| 1God spoke to Moses, saying, |
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אוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר: |
| 2“Take revenge for the Israelites against the Midianites. Afterwards, you will be gathered to your people.” |
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בנְקֹ֗ם נִקְמַת֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מֵאֵ֖ת הַמִּדְיָנִ֑ים אַחַ֖ר תֵּֽאָסֵ֥ף אֶל־עַמֶּֽיךָ: |
| מֵאֵת הַמִּדְיָנִים - Against the Midianites - but not against the Moabites, for the Moabites got involved in the matter out of fear, for they were afraid that the Israelites would plunder them, inasmuch as the only restriction stated to them about the Moabites was: “do not provoke them to war.” But the Midianites interfered in a dispute that did not affect them. Another explanation: They are not to take revenge on the Moabites on account of two good “doves” whom I will produce from them: Ruth the Moabite and Na’amah the Ammonite. |
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מֵאֵת הַמִּדְיָנִים.
וְלֹא מֵאֵת הַמּוֹאָבִים, שֶׁהַמּוֹאָבִים נִכְנְסוּ לַדָּבָר מֵחֲמַת יִרְאָה, שֶׁהָיוּ יְרֵאִים מֵהֶם שֶׁיִּהְיוּ שׁוֹלְלִים אוֹתָם, שֶׁלֹּא נֶאֱמַר אֶלָּא "וְאַל תִּתְגָּר בָּם מִלְחָמָה" (דברים ב'), אֲבָל מִדְיָנִים נִתְעַבְּרוּ עַל רִיב לֹא לָהֶם; דָּבָר אַחֵר, מִפְּנֵי שְׁנֵי פְרֵידוֹת טוֹבוֹת שֶׁיֵּשׁ לִי לְהוֹצִיא מֵהֶם — רוּת הַמּוֹאֲבִיָּה וְנַעֲמָה הָעַמּוֹנִית (בבא קמא ל"ח):
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| 3Moses spoke to the people, saying, “Arm from among you men for the army, that they can do battle against Midian to wreak God’s vengeance on Midian. |
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גוַיְדַבֵּ֤ר משֶׁה֙ אֶל־הָעָ֣ם לֵאמֹ֔ר הֵחָֽלְצ֧וּ מֵֽאִתְּכֶ֛ם אֲנָשִׁ֖ים לַצָּבָ֑א וְיִֽהְיוּ֙ עַל־מִדְיָ֔ן לָתֵ֥ת נִקְמַת־יְהֹוָ֖ה בְּמִדְיָֽן: |
| וַיְדַבֵּר משֶׁה וגו' - Moses spoke… Even though he heard that his death was dependent upon this, he acted with joy and did not delay. |
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וַיְדַבֵּר משֶׁה וגו'.
אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁשָּׁמַע שֶׁמִּיתָתוֹ תְלוּיָה בַּדָּבָר עָשָׂה בְשִׂמְחָה וְלֹא אֵחַר (ספרי):
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| הֵחָֽלְצוּ - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: זָרִיזוּ, thus related to חֲלוּצֵי צָבָא, i.e., armed soldiers. |
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הֵחָֽלְצוּ.
כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, לְשׁוֹן חֲלוּצֵי צָבָא — מְזֻיָּנִים:
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| אֲנָשִׁים - this denotes righteous men, and similarly we find regarding the war with Amalek: בְּחַר לָנוּ אֲנָשִׁים “Choose men (אֲנָשִׁים) for us”; and also regarding the appointment of judges: “wise and notable men (אֲנָשִׁים).” |
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אֲנָשִׁים.
צַדִּיקִים, וְכֵן "בְּחַר לָנוּ אֲנָשִׁים" (שמות י"ז), וְכֵן "אֲנָשִׁים חֲכָמִים וִידֻעִים" (דברים א'):
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| נִקְמַת־ה' - God’s vengeance - for one who arises to attack Israel is as though he arises against the Holy One, blessed be He. |
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נִקְמַת־ה'.
שֶׁהָעוֹמֵד כְּנֶגֶד יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּאִלּוּ עוֹמֵד כְּנֶגֶד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא:
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| 4You must send a thousand from each tribe from all the tribes of Israel into the army.” |
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דאֶ֚לֶף לַמַּטֶּ֔ה אֶ֖לֶף לַמַּטֶּ֑ה לְכֹל֙ מַטּ֣וֹת יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל תִּשְׁלְח֖וּ לַצָּבָֽא: |
| לְכֹל מַטּוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל - From all the tribes of Israel - including the tribe of Levi. |
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לְכֹל מַטּוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל.
לְרַבּוֹת שֵׁבֶט לֵוִי (ספרי):
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| 5From the thousands of Israel, a thousand were given over for each tribe, 12,000 armed for battle. |
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הוַיִּמָּֽסְרוּ֙ מֵֽאַלְפֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶ֖לֶף לַמַּטֶּ֑ה שְׁנֵֽים־עָשָׂ֥ר אֶ֖לֶף חֲלוּצֵ֥י צָבָֽא: |
| וַיִּמָּֽסְרוּ - Were given over. This is stated to show you the praise of Israel’s leaders, how dear they are to Israel: Before they heard about his death, what does it say? “Before long they will stone me!” But once they heard that the death of Moses was dependent upon taking revenge on Midian, they did not wish to go until they were given over against their will. |
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וַיִּמָּֽסְרוּ.
לְהוֹדִיעֲךָ שִׁבְחָן שֶׁל רוֹעֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כַּמָּה הֵם חֲבִיבִים עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, עַד שֶׁלֹּא שָׁמְעוּ בְמִיתָתוֹ מַה הוּא אוֹמֵר? "עוֹד מְעַט וּסְקָלֻנִי" (שמות י"ז), וּמִשֶּׁשָּׁמְעוּ שֶׁמִּיתַת מֹשֶׁה תְלוּיָה בְנִקְמַת מִדְיָן לֹא רָצוּ לָלֶכֶת עַד שֶׁנִּמְסְרוּ עַל כָּרְחָן (ספרי):
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| 6Moses sent them—the thousand from each tribe—to the army, them along with Pinechas son of Eleazar the priest to the army with the sacred utensils and the trumpets for sounding in his possession. |
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ווַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח אֹתָ֥ם משֶׁ֛ה אֶ֥לֶף לַמַּטֶּ֖ה לַצָּבָ֑א אֹ֠תָ֠ם וְאֶת־פִּ֨ינְחָ֜ס בֶּן־אֶלְעָזָ֤ר הַכֹּהֵן֙ לַצָּבָ֔א וּכְלֵ֥י הַקֹּ֛דֶשׁ וַֽחֲצֹֽצְר֥וֹת הַתְּרוּעָ֖ה בְּיָדֽוֹ: |
| אֹתָם וְאֶת־פִּינְחָס - Them along with Pinechas. This indicates that Pinechas’ merit was equal to that of them all. And why did Pinechas go and not Eleazar? The Holy One, blessed be He, said: “He who began fulfilling this commandment by killing Kozbi daughter of Tzur should complete it.” Another explanation: He went to avenge Joseph, his mother’s ancestor, as it says: “The Medanites sold Joseph to Egypt.” And from where do we know that Pinechas’ mother descended from Joseph? For it says: “Eleazar son of Aaron married one of the daughters of Puti’el (פּוּטִיאֵל)” – i.e., from the descendants of Jethro who had fattened (פִּטֵּם) calves for idol worship, and from the descendants of Joseph who scorned (פִּטְפֵּט) his evil inclination. Another explanation: Pinechas went because he was the priest anointed for war. |
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אֹתָם וְאֶת־פִּינְחָס.
מַגִּיד שֶׁהָיָה פִינְחָס שָׁקוּל כְּנֶגֶד כֻּלָּם (ספרי); וּמִפְּנֵי מָה הָלַךְ פִּינְחָס וְלֹא הָלַךְ אֶלְעָזָר? אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִי שֶׁהִתְחִיל בַּמִּצְוָה, שֶׁהָרַג כָּזְבִּי בַת צוּר, יִגְמֹר; דָּבָר אַחֵר — שֶׁהָלַךְ לִנְקֹם נִקְמַת יוֹסֵף אֲבִי אִמּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְהַמְּדָנִים מָכְרוּ אֹתוֹ" (בראשית ל"ז); וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁהָיְתָה אִמּוֹ שֶׁל פִּינְחָס מִשֶּׁל יוֹסֵף? שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "מִבְּנוֹת פּוּטִיאֵל" (שמות ו') — מִזֶּרַע יִתְרוֹ שֶׁפִּטֵּם עֲגָלִים לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, וּמִזֶּרַע יוֹסֵף שֶׁפִּטְפֵּט בְּיִצְרוֹ (סוטה מ"ג); דָּבָר אַחֵר — שֶׁהָיָה מְשׁוּחַ מִלְחָמָה (שם):
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| וּכְלֵי הַקֹּדֶשׁ - With the sacred utensils. This refers to the ark and the Forehead-plate. This was with them because Balaam was with the Midianites and, through sorcery, he made the kings of Midian fly and he also flew along with them, and Pinechas in response displayed the Forehead-plate upon which the Holy Name was engraved, and they fell. It therefore says: עַל חַלְלֵיהֶם “upon their slain” regarding the kings of Midian, indicating that they fell from the air upon the slain. Similarly, regarding Balaam it says: אֶל חַלְלֵיהֶם “over their slain,” in the Book of Joshua. |
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וּכְלֵי הַקֹּדֶשׁ.
זֶה הָאָרוֹן וְהַצִּיץ, שֶׁהָיָה בִּלְעָם עִמָּהֶם וּמַפְרִיחַ מַלְכֵי מִדְיָן בִּכְשָׁפִים וְהוּא עַצְמוֹ פוֹרֵחַ עִמָּהֶם, הֶרְאָה לָהֶם אֶת הַצִּיץ שֶׁהַשֵּׁם חָקוּק בּוֹ וְהֵם נוֹפְלִים, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר "עַל חַלְלֵיהֶם" בְּמַלְכֵי מִדְיָן — שֶׁנּוֹפְלִים עַל הַחֲלָלִים מִן הָאֲוִיר, וְכֵן בְּבִלְעָם כָּתוּב "עַל חַלְלֵיהֶם" בְּסֵ' יְהוֹשֻׁעַ (תנחומא):
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| בְּיָדֽוֹ - (lit.) In his hand - means: in his possession. Similarly we find: וַיִּקַּח אֶת כָּל אַרְצוֹ מִיָּדוֹ “taking all his land (lit.) from his hand.” |
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בְּיָדֽוֹ.
בִּרְשׁוּתוֹ, וְכֵן (במדבר כ"א) "וַיִּקַּח אֶת כָּל אַרְצוֹ מִיָּדוֹ" (ספרי):
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| 7They mounted an attack against Midian, as God had commanded Moses, and they killed every adult male. |
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זוַיִּצְבְּאוּ֙ עַל־מִדְיָ֔ן כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־משֶׁ֑ה וַיַּֽהַרְג֖וּ כָּל־זָכָֽר: |
| 8They killed the Midianite kings upon their slain—Evi, Rekem, Tzur, Chur, and Reva, the five kings of Midian. They slew Balaam son of Be’or by the sword. |
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חוְאֶת־מַלְכֵ֨י מִדְיָ֜ן הָֽרְג֣וּ עַל־חַלְלֵיהֶ֗ם אֶת־אֱוִ֤י וְאֶת־רֶ֨קֶם֙ וְאֶת־צ֤וּר וְאֶת־חוּר֙ וְאֶת־רֶ֔בַע חֲמֵ֖שֶׁת מַלְכֵ֣י מִדְיָ֑ן וְאֵת֙ בִּלְעָ֣ם בֶּן־בְּע֔וֹר הָֽרְג֖וּ בֶּחָֽרֶב: |
| חֲמֵשֶׁת מַלְכֵי מִדְיָן - The five kings of Midian. Do I not see that Scripture has enumerated five? Why, then, does it need to say חֲמֵשֶׁת “five”? It only is to teach you that they all equally conspired against Israel, and therefore they all were punished alike. Balaam had gone to Midian to collect his fee for the 24,000 Israelites that fell as a result of his scheme. He went forth from Midian to meet Israel and deter them with bad advice. He said to them: “When you were 600,000 you were unable to overcome them, and now with 12,000 you come to do battle with them?!” They then repaid him in full and did not deprive him of his due desserts. |
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חֲמֵשֶׁת מַלְכֵי מִדְיָן.
וְכִי אֵינִי רוֹאֶה שֶׁחֲמִשָּׁה מָנָה הַכָּתוּב? לָמָּה הֻזְקַק לוֹמַר חֲמֵשֶׁת? אֶלָּא לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁשָּׁווּ כֻלָּם בָּעֵצָה וְהֻשְׁווּ כֻלָּם בַּפֻּרְעָנוּת (שם); בִּלְעָם הָלַךְ שָׁם לִטֹּל שְׂכַר עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה אֶלֶף שֶׁהִפִּיל מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל בַּעֲצָתוֹ, וְיָצָא מִמִּדְיָן לִקְרַאת יִשְׂרָאֵל וּמַשִּׂיאָן עֵצָה רָעָה — אָמַר לָהֶם אִם כְּשֶׁהֱיִיתֶם שִׁשִּׁים רִבּוֹא לֹא יְכָלְתֶּם לָהֶם, וְעַכְשָׁיו בְּי"ב אֶלֶף אַתֶּם בָּאִים לְהִלָּחֵם? — נָתְנוּ לוֹ שְׂכָרוֹ מִשָּׁלֵם וְלֹא קִפְּחוּהוּ (ספרי):
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| בֶּחָֽרֶב - By the sword. He had come against Israel by exchanging his skill for their skill, for they are only helped by the power of their mouths, through prayer and request, and he came and usurped their skill by cursing them with his mouth; they in turn came against him and exchanged their skill for the skill of the nations, who attack with the sword, as it says: “You will live by your sword.” |
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בֶּחָֽרֶב.
הוּא בָא עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהֶחֱלִיף אֻמָּנוּתוֹ בְּאֻמָּנוּתָם, שֶׁאֵין נוֹצְחִים אֶלָּא בְּפִיהֶם וְעַל יְדֵי תְפִלָּה וּבַקָּשָׁה, וּבָא הוּא וְתָפַשׂ אֻמָּנוּתָם לְקַלְּלָם בְּפִיו, אַף הֵם בָּאוּ עָלָיו וְהֶחֱלִיפוּ אֻמָּנוּתָם בְּאֻמָּנוּת הָאֻמּוֹת שֶׁבָּאִין בַּחֶרֶב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְעַל חַרְבְּךָ תִחְיֶה" (בראשית כ"ז):
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| 9The Israelites took the Midianite women and their small children captive, and they plundered all their beasts, livestock, and all their possessions. |
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טוַיִּשְׁבּ֧וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל אֶת־נְשֵׁ֥י מִדְיָ֖ן וְאֶת־טַפָּ֑ם וְאֵ֨ת כָּל־בְּהֶמְתָּ֧ם וְאֶת־כָּל־מִקְנֵהֶ֛ם וְאֶת־כָּל־חֵילָ֖ם בָּזָֽזוּ: |
| 10They set fire to all their residential cities and their castles. |
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יוְאֵ֤ת כָּל־עָֽרֵיהֶם֙ בְּמ֣וֹשְׁבֹתָ֔ם וְאֵ֖ת כָּל־טִֽירֹתָ֑ם שָֽׂרְפ֖וּ בָּאֵֽשׁ: |
| טִֽירֹתָם - i.e., the place of their palaces, i.e., the dwelling of the priests versed in their laws. Another explanation: this denotes the seat of their nobility, just as סַרְנֵי פְלִשְׁתִּים “the rulers of the Philistines” translates as טוּרְנֵי פְלִשְׁתָּאֵי. |
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טִֽירֹתָם.
מְקוֹם נוֹטִירִין שֶׁלָּהֶם, שֶׁהוּא לְשׁוֹן מוֹשַׁב כּוּמָרִים יוֹדְעֵי חֻקֵּיהֶם; דָּבָר אַחֵר — לְשׁוֹן מוֹשַׁב שָׂרֵיהֶם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁמְּתֻרְגָּם "סַרְנֵי פְלִשְׁתִּים" (שמואל א ו') — טוּרְנֵי פְלִשְׁתָּאֵי:
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| 11They took all the booty and all the plunder of man and beast |
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יאוַיִּקְחוּ֙ אֶת־כָּל־הַשָּׁלָ֔ל וְאֵ֖ת כָּל־הַמַּלְק֑וֹחַ בָּֽאָדָ֖ם וּבַבְּהֵמָֽה: |
| וַיִּקְחוּ אֶת־כָּל־הַשָּׁלָל וגו' - They took all the booty… This tells us that they were upright and righteous, and were not suspect of stealing by misappropriating the booty without permission, for it says: אֶת כָּל הַשָּׁלָל “all the booty”; and about them it says in the Writings: “Your teeth are like a flock of ewes…,” i.e., even the soldiers among you are all righteous. |
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וַיִּקְחוּ אֶת־כָּל־הַשָּׁלָל וגו'.
מַגִּיד שֶׁהָיוּ כְשֵׁרִים וְצַדִּיקִים, וְלֹא נֶחְשְׁדוּ עַל הַגֶּזֶּל לִשְׁלֹחַ יָד בַּבִּזָּה שֶׁלֹּא בִרְשׁוּת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר את כל השלל וגו', וַעֲלֵיהֶם מְפֹרָשׁ בַּקַּבָּלָה "שִׁנַּיִךְ כְּעֵדֶר הָרְחֵלִים" וְגוֹ' (שיר השירים ו׳:ו׳) — אַף אַנְשֵׁי הַמִּלְחָמָה שֶׁבָּךְ כֻּלָּם צַדִּיקִים:
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| שָּׁלָל - Booty - is movable objects of clothing and jewelry. |
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שָּׁלָל.
הֵן מִטַּלְטְלִין שֶׁל מַלְבּוּשׁ וְתַכְשִׁיטִין:
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| בָּז - is the booty of movable objects that are not jewelry. |
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בָּז.
הוּא בִזַּת מִטַּלְטְלִין שֶׁאֵינָם תַּכְשִׁיט:
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| מַּלְקוֹחַ - Plunder - refers to humans and animals. And where שְׁבִי is stated in conjunction with מַלְקוֹחַ, שְׁבִי refers to humans and מַלְקוֹחַ to animals. |
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מַּלְקוֹחַ.
אָדָם וּבְהֵמָה, וּבְמָקוֹם שֶׁכָּתוּב שְׁבִי אֵצֶל מַלְקוֹחַ, שְׁבִי בָאָדָם וּמַלְקוֹחַ בַּבְּהֵמָה:
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| 12and brought it all—the captives, the plunder, and the booty—to Moses and to Eleazar the priest and to the entire community of Israel in the camp, in the plains of Moab by the Jordan River, opposite Jericho. |
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יבוַיָּבִ֡אוּ אֶל־משֶׁה֩ וְאֶל־אֶלְעָזָ֨ר הַכֹּהֵ֜ן וְאֶל־עֲדַ֣ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אֶת־הַשְּׁבִ֧י וְאֶת־הַמַּלְק֛וֹחַ וְאֶת־הַשָּׁלָ֖ל אֶל־הַמַּֽחֲנֶ֑ה אֶל־עַרְבֹ֣ת מוֹאָ֔ב אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־יַרְדֵּ֥ן יְרֵחֽוֹ: |
