Bible Strands

Numbers 31:12

They brought the captives, spoils, and plunder to Moses, to Eleazar the priest, and to the congregation of Israel at the camp on the plains of Moab, by the Jordan across from Jericho.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The narrator records the Israelite commanders returning from the Midianite campaign and delivering the captives, spoils, and plunder to Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the congregation at their camp on the plains of Moab by the Jordan opposite Jericho.

The words — וַיָּבִאוּ (va-yā·ḇî·’ū) translates literally as "and they brought," marking the completed transport of the war booty. אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן (’el·’ā·zār ha·kō·hên) identifies Eleazar as the priest, distinguishing his receiving role from Moses and the congregation.

The thread — The geographic marker "plains of Moab, by the Jordan across from Jericho" first identifies the Israelite encampment in Numbers 22:1. The delivery sequence immediately continues in Numbers 31:13, where Moses, Eleazar, and the leaders go out to meet the returning army.

Why it lands — The text documents the physical transfer of captured property to civil and religious authorities before any individual allocation. It requires the reader to observe the established chain of custody for war gains in the narrative.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

People named

MosesEleazar

Places named

JerichoJordan