Numbers 31:10

“And they burnt all their cities wherein they dwelt, etc. } So far as they went into the country, which, perhaps, might not be the whole land of Midian: and all their goodly castles with fire; which were either the palaces of their princes and nobles, or such like great personages; or they were fortified places, for the security of their cities and country: the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan interpret them of their houses of worship, their temples, and their altars.”

“Goodly castles - Rather, both here and in Genesis 25:16, hamlets. The word is derived from a word טוּר ṭûr,) signifying “a row” or “range” (compareEzekiel 46:23; Ezekiel 46:23); and probably indicates those collections of rude dwellings, made of stones piled one on another and covered with tent-cloths, which are used by the Arabs to this day; and which are frequently mentioned as douars in narratives of the French campaigns in Algeria. These dwellings would be formed usually in a circle. See the word “Hazeroth,” in Numbers 11:35. return to 'Top of Page'”

“31:10 towns and villages: These were larger settlements and smaller unfortified encampments.”

“Jos 6:24; Sa1 30:1; Kg1 9:16; Isa 1:7; Rev 18:8 Numbers 31:11”