* the booty.
   It appears from the enumeration here, that the Israelites, in
   this war with the Midianites, took 32,000; female prisoners,
   61,000; asses, 72,000; beeves, and 675,000; sheep and small
   cattle; besides the immense number of males who fell in
   battle, and the women and children who were slain by the
   divine command.  (ver. 17.)  This booty was divided into equal
   parts, by which partition a far larger share was justly given
   to the warriors employed on the expedition, who were only
   12,000, than to those, who being equally willing to go, were
   ordered to stay in the camp.  Each party was to give a certain
   proportion to Jehovah, as their sovereign, in grateful
   acknowledgement that to him they owed their success.  The
   soldiers to give to the Lord one out of every five hundred
   persons, beeves, asses, and sheep, (ver. 28,) and the people,
   who by staying at home risked nothing, and had no fatigue,
   were to give one out of fifty of each of the above to the
   Levites, who were far more numerous than the priests.  (ver.
   30.)  The booty, its division among the soldiers and people,
   and the proportion given by each to the Lord and to the
   Levites, will be seen at one view by the following table:--

                 Sheep . . . . 675,000
                        To soldiers . . . 337,500
                        To God. . . . . .     675
                        To people . . . . 337,500
                        To Levites. . . .   6,750

                 Beeves. . . .  72,000
                        To soldiers . . .  36,000
                        To God. . . . . .      72
                        To people . . . .  36,000
                        To Levites. . . .     720

                 Asses . . . .  61,000
                        To soldiers . . .  30,500
                        To God. . . . . .      61
                        To people . . . .  30,500
                        To Levites. . . .     610

                 Persons . . .  32,000
                        To soldiers . . . 16,000
                        To God. . . . . .     32
                        To people . . . . 16,000
                        To Levites. . . .    320

   It does not appear that a single ox, sheep, or ass, was
   required by Moses as his portion; or that there was any given
   to him by the people; and though he had a family as well as
   others, yet no provision was made for them above the common
   lot of Levites!

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