Verse 26. - Take the sum of the prey. No notice is taken here of the spoil (see on verse 11), but only of the captured children and cattle. And the chief fathers. Perhaps אַבות (fathers) stands here for בֵּית־אָבות (fathers' houses). So the Septuagint, οἱ ἄρχοντες τῶν πατριῶν.

31:25-47 Whatever we have, God justly claims a part. Out of the people's share God required one in fifty, but out of the soldiers' share only one in five hundred. The less opportunity we have of honouring God with personal services, the more should we give in money or value.Take the sum of the prey that was taken, both of man and beast,.... The number of the females that were taken captive and spared, and of the cattle, the sheep, oxen, and asses:

thou, and Eleazar the priest, and the chief fathers of the congregation; who were all men of authority and character, and fit to be employed in such service, and of whose capacity and fidelity there could be no doubt.