Bible Strands
Numbers 31:28
Set aside a tribute for the LORD from what belongs to the soldiers who went into battle: one out of every five hundred, whether persons, cattle, donkeys, or sheep.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Moses addresses the Israelite commanders and troops immediately after the Midianite campaign, establishing the procedural requirement for a war tribute.
The words — מֶכֶס (Me.khes) denotes a tax or tribute, and הֲרֵמֹתָ (ha.re.mo.Ta) means you will raise or set aside.
The thread — This directive runs parallel to the priestly offering in Numbers 31:30 and the Levitical tithe in Numbers 18:26, reflecting a repeated pattern of dedicating a fixed portion of acquired wealth.
Why it lands — It requires the reader to acknowledge that material gain from conflict demands a structured allocation to God before any personal retention occurs.
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 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:
Cross-references
- Numbers 18:26 “Speak to the Levites and tell them: ‘When you receive from the Israelites the tithe that I have given you as your inheritance, you must present part of it as an offering to the LORD—a tithe of the tithe.
- Numbers 31:30 From the Israelites’ half, take one out of every fifty, whether persons, cattle, donkeys, sheep, or other animals, and give them to the Levites who keep charge of the tabernacle of the LORD.”
- Numbers 31:47 From the Israelites’ half, Moses took one out of every fifty persons and animals and gave them to the Levites who kept charge of the tabernacle of the LORD, as the LORD had commanded him.
- Genesis 14:20 and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything.
- Numbers 18:21 Behold, I have given to the Levites all the tithes in Israel as an inheritance in return for the work they do, the service of the Tent of Meeting.
- Joshua 6:19 For all the silver and gold and all the articles of bronze and iron are holy to the LORD; they must go into His treasury.”
- Joshua 6:24 Then the Israelites burned up the city and everything in it. However, they put the silver and gold and articles of bronze and iron into the treasury of the LORD’s house.
- 2 Samuel 8:11 and King David dedicated these to the LORD, along with the silver and gold he had dedicated from all the nations he had subdued—
- 1 Chronicles 18:11 and King David dedicated these to the LORD, along with the silver and gold he had carried off from all these nations—from Edom and Moab, and from the Ammonites, Philistines, and Amalekites.
- 1 Chronicles 26:26 This Shelomith and his brothers were in charge of all the treasuries for the things dedicated by King David, by the heads of families who were the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and by the army commanders.