7 So they made war against Midian , just as the Lord had commanded Moses , and they killed every male . 8 They killed the kings of Midian along with the rest of their slain : Evi and Rekem and Zur and Hur and Reba , the five kings of Midian ; they also killed Balaam the son of Beor with the sword . 9 The sons of Israel captured the women of Midian and their little ones ; and all their cattle and all their flocks and all their goods they plundered . 10 Then they burned all their cities where they lived and all their camps with fire . 11 They took all the spoil and all the prey , both of man and of beast . 12 They brought the captives and the prey and the spoil to Moses , and to Eleazar the priest and to the congregation of the sons of Israel , to the camp at the plains of Moab , which are by the Jordan opposite Jericho .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Numbers 31:7-12
Commentary on Numbers 31:7-12
(Read Numbers 31:7-12)
The Israelites slew the Kings of Midian. They slew Balaam. God's overruling providence brought him thither, and their just vengeance found him. Had he himself rightly believed what he had said of the happy state of Israel, he would not have thus herded with the enemies of Israel. The Midianites' wicked wiles were Balaam's projects: it was just that he should perish with them, Hosea 4:5. They took the women and children captives. They burnt their cities and castles, and returned to the camp.