John Calvin Commentary Numbers 31:14

"And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host, the captains of thousands and the captains of hundreds, who came from the service of the war." — Numbers 31:14 (ASV)

And Moses was angry with the officers. A successful outcome usually secures pardon for any errors in performance; indeed, it in a way covers them, so that they are not considered. However, although the army brought with it many reasons for congratulation, Moses still did not refrain from severely reproving their single fault.

By this example we are taught that, while we give praise to virtuous actions, we are not to approve of anything that deserves censure.

The anger of Moses might appear to us inhumane when he severely reproves his soldiers because they had not treated the women with the utmost cruelty. But it is not our business to scrutinize the judgments of God, before whose tribunal we must all eventually stand.

Therefore, although God’s judgments may be repugnant to our own feelings, we must still rest assured that, even when they may seem excessive, He nevertheless tempers the most severe punishments with the most perfect equity. Indeed, even though He may for a time overlook, or in any case not so severely punish, the same sin in the Moabites which He severely avenged upon the Midianites, there is still a most just cause for this distinction, although it may be hidden in His own counsel.

It is not our place to murmur against Him, lest He should vindicate Himself by condemning our blasphemous audacity and rashness.

The Israelites sinned in that, when they were only the ministers of God’s vengeance, it was not in their own discretion to relax any part of it. This is worthy of observation: those who are armed with the sword must not deviate in the slightest, but faithfully execute whatever God prescribes.

By the praise that is given to the anger of Moses, the notion of the Stoics is refuted, for whom indifference ²⁰⁷ (ἀπάθεια) is the highest of virtues. Rather, we are to strive so that all our affections proceed from a good motive and are kept under such restraint that they contain no outburst of carnal passion, but that spiritual zeal may govern them.

Moses, however, gives the reason why the women were no more to be spared than the men, namely, because they had prostituted themselves to lay deadly snares for the Israelites. As regards the little ones, the same reason did not apply to them, since they were guilty of no crime. Yet it is not doubtful that God justly desired that the very name of this wicked and irredeemable nation should be utterly blotted out, just as He afterwards gave over to destruction the nations of Canaan, together with their offspring.

The question, however, arises: by what means were the women who had not known a man to be distinguished from virgins? The Jews, according to their custom, invent a fable ²⁰⁸ in reply, while it is probable that the decision was made solely on the basis of their age.

²⁰⁷ “De n’avoir nulle passion;” to be without any passion. — Fr..

²⁰⁸ “(Eleazar) made them pass before the plate, (i.e., the golden plate engraved like a signet, the golden plate engraved like a signet, Exodus 28:36,) and the face of her who was suited for marriage grew yellow as a crocus.” — See R. Sal. Jarchi, ,) and the face of her who was suited for marriage grew yellow as a crocus.” — See R. Sal. Jarchi, in loco. Ed. Breithaupt. p. 1270.Ed. Breithaupt. p. 1270.