Numbers, 31
31. Moses and Eleazar, the priest, did as Yahweh had commanded Moses.
31. Moses and Eleazar, the priest, did as Yahweh had commanded Moses.
Chapter 31 of numbers narrates the victory of the Israelites about the Midianites and the capture of their people, animals and spoils. Some themes present in this chapter are war, victory, spoil of war and dedication to the Lord.
Deuteronomy 20:4 - "For the Lord, your God, accompanies you and will fight for you against your enemies to give them victory." This verse talks about how God fights with His people and gives them victory, an important theme in numbers 31.
Joshua 6:19 - "Everything that is silver, gold, bronze or iron is consecrated to the Lord and must go to the Lord's treasure." After victory in war, the Israelites have been spoiled, but this verse teaches that everything that is captured must be consecrated to the Lord, something that has also occurred in numbers 31.
Psalm 68:12 - "The Lord gives the order and many announce good news." This verse highlights God's authority and how he gives the orders to his battles. In numbers 31, God commands Israel to fight the Midianites.
2 Chronicles 20:25 - "Jehoshaphat and his army went to loot the spoils of the dead. And they found much more than they could carry." This verse describes how Jehoshaphat's army found many spoils of war and could not carry them all. In numbers 31, the Israelites also captured many spoils of war.
1 Samuel 15:3 - "Go now, attack the Amalequitas and destroy everything that belongs to them. Not spare anything; kill men, women, children and newborns, oxen, sheep, camels and donkeys." This verse shows how God commanded the Amalequites to be completely destroyed, leaving nothing. In numbers 31, the Israelites were ordered to kill all the medianist men and the women who had had sex, as well as to destroy their goods.
“O trabalho é tão sagrado como a oração”. São Padre Pio de Pietrelcina
