Numbers 31:50 (KJV)

What does Numbers 31:50 mean?

Numbers 31:50 describes the Israelite officers bringing gold objects to the LORD after a battle. They present the gold as a gift connected with making themselves acceptable before God, using valuable things that each man had obtained.

The officers are speaking to Moses. Their gift follows the count in verse 49, where they report that none of their men is missing. The list of jewelry shows the kinds of gold objects they brought together.

The Hebrew behind Numbers 31:50

• “oblation” — קָרְבָּן (qorban): This means a gift brought near or presented. Here, the word describes the gold as a gift for the LORD, not merely as goods collected after battle.
• “atonement” — כָּפַר (kaphar): Here, the word carries the sense of making a person acceptable before God. The officers describe their gift as having that purpose for their lives.
• “souls” — נֶפֶשׁ (nephesh): This word can mean a life or a person. In this verse, “our souls” refers to the officers’ own lives.

Why Numbers 31:50 matters

• The gift comes after the officers count their men, not before the battle. Their report that none was missing helps explain why they bring the gold at this point.
• The gold is a separate gift from the division of goods described earlier in the chapter. Verse 50 identifies the objects as what each man had obtained, while verses 51–54 describe Moses and the priest receiving the gift.
• The KJV’s “tablets” refers to an item of jewelry, not a writing surface. The exact shape of some objects in the list is uncertain.