BOOTY, Spoil. Moses, or the Lord Numb. xxxi. 27.rather, requires in the Law, that the Booty taken from the Enemy, should be divided equally betweeen those who were in the battle, and the rest of the people. That is to say, that the whole Booty should be divided into two parts, the first whereof was for those who had been in the action, the other for the People, who continued in the Camp. Thus suppose the Army which fought consisted only of twenty thousand Men, and they who remained in the Camp, were forty thousand, the former had one whole Moiety of the Spoil, tho’ fewer considerably in number Moses adds, Ye shall likewise separate the Lord’s share, which ye shall take out of the whole Booty belonging to the men of war; and of every five hundred men, oxen, asses, or sheep, ye shall take one, and give it to the High-priest, because these are the Lord’s first-fruits. As to the other moiety which shall belong to the children of Israel, who did not fight, out of every fifty men, oxen, asses, or sheep, or other animals whatsoever ye shall take one, ye shall give unto the Levites, who have the charge of the tabernacle of the Lord. So that Eleazar’s and the Priests share was much larger in proportion than that of the twelve thousand Soldiers who had been in action, and than that of the Levites. And what was practised upon this occasion was a Law for ever after. An Example of this may be seen in what happened under David, after the defeat of the 1 Sam. xxx.24,25.Amalekites, who had plundred Ziklag.
The Rabbins1 pretend, that under the Kings of Israel, another Rule was followed in the distribution of the Spoil. First, Every thing was given to the King, which belonged to the conquered King; his Tent, his Slaves, his Cattel, his Spoils, his Treasure. After this the rest of the Booty was divided into two equal parts, whereof the King had one moiety, and the Soldiers who were concerned in the Engagement the other. This last part was distributed equally between the Soldiers, who were in the action, and those who continued behind to guard the Camp. They assert, that these Rules had been in force ever since the time of Abraham: It is difficult indeed to prove it; but we know that Abraham Gen. xiv. 20.offered to the Lord the tenth of what he had taken from the five Kings, and made a present of it to Melchizedeck.
Almost the same usages with those here taken notice of by us, were observed among prophane Nations. Among the antient Greeks the Spoil was all placed in common, after which the King or General divided it equally among them2. They presented also to the Gods their share of the Spoils won from the Enemy: Numa ordained3, that the first part of them should be offered to Jupiter Feretrius, the second to Mars, the third to Quirinus. Sometimes that part of the Booty which was intended for the Gods, was burnt in honour of them; and at other times it was lodged in their Temples. In the Alcoran, under the Title of Anfal, it is mentioned, that four parts in five of what was taken from the enemy should be the Soldiers share, and the fifth should belong to God, the Prophet Mahomet and his Relations, to Orphans, the Poor and Pilgrims. Several Mahometan Interpreters maintain, that the giving any part of the Spoil to God, is mentioned only out of ceremony and respect; but others on the contrary assert, that this is what they are obliged to, and that this Portion ought to be employed in the Repairs and Ornament of the Temple of Mecca, and of other Mosques. As to the share belonging to the Prophet and his Relations, some say, that it is sunk by his Death and theirs, and that therefore the fifth part of the Spoil belongs intirely to Orphans, to Pilgrims and the Poor. Others are of Opinion, that the Prophet’s Portion ought to be employed in the general affairs of Mussulmen, or given to the head of the Mosque upon the Spot, or in the places where there was most need of it. This is of very little concern to us; but it is visible, that the Impostor borrowed this from the Laws of Moses.
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