Numbers 31:46 (KJV)

What does Numbers 31:46 mean?

Numbers 31:46 states that there were sixteen thousand persons counted. This verse is part of a list detailing the results of a census taken after a battle, specifically noting the number of people among the captives.

In context, Moses is recording the spoils taken by the Israelites after their victory over the Midianites. The "persons" here refers to people who were captured and counted as part of the division of the spoils. This verse is a factual report, helping to account for everything taken and distributed among the Israelites and their leaders.

The Hebrew behind Numbers 31:46

• "Sixteen" combines שֵׁשׁ (shesh, "six") and עֶשֶׂר (eser, "ten") to make sixteen. This is a straightforward number, but it shows the careful record-keeping in the passage.
• "Thousand" is אֶלֶף (eleph), meaning a group of one thousand. In this context, it emphasizes the large scale of the captives.
• "Persons" uses נֶפֶשׁ (nephesh), which often means "soul" or "living being." Here, it refers to individual human lives, not just a headcount, highlighting the humanity of those counted.

Why Numbers 31:46 matters

• This verse shows the thoroughness and orderliness with which the Israelites handled the aftermath of battle, recording even the number of people among the spoils.
• By using the word נֶפֶשׁ (nephesh), the text subtly reminds the reader that these were living people, not just property or numbers.
• The verse connects to the broader passage by showing how everything, including people, was carefully counted and divided, reflecting the seriousness with which the Israelites approached both justice and ritual purity.