Numbers 31 in the early church

57 passages quote, allude to, or echo Numbers 31, grouped by verse; passages on the same verse are in date order. Verse text from the Berean Standard Bible (public domain). References use the Protestant English Bible's numbering, with a writer's own numbering in brackets where it differs.

Verses: 1 · 3 · 5 · 7 · 8 · 9 · 15 · 16 · 18 · 21 · 25 · 27 · 28 · 30 · 32 · 34 · 48 · 49 · 52 · 54

Numbers 31:1

And the LORD said to Moses,
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 31:1–2	Homilies on Numbers 25.1 · Origen	quotation, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)
Num 31:1–18	On Not Agreeing with Heretics 15 · Lucifer of Cagliari	allusion, high confidence	ca. 356–361
Num 31:1–12	On the Life of Moses 423 · Gregory of Nyssa	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 385–395
Num 31:1–47	Numbers, lines 743–767 · Cyprianus Gallus	allusion, high confidence	early 5th cent.

Numbers 31:3

So Moses told the people, “Arm some of your men for war, that they may go against the Midianites and execute the LORD’s vengeance on them.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 31:3	Fragment 23 · Irenaeus of Lyons	quotation, high confidence	ca. 170–200
Num 31:3–4	Homilies on Numbers 25.2 · Origen	quotation, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)

Numbers 31:5

So a thousand men were recruited from each tribe of Israel—twelve thousand armed for war.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 31:5	Homilies on Numbers 15.2 · Origen	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)

Numbers 31:7

Then they waged war against Midian, as the LORD had commanded Moses, and they killed every male.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 31:7–8	Homilies on Numbers 25.2 · Origen	quotation, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)
Num 31:7	Letter 124.11 · Jerome	allusion, low confidence	ca. 370–419
Num 31:7	On the Duties of the Clergy 1.29 · Ambrose	allusion, high confidence	ca. 386–390

Numbers 31:8

Among the slain were Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba—the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 31:8	Fragment 44 · Irenaeus of Lyons	quotation, high confidence	ca. 170–200
Num 31:8	Arabic Pentateuch fragment XIX (on Num 25. 26) · Hippolytus of Rome	allusion, high confidence	unknown (transmitted in a medieval Arabic catena)
Num 31:8	Homilies on Numbers 15.2 · Origen	allusion, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)
Num 31:8	Homilies on Numbers 15.4 · Origen	allusion, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)
Num 31:8	Homilies on Numbers 25.3 · Origen	quotation, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)
Num 31:8	Letter 78.43 · Jerome	allusion, high confidence	ca. 370–419
Num 31:8	Apostolic Constitutions 8.2.5 · Anonymous	allusion, high confidence	ca. 380
Num 31:8	Sermon 27 · Peter Chrysologus	allusion, high confidence	ca. 425-450

Numbers 31:9

The Israelites captured the Midianite women and their children, and they plundered all their herds, flocks, and goods.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 31:9–12	Homilies on Numbers 25.3 · Origen	allusion, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)

Numbers 31:15

“Have you spared all the women?” he asked them.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 31:15–16	Homilies on Numbers 25.2 · Origen	quotation, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)

Numbers 31:16

“Look, these women caused the sons of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to turn unfaithfully against the LORD at Peor, so that the plague struck the congregation of the LORD.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 31:16	Fragment 23 · Irenaeus of Lyons	allusion, high confidence	ca. 170–200
Num 31:16	Miscellanies 2.18.83 · Clement of Alexandria	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 198–203
Num 31:16	Eclogae on Exodus-Judges, column 581 · Origen	quotation, high confidence	ca. 220-254
Num 31:16	Homilies on Numbers 15.1 · Origen	allusion, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)
Num 31:16	Homilies on Numbers 15.2 · Origen	allusion, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)
Num 31:16	Homilies on Numbers 18.3 · Origen	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)
Num 31:16	Homilies on Numbers 20.1 · Origen	allusion, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)
Num 31:16	Homilies on Numbers 25.1 · Origen	allusion, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)
Num 31:16	Commentary on the Apocalypse 2.3 · Victorinus of Pettau	allusion, high confidence	late 3rd century
Num 31:16	Question 102, section 18 · Ambrosiaster	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 370–384
Num 31:16	Apostolic Constitutions 8.2.5 · Anonymous	allusion, high confidence	ca. 380
Num 31:16	Book of Heresies 25.2 · Philastrius of Brescia	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 380s
Num 31:16	Homily on 1 Cor, 19.5 · John Chrysostom	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 392-397
Num 31:16	Sermon 27 · Peter Chrysologus	allusion, high confidence	ca. 425-450
Num 31:16	The Conferences 24.17 · John Cassian	allusion, high confidence	ca. 426–429
Num 31:16	Part 2, chapter 12 · Quodvultdeus of Carthage	allusion, high confidence	ca. 445-450

Numbers 31:18

but spare for yourselves every girl who has never had relations with a man.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 31:18	Arabic Pentateuch fragment XIX (on Num 25. 26) · Hippolytus of Rome	allusion, high confidence	unknown (transmitted in a medieval Arabic catena)
Num 31:18	Commentary on 1 Corinthians 7:33 · Ambrosiaster	allusion, low confidence	ca. 366–384
Num 31:18	Sermon 52.10 · Augustine of Hippo	allusion, high confidence	ca. 391-430
Num 31:18	Sermon 291.4 · Augustine of Hippo	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 391-430
Num 31:18	The Harmony of the Gospels 2.68 · Augustine of Hippo	allusion, high confidence	ca. 399–400

Numbers 31:21

Then Eleazar the priest said to the soldiers who had gone into battle, “This is the statute of the law which the LORD has commanded Moses:
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 31:21–24	Homilies on Numbers 25.3 · Origen	allusion, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)
Num 31:21	Homilies on Numbers 25.5 · Origen	quotation, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)
Num 31:21–24	Homilies on Numbers 25.6 · Origen	quotation, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)

Numbers 31:25

The LORD said to Moses,
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 31:25–30	Homilies on Numbers 25.3 · Origen	allusion, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)

Numbers 31:27

Then divide the captives between the troops who went out to battle and the rest of the congregation.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 31:27–30	Homilies on Numbers 25.4 · Origen	allusion, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)

Numbers 31:28

Set aside a tribute for the LORD from what belongs to the soldiers who went into battle: one out of every five hundred, whether persons, cattle, donkeys, or sheep.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 31:28	Homilies on Numbers 5.2 · Origen	allusion, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)

Numbers 31:30

From the Israelites’ half, take one out of every fifty, whether persons, cattle, donkeys, sheep, or other animals, and give them to the Levites who keep charge of the tabernacle of the LORD.”
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 31:30	Homilies on Numbers 5.2 · Origen	allusion, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)

Numbers 31:32

and this plunder remained from the spoils the soldiers had taken: 675,000 sheep,
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 31:32	Arabic Pentateuch fragment XIX (on Num 25. 26) · Hippolytus of Rome	allusion, high confidence	unknown (transmitted in a medieval Arabic catena)

Numbers 31:34

61,000 donkeys,
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 31:34	Homilies on Joshua 15.2 · Origen	allusion, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)
Num 31:34	Homilies on Joshua 15.3 · Origen	allusion, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)

Numbers 31:48

Then the officers who were over the units of the army—the commanders of thousands and of hundreds—approached Moses
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 31:48–50	Homilies on Numbers 26.1 · Origen	quotation, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)
Num 31:48–54	Numbers, lines 768–777 · Cyprianus Gallus	allusion, high confidence	early 5th cent.

Numbers 31:49

and said, “Your servants have counted the soldiers under our command, and not one of us is missing.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 31:49–50	Homilies on Numbers 26.2 · Origen	quotation, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)

Numbers 31:52

All the gold that the commanders of thousands and of hundreds presented as an offering to the LORD weighed 16,750 shekels.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 31:52	Arabic Pentateuch fragment XIX (on Num 25. 26) · Hippolytus of Rome	allusion, high confidence	unknown (transmitted in a medieval Arabic catena)

Numbers 31:54

And Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from the commanders of thousands and of hundreds and brought it into the Tent of Meeting as a memorial for the Israelites before the LORD.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 31:54	Arabic Pentateuch fragment XIX (on Num 25. 26) · Hippolytus of Rome	allusion, high confidence	unknown (transmitted in a medieval Arabic catena)
Num 31:54	Homilies on Numbers 26.2 · Origen	quotation, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)