The Meaning of Numbers 31:28 Explained

Numbers 31:28

KJV: And levy a tribute unto the LORD of the men of war which went out to battle: one soul of five hundred, both of the persons, and of the beeves, and of the asses, and of the sheep:

YLT: and thou hast raised a tribute to Jehovah from the men of war, who go out to the host, one body out of five hundred, of man, and of the herd, and of the asses, and of the flock;

Darby: And thou shalt levy a tribute for Jehovah of the men of war who went out to the army, one soul of five hundred of the persons, and of the oxen, and of the asses, and of the small cattle.

ASV: And levy a tribute unto Jehovah of the men of war that went out to battle: one soul of five hundred, both of the persons, and of the oxen, and of the asses, and of the flocks:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And levy  a tribute  unto the LORD  of the men  of war  which went out  to battle:  one  soul  of five  hundred,  [both] of the persons,  and of the beeves,  and of the asses,  and of the sheep: 

What does Numbers 31:28 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 31:28 mean?

And levy a tribute for Yahweh on the men of war who went out to battle one soul of every five hundred of the persons and the cattle the donkeys the sheep
וַהֲרֵמֹתָ֨ מֶ֜כֶס לַֽיהוָ֗ה מֵאֵ֞ת אַנְשֵׁ֤י הַמִּלְחָמָה֙ הַיֹּצְאִ֣ים לַצָּבָ֔א אֶחָ֣ד נֶ֔פֶשׁ מֵחֲמֵ֖שׁ הַמֵּא֑וֹת מִן־ הָאָדָם֙ וּמִן־ הַבָּקָ֔ר הַחֲמֹרִ֖ים הַצֹּֽאן

וַהֲרֵמֹתָ֨  And  levy 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: יָרוּם 
Sense: to rise, rise up, be high, be lofty, be exalted.
מֶ֜כֶס  a  tribute 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶכֶס  
Sense: computation, proportion to be paid, tribute, tax.
לַֽיהוָ֗ה  for  Yahweh 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אַנְשֵׁ֤י  the  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
הַמִּלְחָמָה֙  of  war 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִלְחָמָה  
Sense: battle, war.
הַיֹּצְאִ֣ים  who  went  out 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
לַצָּבָ֔א  to  battle 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.
אֶחָ֣ד  one 
Parse: Number, masculine singular construct
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
נֶ֔פֶשׁ  soul 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
מֵחֲמֵ֖שׁ  of  every  five 
Parse: Preposition-m, Number, feminine singular construct
Root: חָמֵשׁ  
Sense: five.
הַמֵּא֑וֹת  hundred 
Parse: Article, Number, feminine plural
Root: מֵאָה 
Sense: hundred.
הָאָדָם֙  the  persons 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
הַבָּקָ֔ר  the  cattle 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בָּקָר  
Sense: cattle, herd, oxen, ox.
הַחֲמֹרִ֖ים  the  donkeys 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: חֲמֹור 
Sense: (he)ass.
הַצֹּֽאן  the  sheep 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: צֹאן  
Sense: small cattle, sheep, sheep and goats, flock, flocks.