The Meaning of Numbers 31:26 Explained

Numbers 31:26

KJV: Take the sum of the prey that was taken, both of man and of beast, thou, and Eleazar the priest, and the chief fathers of the congregation:

YLT: 'Take up the sum of the prey of the captives, among man and among beast, thou, and Eleazar the priest, and the heads of the fathers of the company;

Darby: Take the sum of the prey that was taken, of man and of cattle, thou, and Eleazar the priest, and the chief fathers of the assembly;

ASV: Take the sum of the prey that was taken, both of man and of beast, thou, and Eleazar the priest, and the heads of the fathers houses of the congregation;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Take  the sum  of the prey  that was taken,  [both] of man  and of beast,  thou, and Eleazar  the priest,  and the chief  fathers  of the congregation: 

What does Numbers 31:26 Mean?

Context Summary

Numbers 31:21-54 - The Disposition Of The Spoils Of War
This law, which subjected the victors to a whole week of separation and to special purification, instead of an immediate welcome into the camp, was intended to wean the Hebrews from the practice of war, giving them a higher standard than that of surrounding nations. Thus God educates us, by placing before us an ever higher standard, as we are able to obey it. It is easy to say hard things against this treatment of Midian, but extermination is sometimes the only way to safety.
For us the lesson is one of rigid separation. Some may be able to stand God's searching fire; but others cannot bear that flame. Yet these may not go altogether free. See Numbers 31:23. As strangers and pilgrims we must abstain from fleshly lusts. God demands our holiness, but discriminates in the method of producing it. [source]

Chapter Summary: Numbers 31

1  The Midianites are spoiled, and Balaam slain
13  Moses is angry with the officers, for saving the women alive
19  How the soldiers, with their captives and spoil, are to be purified
25  The proportion in which the prey is to be divided
48  The voluntary offering unto the treasure of the Lord

What do the individual words in Numbers 31:26 mean?

Count up - the sum of the plunder that was taken of man and beast you and Eleazar the priest and the chief fathers of the congregation
שָׂ֗א אֵ֣ת רֹ֤אשׁ מַלְק֙וֹחַ֙ הַשְּׁבִ֔י בָּאָדָ֖ם וּבַבְּהֵמָ֑ה אַתָּה֙ וְאֶלְעָזָ֣ר הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וְרָאשֵׁ֖י אֲב֥וֹת הָעֵדָֽה

שָׂ֗א  Count  up 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
אֵ֣ת  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
רֹ֤אשׁ  the  sum 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
מַלְק֙וֹחַ֙  of  the  plunder 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַלְקֹוחַ 
Sense: booty, prey.
הַשְּׁבִ֔י  that  was  taken 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שְׁבִי 
Sense: captivity, captives.
בָּאָדָ֖ם  of  man 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
וּבַבְּהֵמָ֑ה  and  beast 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: בְּהֵמָה  
Sense: beast, cattle, animal.
וְאֶלְעָזָ֣ר  and  Eleazar 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֶלְעָזָר  
Sense: Additional Information: Eleazar = “God has helped”.
הַכֹּהֵ֔ן  the  priest 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
וְרָאשֵׁ֖י  and  the  chief 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
אֲב֥וֹת  fathers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
הָעֵדָֽה  of  the  congregation 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עֵדָה  
Sense: congregation, gathering.

What are the major concepts related to Numbers 31:26?

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