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Morning Bible Reading - Numbers 30

  1 And Moses spake unto the heads of the tribes concerning the children of Israel, saying, This [is] the thing which the LORD hath commanded.  2 If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.  3 If a woman also vow a vow unto the LORD, and bind [herself] by a bond, [being] in her father’s house in her youth;  4 And her father hear her vow, and her bond wherewith she hath bound her soul, and her father shall hold his peace at her: then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand.  5 But if her father disallow her in the day that he heareth; not any of her vows, or of her bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul, shall stand: and the LORD shall forgive her, because her father disallowed her.  6 And if she had at all an husband, when she vowed, or uttered ought out of her lips, wherewith she bound her soul;  7 And her husband heard [it,] and held his peace at her in the day that he heard [it]: then her vows shall stand, and her bonds wherewith she bound her soul shall stand.  8 But if her husband disallowed her on the day that he heard [it]; then he shall make her vow which she vowed, and that which she uttered with her lips, wherewith she bound her soul, of none effect: and the LORD shall forgive her.  9 But every vow of a widow, and of her that is divorced, wherewith they have bound their souls, shall stand against her.  10 And if she vowed in her husband’s house, or bound her soul by a bond with an oath;  11 And her husband heard [it], and held his peace at her, [and] disallowed her not: then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she bound her soul shall stand.  12 But if her husband hath utterly made them void on the day he heard [them; then] whatsoever proceeded out of her lips concerning her vows, or concerning the bond of her soul, shall not stand: her husband hath made them void; and the LORD shall forgive her.  13 Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, her husband may establish it, or her husband may make it void.  14 But if her husband altogether hold his peace at her from day to day; then he establisheth all her vows, or all her bonds, which [are] upon her: he confirmeth them, because he held his peace at her in the day that he heard [them].  15 But if he shall any ways make them void after that he hath heard [them]; then he shall bear her iniquity.  16 These [are] the statutes, which the LORD commanded Moses, between a man and his wife, between the father and his daughter, [being yet] in her youth in her father’s house.

Matthew Henry Commentary:   0-999 Chapter Outline Vows to be kept. (1, 2) The cases wherein vows might be released. (3-16)

Matthew Henry Commentary:   1-2 No man can be bound by his own promise to do what he is already, by the Divine precept, forbidden to do. In other matters the command is, that he shall not break his words, through he may change his mind.

Matthew Henry Commentary:   3-16 Two cases of vows are determined. The case of a daughter in her father|s house. When her vow comes to his knowledge, it is in his power either to confirm it or do it away. The law is plain in the case of a wife. If her husband allows her vow, though only by silence, it stands. If he disallows it, her obligation to her husband takes place of it; for to him she ought to be in subjection, as unto the Lord. The Divine law consults the good order of families. It is fit that every man should bear rule in his own house, and have his wife and children in subjection; rather than that this great rule should be broken, or any encouragement be given to inferior relations to break those bonds asunder, God releases the obligation even of a solemn vow. So much does religion secure the welfare of all societies; and in it the families of the earth have a blessing.

A Commentary By J Vernon MCgee For Numbers 30:1-999 

A Commentary By J Vernon MCgee For Numbers 30:3-999 

Morning Bible Reading - Numbers 31

  1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,  2 Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people.  3 And Moses spake unto the people, saying, Arm some of yourselves unto the war, and let them go against the Midianites, and avenge the LORD of Midian.  4 Of every tribe a thousand, throughout all the tribes of Israel, shall ye send to the war.  5 So there were delivered out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand of [every] tribe, twelve thousand armed for war.  6 And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand of [every] tribe, them and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the holy instruments, and the trumpets to blow in his hand.  7 And they warred against the Midianites, as the LORD commanded Moses; and they slew all the males.  8 And they slew the kings of Midian, beside the rest of them that were slain; [namely], Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword.  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.  10 And they burnt all their cities wherein they dwelt, and all their goodly castles, with fire.  11 And they took all the spoil, and all the prey, [both] of men and of beasts.  12 And they brought the captives, and the prey, and the spoil, unto Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and unto the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the camp at the plains of Moab, which [are] by Jordan [near] Jericho.  13 And Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and all the princes of the congregation, went forth to meet them without the camp.  14 And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host, [with] the captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, which came from the battle.  15 And Moses said unto them, Have ye saved all the women alive?  16 Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD.  17 Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him.  18 But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves.  19 And do ye abide without the camp seven days: whosoever hath killed any person, and whosoever hath touched any slain, purify [both] yourselves and your captives on the third day, and on the seventh day.  20 And purify all [your] raiment, and all that is made of skins, and all work of goats’ [hair], and all things made of wood.  21 And Eleazar the priest said unto the men of war which went to the battle, This [is] the ordinance of the law which the LORD commanded Moses;  22 Only the gold, and the silver, the brass, the iron, the tin, and the lead,  23 Every thing that may abide the fire, ye shall make [it] go through the fire, and it shall be clean: nevertheless it shall be purified with the water of separation: and all that abideth not the fire ye shall make go through the water.  24 And ye shall wash your clothes on the seventh day, and ye shall be clean, and afterward ye shall come into the camp.  25 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,  26 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:  27 And divide the prey into two parts; between them that took the war upon them, who went out to battle, and between all the congregation:  28 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:  29 Take [it] of their half, and give [it] unto Eleazar the priest, [for] an heave offering of the LORD.  30 And of the children of Israel’s half, thou shalt take one portion of fifty, of the persons, of the beeves, of the asses, and of the flocks, of all manner of beasts, and give them unto the Levites, which keep the charge of the tabernacle of the LORD.  31 And Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the LORD commanded Moses.  32 And the booty, [being] the rest of the prey which the men of war had caught, was six hundred thousand and seventy thousand and five thousand sheep,  33 And threescore and twelve thousand beeves,  34 And threescore and one thousand asses,  35 And thirty and two thousand persons in all, of women that had not known man by lying with him.  36 And the half, [which was] the portion of them that went out to war, was in number three hundred thousand and seven and thirty thousand and five hundred sheep:  37 And the LORD’s tribute of the sheep was six hundred and threescore and fifteen.  38 And the beeves [were] thirty and six thousand; of which the LORD’s tribute [was] threescore and twelve.  39 And the asses [were] thirty thousand and five hundred; of which the LORD’s tribute [was] threescore and one.  40 And the persons [were] sixteen thousand; of which the LORD’s tribute [was] thirty and two persons.  41 And Moses gave the tribute, [which was] the LORD’s heave offering, unto Eleazar the priest, as the LORD commanded Moses.  42 And of the children of Israel’s half, which Moses divided from the men that warred,  43 (Now the half [that pertained unto] the congregation was three hundred thousand and thirty thousand [and] seven thousand and five hundred sheep,  44 And thirty and six thousand beeves,  45 And thirty thousand asses and five hundred,  46 And sixteen thousand persons;)  47 Even of the children of Israel’s half, Moses took one portion of fifty, [both] of man and of beast, and gave them unto the Levites, which kept the charge of the tabernacle of the LORD; as the LORD commanded Moses.  48 And the officers which [were] over thousands of the host, the captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds, came near unto Moses:  49 And they said unto Moses, Thy servants have taken the sum of the men of war which [are] under our charge, and there lacketh not one man of us.  50 We have therefore brought an oblation for the LORD, what every man hath gotten, of jewels of gold, chains, and bracelets, rings, earrings, and tablets, to make an atonement for our souls before the LORD.  51 And Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of them, [even] all wrought jewels.  52 And all the gold of the offering that they offered up to the LORD, of the captains of thousands, and of the captains of hundreds, was sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekels.  53 ([For] the men of war had taken spoil, every man for himself.)  54 And Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the tabernacle of the congregation, [for] a memorial for the children of Israel before the LORD.

Matthew Henry Commentary:   0-999 Chapter Outline War with Midian. (1-6) Balaam slain. (7-12) Those slain who caused sin. (13-38) Purification of the Israelites. (39-24) Division of the spoil. (25-47) Offerings. (48-54)

Matthew Henry Commentary:   1-6 All who, without commission from God, dare to execute private revenge, and who, from ambition, covetousness, or resentment, wage war and desolate kingdoms, must one day answer for it. But if God, instead of sending an earthquake, a pestilence, or a famine, be pleased to authorize and command any people to avenge his cause, such a commission surely is just and right. The Israelites could show such a commission, though no persons now can do so. Their wars were begun and carried on expressly by Divine direction, and they were enabled to conquer by miracles. Unless it can be proved that the wicked Canaanites did not deserve their doom, objectors only prove their dislike to God, and their love to his enemies. Man makes light of the evil of sin, but God abhors it. This explains the terrible executions of the nations which had filled the measure of their sins.

Matthew Henry Commentary:   7-12 The Israelites slew the Kings of Midian. They slew Balaam. God|s overruling providence brought him thither, and their just vengeance found him. Had he himself rightly believed what he had said of the happy state of Israel, he would not have thus herded with the enemies of Israel. The Midianites| wicked wiles were Balaam|s projects: it was just that he should perish with them, Ho 4:5. They took the women and children captives. They burnt their cities and castles, and returned to the camp.

Matthew Henry Commentary:   13-18 The sword of war should spare women and children; but the sword of justice should know no distinction, but that of guilty or not guilty. This war was the execution of a righteous sentence upon a guilty nation, in which the women were the worst criminals. The female children were spared, who, being brought up among the Israelites, would not tempt them to idolatry. The whole history shows the hatefulness of sin, and the guilt of tempting others; it teaches us to avoid all occasions of evil, and to give no quarter to inward lusts. The women and children were not kept for sinful purposes, but for slaves, a custom every where practised in former times, as to captives. In the course of providence, when famine and plagues visit a nation for sin, children suffer in the common calamity. In this case parents are punished in their children; and for children dying before actual sin, full provision is made as to their eternal happiness, by the mercy of God in Christ.

Matthew Henry Commentary:   19-24 The Israelites had to purify themselves according to the law, and to abide without the camp seven days, though they had not contracted any moral guilt, the war being just and lawful, and commanded by God. Thus God would preserve in their minds a dread and detestation of shedding blood. The spoil had been used by Midianites, and being now come into the possession of Israelites, it was fit that it should be purified.

Matthew Henry Commentary:   25-47 Whatever we have, God justly claims a part. Out of the people|s share God required one in fifty, but out of the soldiers| share only one in five hundred. The less opportunity we have of honouring God with personal services, the more should we give in money or value.

Matthew Henry Commentary:   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, which might justly have been taken away.

A Commentary By J Vernon MCgee For Numbers 31:1-999 

  30 And they departed thence, and passed through Galilee; and he would not that any man should know [it].  31 For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.  32 But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him.  33 And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way?  34 But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who [should be] the greatest.  35 And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, [the same] shall be last of all, and servant of all.  36 And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them,  37 Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.  38 And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us.  39 But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me.  40 For he that is not against us is on our part.  41 For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.  42 And whosoever shall offend one of [these] little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.  43 And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:  44 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.  45 And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:  46 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.  47 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:  48 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.  49 For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.  50 Salt [is] good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.

Matthew Henry Commentary:   30-40 The time of Christ|s suffering drew nigh. Had he been delivered into the hands of devils, and they had done this, it had not been so strange; but that men should thus shamefully treat the Son of man, who came to redeem and save them, is wonderful. Still observe that when Christ spake of his death, he always spake of his resurrection, which took the reproach of it from himself, and should have taken the grief of it from his disciples. Many remain ignorant because they are ashamed to inquire. Alas! that while the Saviour teaches so plainly the things which belong to his love and grace, men are so blinded that they understand not his sayings. We shall be called to account about our discourses, and to account for our disputes, especially about being greater than others. Those who are most humble and self-denying, most resemble Christ, and shall be most tenderly owned by him. This Jesus taught them by a sign; whoever shall receive one like this child, receives me. Many have been like the disciples, ready to silence men who have success in preaching to sinners repentance in Christ|s name, because they follow not with them. Our Lord blamed the apostles, reminding them that he who wrought miracles in his name would not be likely to hurt his cause. If sinners are brought to repent, to believe in the Saviour, and to live sober, righteous, and godly lives, we then see that the Lord works by the preacher.

Matthew Henry Commentary:   41-50 It is repeatedly said of the wicked, Their worm dieth not, as well as, The fire is never quenched. Doubtless, remorse of conscience and keen self-reflection are this never-dying worm. Surely it is beyond compare better to undergo all possible pain, hardship, and self-denial here, and to be happy for ever hereafter, than to enjoy all kinds of worldly pleasure for a season, and to be miserable for ever. Like the sacrifices, we must be salted with salt; our corrupt affections must be subdued and mortified by the Holy Spirit. Those that have the salt of grace, must show they have a living principle of grace in their hearts, which works out corrupt dispositions in the soul that would offend God, or our own consciences.

A Commentary By J Vernon MCgee For Mark 9:30-50