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.

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — Moses distributes a portion of the war spoils to the Levites who ministered at the tabernacle, acting immediately after the completion of the Midianite campaign and the accounting of the plunder.

The words — וַ/יִּקַּ֨ח (va/yi.kach) literally means "and he took," recording Moses' active selection of the designated share. מִ/מַּחֲצִ֣ת (mi/macha.tzit) translates to "from the half," specifying that the contribution came exclusively from the Israelites' portion rather than the soldiers' share.

The thread — The text directly references the command in Numbers 31:30 and aligns with the broader principle of supporting tabernacle workers detailed in Numbers 18:21 and Deuteronomy 12:17.

Why it lands — The verse requires the reader to observe strict compliance with divine instructions regarding the allocation of resources for sacred service. It demands that those entrusted with distribution execute the command exactly as given, without altering the specified ratio or source.

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

וַיִּקַּ֨חva/i.yi.Kachand/ he took מֹשֶׁ֜הmo.ShehMoses מִמַּחֲצִ֣תmi./ma.cha.Tzitfrom/ [the] half of בְּנֵֽי־be.nei-[the] people of יִשְׂרָאֵ֗לYis.ra.'ElIsrael אֶת־'et-<obj.>הָֽאָחֻז֙ha./'a.Chuzthose/ drawn אֶחָ֣ד'e.Chadone מִן־min-from הַחֲמִשִּׁ֔יםha./cha.mi.Shimthe/ fifty מִן־min-from הָאָדָ֖םha./'a.Dam<the>/ humankind וּמִן־u./min-and/ from הַבְּהֵמָ֑הha./be.he.Mahthe/ livestock וַיִּתֵּ֨ןva/i.yi.Tenand/ he gave אֹתָ֜ם'o.Ta/m<obj.>/ them לַלְוִיִּ֗םla/l.vi.Yimto the/ Levites שֹֽׁמְרֵי֙sho.me.Rei[who] keep מִשְׁמֶ֙רֶת֙mish.Me.ret<of> [the] service of מִשְׁכַּ֣ןmish.Kan[the] tabernacle of יְהוָ֔הYah.wehYahweh כַּאֲשֶׁ֛רka./'a.Sherjust/ as צִוָּ֥הtzi.Vahhe had commanded יְהוָ֖הYah.wehYahweh אֶת־'et-<obj.>מֹשֶֽׁה׃mo.ShehMoses

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

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 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.
Deuteronomy 12:17 Within your gates you must not eat the tithe of your grain or new wine or oil, the firstborn of your herds or flocks, any of the offerings that you have vowed to give, or your freewill offerings or special gifts.
Psalms 134:1 A song of ascents. Come, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD who serve by night in the house of the LORD!
Isaiah 56:10 Israel’s watchmen are blind, they are all oblivious; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they are dreamers lying around, loving to slumber.
Luke 10:1 After this, the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of Him to every town and place He was about to visit.
1 Thessalonians 5:12 But we ask you, brothers, to acknowledge those who work diligently among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you.

People named

Moses