So far I've delved into the question regarding Numbers 31:16-18
As I've indicated before, I have issues with the vengeful G-d as well, and when I can't replace the word G-d with Love, then I see if I can make sense out of it on different terms...I went to my metaphysical dictionary...and backed up to 31:1 to see who G-d told Moses to war against.
1 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 2 “Take vengeance on the Midianites (stife, contention) for the children of Israel. Afterward you shall be gathered to your people.”
3 So Moses spoke to the people, saying, “Arm some of yourselves for war, and let them go against the Midianites (strife, contention) to take vengeance for the LORD on Midian. 4 A thousand from each tribe of all the tribes of Israel you shall send to the war.”
5 So there were recruited from the divisions of Israel one thousand from each tribe, twelve thousand armed for war. (interesting how the this text from bible gateway KJV emphasizes each as each tribe represents a different spiritual trait)6 Then Moses sent them to the war, one thousand from each tribe; he sent them to the war with Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, with the holy articles and the signal trumpets in his hand. 7 And they warred against the Midianites, just as the LORD commanded Moses, and they killed all the males. 8 They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of those who were killed—Evi (unjust desire), Rekem(defective truth), Zur(hard, agressive, besieging), Hur(error, limitation, darkness), and Reba(contentious judgement), the five kings of Midian. Balaam(deception, undermining) the son of Beor(unwise, destructive) they also killed with the sword.
9 And the children of Israel took the women of Midian captive, with their little ones, and took as spoil all their cattle, all their flocks, and all their goods. 10 They also burned with fire all the cities where they dwelt, and all their forts. 11 And they took all the spoil and all the booty—of man and beast.Return from the War
12 Then they brought the captives, the booty, and the spoil to Moses, to Eleazar the priest, and to the congregation of the children of Israel, to the camp in the plains of Moab by the Jordan, across from Jericho. 13 And Moses, Eleazar the priest, and all the leaders of the congregation, went to meet them outside the camp. 14 But Moses was angry with the officers of the army, with the captains over thousands and captains over hundreds, who had come from the battle. (I should have looked up all of these people and place names, every section takes on a new light when the name is exchanged with the nature)
15 And Moses said to them: “Have you kept all the women alive? 16 Look, these women caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the LORD in the incident of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD. 17 Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known a man intimately. 18 But keep alive for yourselves all the young girls who have not known a man intimately. (children are the creations, the manifestations of the thought, the intellectual thinking nature(male children) is already ruined by the thought, the feeling loving nature (female) which has not been tainted by the intellect (not 'known' a man) has not been tainted and in this case is spared)
Now is this the 'right' way to interpret these texts? I don't know, but does it make sense that G-d instructed Moses to destroy these traits?
This is like dream interpretation, every entity is in me, every person in my dream represents a trait, an emotion, fighting for superiority in my psyche.
In this case the G-d of my being is instructing my Moses nature to not only eliminate contention, but all of its Kings, defective truth, unjust desire, error and limitation...and all of the manifestations of same. Often the instruction is to also eliminate not only the city, but the spoils, and the cattle (material manifestations) of the traits as well, as they are tainted.
