Numbers 31:3

Numbers 31:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Moses spake unto the people, saying, Arm some of yourselves unto the war, and let them go against the Midianites, and avenge the Lord of Midian.
• New International Version (NIV)So Moses said to the people, “Arm some of your men to go to war against the Midianites so that they may carry out the Lord’s vengeance on them.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So Moses spoke to the people, saying, "Arm men from among you for the war, that they may go against Midian to execute the Lord's vengeance on Midian.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So Moses spoke to the people, saying, “Arm some of yourselves for war, and let them go against the Midianites to take vengeance for the Lord on Midian.

Context of Numbers 31:3

1The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2“Take vengeance for the Israelites on the Midianites; afterward you will be gathered to your people [in death].” Moses spoke to the people, saying, “Arm men from among you for war, so that they may go against Midian to execute the Lord’s vengeance on Midian [for seducing Israel to participate in idolatry]. 4A thousand [fighting men] from each tribe of all the tribes of Israel you shall send to the war.” 5So out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand from each tribe were selected, twelve thousand armed for war.

Numbers 31:3 word by word

וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר מֹשֶׁה֙ אֶל־הָעָ֣ם לֵאמֹ֔ר הֵחָלְצ֧וּ מֵאִתְּכֶ֛ם אֲנָשִׁ֖ים לַצָּבָ֑א וְיִהְיוּ֙ עַל־מִדְיָ֔ן לָתֵ֥ת נִקְמַת־יְהוָ֖ה בְּמִדְיָֽן׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Mosesמֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872
• spakeדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• unto the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Armחָלַץchâlats · to armH2502
• someאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
• of yourselves unto the warצָבָאtsâbâ' tsebâ'âh · army: warH6635
• and let them go against the Midianitesמִדְיָןmidyân · MidianH4080
• and avengeנְקָמָהneqâmâh · vengeanceH5360
• and avengeנָתַןnâthan · to give: putH5414
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068

Cross-references for Numbers 31:3

• Exodus 17:9So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose men for us and go out, fight against Amalek [and his people]. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.”
• Numbers 25:11“Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned my wrath away from the Israelites because he was jealous with My jealousy among them, so that I did not destroy the Israelites in My jealousy.
• Exodus 17:16saying, “The Lord has sworn [an oath]; the Lord will have war against [the people of] Amalek from generation to generation.”
• Leviticus 26:25I will bring a sword on you that will execute vengeance for [breaking] the covenant; and when you gather together in your cities, I will send pestilence (virulent disease) among you, and you shall be handed over to the enemy.
• Judges 5:2“For the leaders who took the lead in Israel, For the people who volunteered [for battle], Bless the Lord!
• 2 Kings 9:7You shall strike the house of Ahab your master, so that I may avenge the blood of My servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord, [who have died] at the hands of Jezebel.
• 2 Kings 10:30The Lord said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in executing what is right in My eyes, and have done to the house of Ahab in accordance with everything that was in My heart, your sons (descendants) shall sit on Israel’s throne to the fourth generation.”
• Jeremiah 46:10For that day belongs to the Lord God of hosts, A day of vengeance, that He may avenge Himself on His adversaries. And the sword will devour and be satiated And drink its fill of their blood; For the Lord God of hosts has a sacrifice [like that of a great sin offering] In the north country by the river Euphrates.
• Jeremiah 50:28Listen to the voice of the refugees who flee and escape from the land of Babylon, Proclaiming in Zion the vengeance of the Lord our God, The vengeance [of the Lord against the Chaldeans] for [plundering and destroying] His temple.

Commentaries on Numbers 31:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Avenge the Lord of Midian - It was God's quarrel, not their own, that they were now to take up. These people were idolaters; idolatry is an offense against God; the civil power has no authority to meddle with what belongs to Him, without especial directions, certified in the most unequivocal way. Private revenge, extension of territory, love of plunder, were to have no place in this business; the Lord is to be avenged; and through Him the children of…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3Avenge the Lord of Midian - The war against the Midianites was no ordinary war. It was indeed less a war than the execution of a divine sentence against a most guilty people. Doubtless there were many among the Midianites who were personally guiltless as regards Israel. But the rulers deliberately adopted the counsel of Balaam against Israel, and their behests had been but too readily obeyed by their subjects. The sin therefore was national, and the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-5Each tribe sent 1,000 men to the battle. This allowed everyone to gain combat experience and share the victory.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. Arm some of yourselves--This order was issued but a short time before the death of Moses. The announcement to him of that approaching event [Nu 31:2] seems to have accelerated, rather than retarded, his warlike preparations.Read the comment

In the dictionaries

• Midian
• Moses
• Midian; Midianites
• Midian, Midianite
• Prey
• Purify
• Abel-Shittim
• Avenge; Avenger
• Balaam
• Numbers, Book of

Commentaries on Numbers 31

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings