2. Midianite Virgins
Which chapter in Numbers says the LORD required 32 Midianite virgins to be part of his offering?
A. 16
B. 21
C. 26
D. 31
25 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
The command came straight from the LORD.
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, 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.
The captured and kidnapped "prey" was divided into two groups, one based on the soldiers and one based on the congregation.
Of the soldier's half, one of every 500 people was the LORD's tribute, to be given to the priest as an offering to 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.
Of the congregation's half, one of every 50 persons was given to the Levites who cared for the temple. This portion of female virgins was spared and forced to serve in the LORD's temple.
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.
Moses and the priest obeyed the LORD. The war booty or plunder totaled 675,000 sheep, 72,000 cattle, 61,000 donkeys, and 32,000 virgin females.
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.
16,000 virgins / 500 = 32 virigins
The soldier's portion for the LORD's tribute was 675 sheep, 72 cattle, 61 donkeys, and 32 female virgins, which Moses gave at the LORD's command to the priest who handled offerings to the LORD.
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.
16,000 virgins / 50 = 320 virigins
The congregation's portion to serve in the LORD's temple was 320 female virgins, and it's vital to notice that the text makes a distinction between the two groups:
- 32 virgins for an offering
- 320 virgins for temple service
We condemn using virgins as an offering.
Numbers 31 contradicts passages that say the LORD is against people as offerings (Deuteronomy 12:31, 18:10; 2 Kings 16:3, 17:17, 21:6; Psalm 106:38; Jeremiah 19:5).