48 Then all the generals and captains came to Moses 49 and said, "We, your servants, have accounted for all the men who went out to battle under our command; not one of us is missing! 50 So we are presenting the items of gold we captured as an offering to the Lord from our share of the plunder-armbands, bracelets, rings, earrings, and necklaces. This will purify our lives before the Lord and make us right with him. " 51 So Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from all the military commanders-all kinds of jewelry and crafted objects. 52 In all, the gold that the generals and captains presented as a gift to the Lord weighed about 420Â pounds. 53 All the fighting men had taken some of the plunder for themselves. 54 So Moses and Eleazar the priest accepted the gifts from the generals and captains and brought the gold to the Tabernacle as a reminder to the Lord that the people of Israel belong to him.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Numbers 31:48-54
Commentary on Numbers 31:48-54
(Read Numbers 31:48-54)
The success of the Israelites had been very remarkable, so small a company overcoming such multitudes, but it was still more wonderful that not one was slain or missing. They presented the gold they found among the spoils, as an offering to the Lord. Thus they confessed, that instead of claiming a reward for their service, they needed forgiveness of much that had been amiss, and desired to be thankful for the preservation of their lives, which might justly have been taken away.