New Living Translation
Numbers 31:53
53All the fighting men had taken some of the plunder for themselves.
Numbers 31:53 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)(For the men of war had taken spoil, every man for himself.)
- New International Version (NIV)Each soldier had taken plunder for himself.
- English Standard Version (ESV)(The men in the army had each taken plunder for himself.)
- New King James Version (NKJV)(The men of war had taken spoil, every man for himself.)
Context of Numbers 31:53
51So Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from all the military commanders—all kinds of jewelry and crafted objects. 52In all, the gold that the generals and captains presented as a gift to the Lord weighed about 420 pounds. All the fighting men had taken some of the plunder for themselves. 54So 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.
Read all of Numbers 31Numbers 31:53 word by word
אַנְשֵׁי֙ הַצָּבָ֔א בָּזְז֖וּ אִ֥ישׁ לֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Numbers 31:53
Commentaries on Numbers 31:53
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 53This verse seems to imply that the soldiers, as distinct from the officers (compare Numbers 31:49), did not make any offering from their plunder. Of course besides the gold there would be much spoil of less precious materials; see Numbers 31:20, Numbers 31:22.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 48-54Verses 48-54 The success of the Israelites had been very remarkable, so small a company overcoming such multitudes, but it was still more wonderful that not one was slain or missing. They presented the gold they found among the spoils, as an offering to the Lord. Thus they confessed, that instead of claiming a reward for their service, they needed forgiveness of much that had been amiss, and desired to be thankful for the preservation of their lives…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 50-54The commanders happily offered gold objects to show gratitude for a great victory with no loss of life (see Exodus 30:12). Ancient art and literature show that the Midianites and other desert peoples, both men and women, wore gold jewelry. They used it as decoration, and as a form of wealth they could take with them (for example, Judges 8:24–26). Moses and Eleazar brought this large collection to the Tent of Meeting as a memorial of this special event…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 48-5448-54. officers ... said ... there lacketh not one man of us--A victory so signal, and the glory of which was untarnished by the loss of a single Israelitish soldier, was an astonishing miracle. So clearly betokening the direct interposition of Heaven, it might well awaken the liveliest feelings of grateful acknowledgment to God (Psa 44:2, 3). The oblation they brought for the Lord "was partly an atonement" or reparation for their error (Nu 31:14-16), for…Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 31:53
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Numbers 31
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries