses and the camp.
Following a devastating plague that resulted from Israelite men being lured into idolatry by Moabite and Midianite women, God commanded a punitive expedition against Midian. This verse describes the immediate aftermath of that successful military campaign, detailing the spoils of war taken by the Israelite soldiers as they returned to Moses and the camp.
"And the people of Israel took captive the women of Midian and their little ones, and they took as plunder all their cattle, their flocks, and all their goods." — The verse lists the plunder taken—women, children, cattle, flocks, and goods—but the inclusion of "their little ones" among the captives, alongside the women, points to a collective punishment or con…
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Last reviewed October 2026