SEV Biblia, Chapter 31:17
Matad, pues, ahora todos los machos entre los niños; matad también toda mujer que haya conocido varón carnalmente.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Numbers 31:17
Verse 17. Kill every male among the little ones] For this action I account simply on the principle that God, who is the author and supporter of life, has a right to dispose of it when and how he thinks proper; and the Judge of all the earth can do nothing but what is right. Of the women killed on this occasion it may be safely said, their lives were forfeited by their personal transgressions; and yet even in this case there can be little doubt that God showed mercy to their souls. The little ones were safely lodged; they were taken to heaven and saved from the evil to come.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 17. Now therefore kill every male among the little ones , etc.] Which they had taken and brought captives, ( Numbers 31:9) and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him ; who might be such, at least many of them, who had lain with Israelitish men; and as the adulterers had been put to death, so now the adulteresses; or they were ordered to, be slain, even all of them, lest they should entice the children of Israel to uncleanness, and so to idolatry again: now these were known to be such, either by conjecture at their age, or rather, through the examination of matrons, unless it can be thought, as it is by some, that it was by divine revelation.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 13-18 - The sword of war should spare women and children; but the sword of justice should know no distinction, but that of guilty or not guilty This war was the execution of a righteous sentence upon a guilt nation, in which the women were the worst criminals. The femal children were spared, who, being brought up among the Israelites, woul not tempt them to idolatry. The whole history shows the hatefulness of sin, and the guilt of tempting others; it teaches us to avoid all occasions of evil, and to give no quarter to inward lusts. The wome and children were not kept for sinful purposes, but for slaves, custom every where practised in former times, as to captives. In the course of providence, when famine and plagues visit a nation for sin children suffer in the common calamity. In this case parents ar punished in their children; and for children dying before actual sin full provision is made as to their eternal happiness, by the mercy of God in Christ.
Original Hebrew
ועתה 6258 הרגו 2026 כל 3605 זכר 2145 בטף 2945 וכל 3605 אשׁה 802 ידעת 3045 אישׁ 376 למשׁכב 4904 זכר 2145 הרגו׃ 2026
